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Thursday, March 28, 2024

‘Mississippi is not out of the woods,’ MEMA director says

Credit: WAPT
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‘Mississippi is not out of the woods,’ MEMA director says
‘Mississippi is not out of the woods,’ MEMA director says

Mississippi will likely avoid a direct hit from Hurricane Laura, but that doesn’t mean residents here won’t feel the effects of the storm.

OPERATIONS.MR. MATT HEARINGS JUST TO YOU ACURRENT UPDATE.WE DECLARE THE GOVERNOR DECLAREDA STATE OF EMERGENCY ON SATURDAYAND I WILL TELL YOU THAT IT’SBEEN MUCH OF A NAIL-BITER SINCETHAT DATE WATCHING THESE TWOSTORMS AND CERTAINLY MAKES ONEVERY NERVOUS WHEN YOU’VE GOT TWOSTORMS NOT ONE, BUT TWO STORMSTO COME AS CLOSE AS THESE STORMSDID TO THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPIIN HURRICANE SEASON SO FAR.THIS SEASON HAS LIVED UP TO WHATTHE HURRICANE PREDICTION CENTERHAS SAID WITH THE NUMBER OFSTORMS, AND WE’RE NOT OVER YET.WE STILL GOT PROBABLY WHAAMOUNT TO ABOUT TWO MONTHS LEFT.THIS HURRICANE SEASON OUR HEARTSGO OUT TO THE FOLKS IN LOUISIANAAND TEXAS THAT ARE AFFECTED BYTHE STORM TRACK.IT DOES APPEAR THAT THE TRACK ISCERTAINLY CONSTANT AND SLATED TOMAKE LANDFALL.A DORNIER A CATEGORY 4 HURRICANESOMETIME LATE TONIGHT OR EARLYIN THE MORNING.HAS YOUR WIFE BEEN KEEPING UPWITH THE NEWS THEY’REFRANTICALLY MAKING PREPARATIONSFOR THIS VERY DANGEROUS STORM TOMAKE LANDFALL.MISSISSIPPI IS CERTAINLY NOT OUTOF THE WOODS.WE WILL BE EXPERIENCING EFFECTSFROM THIS STORM.CURRENTLY UNDER STORM WATCH ORIS HURT AS COUNTIES SPOKE WITHGENTLEMEN TODAY AND HAVE BEENTHROUGHOUT THIS THIS PERIOD OFTIME AND THEY’RE EXPECTING STORMSURGES TWO TO FOUR FEET IN SOMEAREAS.IT COULD GET AS 6 FEET.WE ARE EXPECTING A LOT OF RAINFALL FROM THE STORM ANDCURRENTLY A ME PIKE ANDWILKINSON COUNTY UNDER FLOODWATCH.AND THEN AGAIN JUST A REMINDERABOUT THE STORM SURGE.WE CAN EXPECT THIS STORM SYSTEMAS IT MOVES ACROSS THE STATE OFLOUISIANA AND TEXAS AND INTO THESTATE OF ARKANSAS TO BRING WITHIT IN THE RAIN BANDS AND THEWIND BANDS A LOT OF EFFECTS TOMISSISSIPPI.ONE OF THE THINGS I JUST WANT TOBRING YOUR POINT TO AND AS AREMINDER WAS BROUGHT ATTENTIONTO ME TODAY THAT THIS STORMTRACK HAS FOLLOWED VERY CLOSELYAS DID HURRICANE RITA WHICHPRECEDED OR FOLLOWED VERYCLOSELY HURRICANE KATRINA BACKIN 2005 THAT STORM READ OFFOLLOWED VERY NEARLY THIS VERYSAME STORM TRACK AND WEEXPERIENCED ONE OF THE LARGESTTORNADIC OUTBREAKS THAT WE HADON THAT DAY.SO JUST A REMINDER WE COULDEXPERIENCE TORNADOES ALONG AS ANADDITION TO THE RAINFALL AND THEWIND SO MEATS.WE NEED TO REMAIN VIGILANTTHROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD OF TIME.WE DO STILL HAVE SOME SHELTERSOPEN ACROSS THE STATE IN HANCOCKCOUNTY.THEY’RE KILLED SAFE ROOM REMAINSOPEN AT THIS TIME MARION