Due to Winter Storm Caddo Parish is in Emergency Crisis Mode
This Winter Storm straight from the North Pole is bringing on problems like Caddo Parish and the City of Shreveport have never seen. Due to the extremity of these issues, the Caddo Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness has activated its 24-hour Emergency Operations Center to coordinate a unified agency response to the winter weather event.
Sheriff Steve Prator, Director of Caddo OHSEP, said a representative from each of the following agencies will maintain a presence in the EOC until the weather event has passed and will serve as the strategic decision-making body for emergency and disaster response:
• Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness
• Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office
• City of Shreveport Fire and Police Departments
• Caddo Parish Commission Public Works
• Regional Hospital Coordinator
• Louisiana Army National Guard
• Salvation Army of Shreveport
• VOAD / Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (211)
Caddo sheriff’s deputies, City of Shreveport fire, police, and water personnel and other emergency responders have been working throughout the inclement weather to serve citizens.
Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins said Water and Sewerage crews are working to repair burst pipes and water main breaks throughout the city. Frozen pipes, bursts and main breaks are the cause for low to no water pressure across the Shreveport. Residents are asked to allow faucets to drip, not flow fully, to keep water lines open.
In other announcements:
• All City of Shreveport offices will remain closed until further notice. All essential city workers will continue to report to work or work remotely. Citizens will still be able to make payments by mail or online.
• Garbage collection remains suspended until further notice. SporTran operations also remain suspended.
• The City has partnered with Hope Connections and the Salvation Army to ensure that our homeless population is safe. Teams have been doing outreach to get the homeless into shelters. Homeland Security is leading a joint effort with a progression plan for sheltering and warming centers. The City is on standby to offer additional space should it be needed.
• The following parish locations are closed: All Parish Government Plaza offices, Caddo Parish Courthouse, all Parish trash compactor sites, all Parish parks and nature sites, Caddo Parish Animal Services. Animal control officers will be on call to respond to emergencies.
• The Parish’s emergency personnel will continue to monitor weather situations to ensure safety on parish roadways. Crews have been mobilized to apply sand to any affected bridges, remove fallen trees from the roadways and close Parish roads as needed.
• The Parish of Caddo is actively monitoring weather conditions to determine when Parish offices will re-open.