Hurricane Ike Update: September 11, 2008

From the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau:
The Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau will close at the end of the day and remain closed until all advisories have been lifted and it is safe to do so.

From the Southwest Louisiana Wildlife Refuge Complex:
Southwest Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge Complex Closing September 11, 2008, effective
6: 00AM due to Hurricane Ike. Sabine, Lacassine, Cameron Prairie and Shell Keys National Wildlife Refuges will be closed to all public access and recreational uses as of 6:00 am September 11, 2008. For the safety of the public and the refuge employees, all the refuge entrance gates will be closed at 6:00 am. This action corresponds with a Cameron Parish decision to implement a mandatory evacuation for all of Cameron Parish. The refuge will re-open when the Parish lifts the mandatory evacuation and it is determined safe to re-enter the Refuge marshes after the storm passes and damages, if any, are assessed.

From http://www.kplctv.com/:
The latest from http://www.kplctv.com/ as of the 6:00 a.m. briefing. The next briefing is scheduled for noon today.

CALCASIEU PARISH OFFICIALS HAVE ORDERED A MANDATORY EVACUATION FOR LOW-LYING AREAS AND ALL SPECIAL NEEDS RESIDENTS. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS FROM HURRICANE IKE COULD BEGIN DURING THE DAY FRIDAY AND WIND GUSTS NEAR OR ABOVE CATEGORY 1 HURRICANE STRENGTH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING IN CALCASIEU PARISH. OFFICIALS SAY IKE IS A DANGEROUS STORM AND THOSE RESIDENTS WHO RESIDE IN TRAVEL TRAILERS, MOBILE HOMES, AND LOW-LYING AREAS DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR HIGH WATER, STORM SURGE, AND WIND ARE BEING ORDERED TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES. EMERGENCY OFFICIALS SAY THE POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING DUE TO STORM SURGE OR HIGH WATER IN CALCASIEU PARISH IS SIMILAR TO THAT CAUSED BY HURRICANE RITA.

WESTERN CALCASIEU PARISH COULD BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE WINDS OF UP TO 60 MILES PER HOUR BY FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING. CITIZENS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO EXPERIENCE POWER OUTAGES THAT COULD LAST FOR DAYS. A STORM SURGE JUST BELOW THAT OF HURRICANE RITA MAY BE EXPERIENCED IN LAKE CHARLES. THERE IS A MANDATORY EVACUATION OF LOW-LYING RESIDENTS OF CALCASIEU PARISH AND THOSE IN CALCASIEU WHO LIVE IN MOBILE HOMES AND TRAILERS AS WELL AS SPECIAL NEEDS PATIENTS.

THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS IS ADVISING RESIDENTS IN LOW LYING AREAS AND MOBILE HOMES TO EVACUATE.

CAMERON PARISH COULD EXPERIENCE A STORM SURGE OF UP TO 12 FEET WITH THIS STORM. CAMERON PARISH MANDATORY EVACUATION HAS BEEN ORDERED.

THE CAMERON FERRY IS NOW CLOSED.

DELTA TECH WILL HOLD DAY AND NIGHT CLASSES THURSDAY.

A CURFEW HAS BEEN ORDERED FOR CALCASIEU PARISH FRIDAY NIGHT FROM 8 PM - 6 AM.

COASTAL LOUISIANA IS UNDER A TROPICAL STORM WARNING. CAMERON PARISH IS UNDER A HURRICANE WATCH.

LAKE CHARLES DIOCESE HAS SCHOOL THURSDAY, BUT WILL CLOSE FRIDAY. OUR LADY IMMACULATE SCHOOL IN JENNINGS WILL BE OPEN THURSDAY & FRIDAY.
MCNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY WILL CLOSE AT NOON TODAY. SOWELA WILL HAVE CLASSES THURSDAY AND ALL OFFICES ARE OPEN. DELTA TECH WILL HOLD DAY AND NIGHT CLASSES THURSDAY.

RESIDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, OR THOSE WHO NEED A RIDE OUT OF THE AREA AND A PLACE TO STAY CAN CALL 337-721-4020 TO ARRANGE FOR TRANSPORTATION TO THE CIVIC CENTER FOR COACH BUS TRANSPORTATION. CALCASIEU RESIDENTS WHO EVACUATE BY BUS WILL BE TRANSPORTED TO ONE CENTRALIZED LOCATION IN NORTH LOUISIANA. THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS AGREED TO PROVIDE PERSONNEL FOR SECURITY PURPOSES AT THE SHELTER.

SANDBAGS ARE AVAILABLE AT CALCASIEU PARISH BARNS IN MOSS BLUFF, HAYES, LAKE CHARLES, SULPHUR, STARKS, DEQUINCY VINTON AND IOWA. YOU MUST PROVIDE YOUR OWN SHOVEL. FOR A LIST OF PARISH BARNS GO TO KPLCTV.COM
STATE OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED IN CAMERON AND CALCASIEU PARISHES THURSDAY.
THE FOLLOWING SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED THURSDAY AND FRIDAY: CALCASIEU PARISH, CAMERON PARISH, HAMILTON CHRISTIAN SCHOOL.