COUNTYCONTINUES TO HAVE ONE SHELTEROPEN.AND THEN THERE IS ONE COUNT ONESHELTER STILL OPEN AND JEFFDAVIS COUNTY.IF YOU RECALL THEY DID HAVE SOMEFLASH FLOODING THERE AND WE DIDHAVE SOME FOLKS THAT WEREDISPLACED TO THOSE SHELTERSDURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME AS ARESULT OF MARCO.WE HAVE ASSISTED TODAY A FAMILYFROM LOUISIANA THAT EVACUATEDFROM THE AFFECTED AREAS INLOUISIANA AND WILL CONTINUE TOSUPPORT OUR SISTERS AND BROTHERSAS WE NEED TO TO HELP THEMTHROUGH THIS DIFFICULT TIME.ALONG THOSE LINES SUPPORT THATWE HAVE SENT OUT TO THE STATE OFLOUISIANA.WE DEPLOYED JUST ABOUT AN HOURAGO A SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMTHERE BE GOING TO STAGE IN,BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA TO ASSISTWITH HIGH WATER AND SEARCH ANDRESCUE AS NEEDED.I JUST WAS MADE AWARE OF BEFOREI CAME INTO THIS PRESSCONFERENCE THAT THE STATE OFLOUISIAN HAD REQUESTED THROUGHEMAC HEAVY-LIFT AVIATION SUPPORTTHROUGH OUR NATIONAL GUARD.IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING WILL PUTWILL BE SUPPORTING THAT ANDDEPLOYING THOSE RESOURCES WHENIT IS SAFE TO DO SO.AND THEN FINALLY WE’VE BEENWORKING TO ASSIST THE STATE OFLOUISIANA WITH CANINE SUPPORTEDTEAMS FOR THE TO AUGMENT THEIRSEARCH AND RESCUE AND WE’REWORKING TO ASSIST TO THOSE RIGHTNOW.JUST ONE FINAL NOTE JUST TOREMIND EVERYONE OF IT.THIS HAS BEEN A VERY STRESSFULSITUATION FOR A LOT OF FOLKSWITH A STORM THIS STRONG.I CANNOT EMPHASIZE ENOUGH FORTHE FOLKS IN MISSISSIPPI TO PAYATTENTION TO THE WEATHER.IT IS NOT OVER FOR US JUSTBECAUSE THIS STORM HAS MOVED TOOUR WEST AND MAKING LANDFALLWHERE IT IS.WE WILL HAVE EFFECTS IN STATE OFMISSISSIPPI FOR AS LATE AS EVENINTO FRIDAY.SO YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION ANDWATCH TO THE WARNINGS.COME OUT.AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE COVERWHEN NECESSARY FOR WHATEVERTHREAT MAY COME ABOUT.BEFORE WE OPEN THE FLOOR FORQUESTIONS.I’D LIKE TO TURN THE PODIUM OVERTO PRODUCE A SECOND TO OUR FEMACOORDINATE OFFICER TO BREADHIGHWAY.THANK YOU DIRECTOR.LADIES AND GENTLEMEN PLEASURE TOBE HERE.I HATE US UNDER THESECIRCUMSTANCES BY THE DIRECTORSAID I’M BRETT HOWARD.I’VE BEEN APPOINTED AS FEDERALCOORDINATING OFFICER FOR THISEVENT THIS POTENTIAL DISASTERFOR THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.I’M HERE WITH THE REGION 14 WEHAVE OUR REGION FOR I’M AT TEAMON THE GROUND HERE.WE’ BEEN HERE SINCE MONDAYGOVERNOR REEVES AND THE THROUGHTHE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCYHERE REQUESTED A PRESIDENTIALDECLARATION PRE LANDFALL.BACK WIN ON SUNDAY WHEN THESTORM WAS REALLY FOCUSED ANDPOINTED ON, MISSISSIPPI.HE RECEIVED THAT REQUEST FORDECORATION.IT WAS GRANTED SUNDAY NIGHT.THE FAME OF TEAM ROLLED IN SOMONDAY MORNING, AND WE’VE BEENCOORDINATING WITH THE STATE OFMISSISSIPPI, MISSISSIPPI