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Area leaders meet

Acadia Parish declared a disaster area

Howell Dennis
Managing Editor

During a morning meeting at state Rep. Jack Montoucet’s office, a group of area leaders, first responders and public officials gathered to address the weekend storm’s aftermath and how to best help parish residents.
With the tragic events of the past weekend still ongoing in many areas of Acadia Parish, the tired looks on most of the faces of most of those who were present were understandable to say the least.
In attendance at Monday’s meeting were Montoucet (D-Crowley), state Sen. Jonathan Perry (R-Kaplan), OneAcadia’s Laurie Suire and her husband, Jay, Gibson, Acadia Parish Police Jury Secretary-Treasurer Laura Faul, Acadia Parish Sheriff KP Gibson, Crowley Police Chief Jimmy Broussard, as well as representatives from FEMA’s Washington, D.C., office and several members of the press.
“So far we’ve rescued over 600 people this weekend,” said Gibson. “What I want people to know is that if they’re going to get out to do it during the daytime. We need the streets cleared as much as possible for emergency vehicles and those who are trying to get to their homes.”
Both Perry and Montoucet said that they needed people to understand that it was imperative for them to document (with pictures) as much information as they could regarding the damage and losses they suffered for FEMA to process when the area was declared a disaster area. When the meeting broke, Acadia Parish was still not included a disaster area. However, Laurie Suire reported at 11:20 a.m. that Acadia Parish had been officially added to the list of disaster areas.
The following is a press release that was issued following the meeting:
• The immediate process until FEMA officially declares the parishes disasters, is as follows:
“If anyone has sustained flooding or damage they should immediately submit their physical address, whether they have flood insurance and whether they own the property using the following contact information. Specifically using their name and physical address IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF ANY EMAIL (NOT P.O. Box).”
Suire also wanted to emphasize that even after the parish had been declared a disaster area, that people still continue to submit their information and continue to do so.
“The governor just called to let us know that we have been added to the list but that doesn’t mean our work here is done,” she said. “We need to make the state’s case for the President.”
Other information as of 11:30 a.m. included:
• Interstate 10 in Acadia Parish has been shut down on both sides until further notice.
• People were still being rescued in west Crowley as of press time. Officials in the area wanted to let people know not to allow their children play near the areas where the flood waters high.
• Schools in Acadia Parish will be closed on Tuesday as they were on Monday. Lafayette Parish schools will be closed for the remainder of the week.
• Crowley Chief of Police Jimmy Broussard wanted to announce the following road closures:
- Huval Street in the City of Crowley from Avenue I eastward.
- Stutes Street in the City of Crowley from Avenue I eastward.
- Avenue D at the bridge area by West 17th Street until Fairway Drive.
- North Parkerson Avenue at Northern Avenue, an increase from Sunday’s closure at 15th Street.
All of these road closures are a result of flooding due to the issues with the Mermentau River and Bayou Plaquemine and any feeders into these waterways.

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