[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro said Mississippi River levels currently pose no threat to St. Bernard

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro said Mississippi River levels
currently pose no threat to St. Bernard 

Residents should monitor news reports 

 

St. Bernard Parish President Craig P. Taffaro, Jr. said he has been in
regular contact with officials monitoring and responding to the rising
levels of the Mississippi River. Currently, there is no immediate threat to
St. Bernard.

 

"Obviously, we are not taking this lightly," Taffaro said. "We will continue
to engage with the National Weather Service and GOHSEP in Baton Rouge. We
are approaching this as a situation where it is better to plan and not need
to do anything."

 

Based on the information gathered in regular meetings with federal, state
and local authorities, the Mississippi River is still rising and it is
expected to crest in New Orleans on May 24, said Col. David Dysart, St.
Bernard Chief Administrative Officer and Director of the Office of Homeland
Security and Emergency Preparedness. 

 

Parish officials are in regular update meetings with multiple agencies
including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Governor's Office of
Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the Lake Borgne Basin Levee
District, as well as several area river districts.

"At this time we do not foresee any problems with levee failures in St.
Bernard Parish," Taffaro said. "We don't see any issues at this time to give
us cause for concern."

 

Councilman Wayne Landry said: "The information we are receiving thus far
looks promising and it seems like we should all be safe. However, I believe
all people should remain guarded in the event the unforeseen occurs and
should have precautions in place, including last minute evacuation plans."

 

John Rahaim, Deputy Director of the St. Bernard Office of Homeland Security
and Emergency Preparedness, said local officials are doing visual monitoring
as well. "The levees in St. Bernard are being inspected at least once a day
by officials with the Lake Borgne Basin Levee District and the St. Bernard
Sheriff's Office," Rahaim said. "We want people to remember to stay off the
levees. Driving, especially driving four-wheelers, degrades the levees.
Unauthorized people will be arrested if they are found on the levee."

 

For more information, call the St. Bernard Office of Homeland Security and
Emergency Preparedness at 504-278-4267 or 504-278-4268.

 

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