MA.HERE SINCE THEN.GETTING READY STANDING UPPOSTURING FOR ANY NEEDEDRESOURCES THEY MAY HAVE THEIRDECLARATION IS IT’S A LIMITEDONE.IT WAS MAINLY FOR THEPREPARATION FOR SHELTERING FORTHE STORM FOR THE LANDFALL OFTHE ONCOMING TROPICAL OFTROPICAL STORM NOW MAJORHURRICANE.COVER THE EVACUATION AND SHELTERSUPPORT THAT WOULD BE NEEDEDHERE IN MISSISSIPPI.I WANT TO REITERATE WHAT THEDIRECTOR SAID EVERYONE NEEDS TOCONTINUE TO BE VERY VILLAGEVIGILANT IN THEIR ACTIVITIES ONMONITORING THE STORM.YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT’S GOING TOHAPPEN.THERE’S TOO MUCH.THERE’S TO MESA CAN STILL GO ON.IT’S NOT A LANDFALL TOMISSISSIPPI, BUT THERE WILL BEEFFECTS FROM THIS TOP THISHURRICANE THIS MAJOR HURRICANE.THROUGHOUT MISSISSIPPI.THANK YOU, SIR.THANK YOU, BRETT.AT THIS TIME.I’M HAPPY TO OPEN UP FORQUESTIONS.IT’S GOOD QUESTION.WE WE CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW DO NOTHAVE ANY CONTRACTS.YOU’RE SPEAKING OF NON-CONGRESSSHELTERING AND YOU PROBABLYHEARD ON THE NEWS WITHLOUISIANA.AND FLORIDA IS USING THAT WE AREIN THE PROCESS OF SHOWING THATUP.THAT’S SOMETHING THAT WE’VE BEENWORKING ON THROUGHOUT THISENTIRE COVID PERIOD BECAUSE OFTHE THE ISSUES WITH CONGRESSSHELTERS, WE DON’T CURRENTLYHAVE ANY CONTRACTS, BUT WE AREWORKING AND TALKING WITH HOTELS.WE WE WERE PREPARED TO TOINSTIGATE A FIELD.VT AT NONCONNAH SHELTER PLANSHOULD HAVE HAD MADE LANDFALLIN, MISSISSIPPI?I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT IT CANYOU TALK ABOUT WHAT RESOURCESWERE SENDING CURRENTLY INTO THETRACK OF THE HURRICANE ARE WEMUTUALLY WELL.SO FIRST OF ALL, WE’RE DEPLOYINGTHOSE ASSETS WHEN IT’S SAFE TODO SO WITH REGARD TO THE SEARCHAND RESCUE ASSETS.THEY ARE THERE ON THE ROAD NOWAND TO WHERE THEY BELIEVED IT.SAFE AREA IN BATON ROUGELOUISIANA, THEY WILL GET THERETHEY WILL TAKE SHELTER UNTIL THEUNTIL THE STORM SUBSIDES ANDIT’S SAFE TO MOVE AROUND ANDTHEN THEY WILL BE DEPLOYED ASNECESSARY BY THE STATE OFLOUISIANA IS EMERGENCYMANAGEMENT.SAME THING WOULD APPLY TO THEROTARY WING ASSETS WITH THENATIONAL GUARD.THEY’RE POISED.THEY’VE BEEN PREPARING FOR THISAND HAVING DISCUSSIONS FOR THELAST FEW DAYS AND WHEN IT’S SAFETO DO SO AND DEPLOY THOSE ASSETSAND THEY WILL GO IN AND GO WHERETHEY NEED TO BE.IT COMES TO TORNADOES THAT YOUMENTIONED EARLIER POSSIBLETORNADOES POPPING UP THROUGHOUTTHE STATE.WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE THERE?AND THE STATE WOULD YOU?CONCERNED ABOUT WELL, YOU KNOWTORNADOES ARE ALL VERY VERYDIFFICULT FOR US TO PINPOINTWHERE THOSE MIGHT BE.I MEAN IF WE GO BACK AND LOOK ATWHAT HAPPENED WITH REID AND IMEAN IT REALLY WAS AMAZED.IT JUST ALMOST IDENTICAL THATSTORM TRACK IS THERE WAS A LARGECONCENTRATION OF TORNADICACTIVITY IN THE JACKSON METROAREA, WHICH IS RIGHT WHERE WEARE, BUT THEN THERE WERE SPENTOFF TORNADOES ALL THROUGHOUT THESTATE.SO