Acadia designated as 'StormReady'

Acadia Parish has been recertified as a StormReady Community.

Andy Patrick, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service in Lake Charles, presented a certificate to the police jury and to Lee Hebert, director of the Acadia Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, during Tuesday night’s police jury meeting recognizing Acadia as one of about 2,200 Storm Ready Sites in 49 states, Puerto Rico and Guam.

“Americans live in the most severe weather-prone country on earth,” noted Patrick. “Each year Americans cope with an average of 100,000 thunderstorms, 10,000 of which are severe; 5,000 floods; 1,000 tornadoes; and an average of two landfall deadly hurricanes.

“And this on top of winter storms, intense summer heat, high winds, wild fires and other deadly weather impacts.”

Patrick added that 90 percent of all presidentially declared disasters are weather related, leading to about 500 deaths annually and about $14 billion in damages.

The StormReady program started in 1999 in Tulsa, Okla. Its aim is to  help arm America’s communities with the communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property — before and during the event.

“StormReady communities are better prepared to save lives from the onslaught of severe weather through advanced planning, education and awareness,” Patrick said. “No community is storm proof, but StormReady can help communities save lives.”

Patrick lauded the efforts of Hebert and Assistant OHSEP director Kim Boudreaux in preparing for the StormReady evaluation.

In other business during a fairly routine meeting, jurors introduced an ordinance which would regulate the location, direction and route of pipeline servitudes in the parish.

Only Juror A.J. “Jay” Credeur opposed.

A public hearing will be scheduled on the proposal before it is considered for adoption.

The jury also reprioritized roads to be repaired with state “right-sizing” funds, moving Morrow Road near Atwood Acres to the top of the list.

Also, Bart Wild of Wild Productions in Crowley was appointed to the at-large seat on the Acadia Parish Tourist Commission for a term of two years.