AS THIS IF YOU’VE SEEN SEENTHIS TRACK, IT’S VERY STRANGE ATALL.IN CIRCLES THE STATE OFMISSISSIPPI WHERE IT CAME FROMACROSS THE ATLANTIC IN THECARIBBEAN BASIN AND THEN MOVEDUP ACROSS LOUISIANA.IT’S GOING TO MAKE A VERY HARDRIGHT TURN AND HIT ABRUPTLY OFFTO THE EAST JUST TO THE NORTH OFUS.SO WE’RE GOING TO HAVE WINDBANDS PRETTY MUCH, YOU KNOW,ENCIRCLING THE STATE AND RAINBANDS.SO THOSE TORNADOES SPIN OFFSCOULD BE ANYWHERE BUT THENATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOES AGOOD JOB OF HELPING US PINPOINTTHAT SO WE CAN AT LEAST BELOOKING IN THOSE AREAS ANDTHAT’S REALLY THE BEST W CAN DORIGHT NOW IS JUST REMAIN.YES, SIR.CLIPS OF EVACUEE WE’RE NOTEXPECTING A LARGE INFLUX OFWE’VE HAD GOOD COMMUNICATIONSWITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.I’VE SPOKEN WITH THEM EVERY DAYTHIS WEEK.THEY HAVE BEEN IN MUCH LIKE THEQUESTION ABOUT THE NON-CONGRESSSHELTERS EARLY ON YOU KNOW,WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THISWITH OUR PARTNERS ON OURCOUNTERPARTS.THEIR MESSAGING HAS BEEN TOEVACUATE OUT OF THERE’SLOUISIANA IS PROVIDINGTRANSPORTATION A LOT OF AREASWITH THE NON-CONGRESS SHELTERAND THEY’RE DOING SO THEY’RE INA LOT OF WAYS CHANNELING WERETHOSE EVACUEES GO IN THEIRSTATE, YOU KNOW THIS FAMILY THATWAS DISPLACED THAT INMISSISSIPPI THAT WE ASSISTED.I THINK THAT’S GOING TO BE MORETHE EXCEPTION THAN THE NORM.BUT AGAIN IF WE DO GET FOLKSFROM LOUISIANA OR WHEREVER THATMAY BE WE WILL DO OUR BEST TOHELP THEM AND THEM TAKEN CAREOF.HI, MY NAME IS SILIGURI.I’M A REPORTER WITH THECOMMERCIAL DISPATCH IN COLUMBUS,MISSISSIPPI.SO MY QUESTION IS WHAT IS ITGOING TO LOOK LIKE TO OPEN UPSHELTERS IN THE CONTEXT OF THEPANDEMIC?AND YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU HOW DOYOU HANDLE THE CASE OF CULTUREIS AT ITS MAXIMUM CAPACITY ANDHAS TO TAKE IN WORRIED VACUUM.HE’S AND WHAT ARE SOME OF YOURCONCERNS?YEAH.YEP, SO AS HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUTTHROUGHOUT THIS THIS YEAR WITHOTHER DISASTER.WE HAD YOU MEAN COVID TOES IN AVERY UNIQUE CHALLENGE WHENYOU’RE TALKING ABOUT SHELTERS INTHE TRADITIONAL WAY THAT WESHELTERED FOLKS FORTUNATELY.UNFORTUNATELY IF YOU WILL WE’VEHAD WE’VE HAD SOME EXPERIENCE INDEALING WITH KOBE NOW.SO IT’S BECOMING A LITTLE MORENORM WITH THE PP AND IN THERESTRICTIONS UNDER THERE.SO IT’S NOT IT’S NOT ANYTHINGTHAT WE HAVEN’T BEEN WORKINGWITH FOR THE MONTHS BUT TO YOURPOINT.WHAT IT DOES REQUIRE US TO DO INA KNOT IN A CONGREGATESHELTERING IS IT REQUIRES US TOHAVE MORE FACILITIES IN THE CASEOF THE THREE SHELTERS ARE OPENRIGHT NOW.THE POPULATION HAS BEEN LOW.SO THAT’S BEEN GOOD BECAUSEWE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THATTHROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR PEOPLETO AVOID THOSE CONGRESS SHELTERSAND SEEK OTHER MEANS IF THEY CANBUT THE THE REQUIREMENTS WOULDMEAN THAT WE WOULD HAVE LESSPEOPLE THAT WE COULD PUT INTO ACONGRESS SHELTER WHICH MEANS INSOME SOME CASES HAD THIS STORMMADE LANDFALL.ALL IN MISSISSIPPI WE’VE BEENLOOKING AT HAVING TO OPEN MOREOF THOSE SHELTERS, BUT WE HADALREADY BEEN WORKING WITH TRYINGTO PUT PEOPLE IN NON-CONGRESSSITUATIONS AS WELL.PPE HAS BEEN STAFFED AND ALLTHESE COUNTIES SO THEY HAVE ITTO STAFF.THE CONGRESS SHELTERS SHOULDHAVE BEEN THE CASE, BUT IT ITDOES THAT POSE A CHALLENGE ANDBUT WE WERE PREPARED TO WORKTHAT TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE HAD ASAFE PLACE TO GO.IN WEST HARLEM STATE CURTAINSTRAJECTORY HISTO CAUSE ANYOTHER EFFECTS OTHER THAN JUSTYEAH, ABSOLUTELY FLASH FLOODINGOF COURSE AND YOU KNOW WHEN THISTHIS TRACK IS IS KIND OF ITSKIND OF BEEN WEIRD HOW IT’SREALLY AVOIDED, YOU KNOW EVENCOMING OR TOUCHING THE STATE OFMISSISSIPPI, BUT BUT YES AND NOTONLY THAT BUT THE RAIN THAT’SHAPPENING WITH THIS HEAVYCONVECTION SYSTEM.THAT WAS KIND OF LORDING OFFTHEIR THAT IT BROKE AWAY FROMMARCO CAUSED A LOT OF RAIN THATWE’VE BEEN EXPERIENCED UP IN THENORTH SO YOU CAN EXPECT THATRAIN THAT WE EVEN GET NORTH OFMISSISSIPPI OVER THE COURS OFTHE NEXT SEVEN SIX TO SEVEN.THESE WILL BE EXPERIENCINGAFFECTS THEIR TO SOME OF THERIVERS TRIBUTARIES.WE COULD EXPECT TO BE SWOLLENOVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXTWEEK.SO YEAH, THE FLASH FLOODING ISGOING TO BE A FACTOR AND A RISKFACTOR AS WELL AS AS A STORMPUSHES THROUGH.STORM SURGE.ARE WE LOOKING AT ON THE COUCH?I KNOW YOU MENTIONED SOMETHINGABOUT THAT.BUT YES.YES, SO HANCOCK COUNTY IS GOINGTO BE THE ONE THAT MORE THANLIKELY TO BE AFFECTED THE MOSTBECAUSE THEY THE LOWER AREASTHAT STORM STORM SURGE WATCHDOES ROLL INTO HARRISON COUNTYAS WELL.I SPOKE WITH BRYAN ADAMS DOWN INHANCOCK COUNTY BEFORE CAME INTOTHIS AND AND YOU KNOW, HE’SPROJECTED ON THE ON THE ON THETHE THE WATCH ARE TO BE TWO TOFOUR-FOOT.HE’S EXPECTING BASED ON HIS OWNPERSONAL EXPERIENCE.IT COULD BE AS HIGH AS SIX WHATTHEY’RE PREPARING FOR.WORST CASE SCENARIO AND THENTHAT WOULD ALSO TRANSCEND EVENIN PARTS OF HARRISON COUNTY.COULD YOU TALK TO US LITTLE BITABOUT TH WILL BE AFFECTED BYTHE RAIN.SO WE GOT A REPORT EARLIER TODAYFROM THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERSABOUT THE ABOUT THE RAIN ANDWHERE WE HAD THEIR THEY’RE NOTANTICIPATING ANY MAJOR ISSUESTHAT HASN'BEEN ANY ISSUES UP UNTIL NOW BUT OBVIOUSLY AS WELOOK BEYOND THEIR FORECASTING,YOU KNOW, NO MAJOR EFFECTS EVENWITH THE RAINFALL THAT THEY’REPROJECTING TO COME OUT OF THEUPPER VALLEYS, BUT IT ISSOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO WATCHBECAUSE THERE’S SECOND THIRD ORDEFECT TO EVERYTHING AND ANDEVEN THOUGH WE’VE BEEN FOCUSEDON COVID IN OTHER AREAS, WESTILL HAVE TO KEEP OUR EYE OUT.IT I WANT A LOWER YAZOO RIVERBASIN THERE AND

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