Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana – As a tropical disturbance is forecasted to reach the Southeast Texas/Southwest Louisiana coastal areas late Tuesday night, the Calcasieu Parish Executive Policy Group is taking proactive measures to ensure the community is prepared. On Monday, September 9, the group will conduct a public briefing at 10:00 a.m. to address local plans and provide updates on the situation. The briefing will be live-streamed on the C-GOV channel and the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury’s Facebook page, allowing residents to stay informed from the comfort of their own homes.
In addition to the briefing, the parish will open sandbagging operations at various locations throughout the parish starting at 8:30 a.m. on Monday. Residents are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to prepare their homes and properties for potential flooding.
There will be two types of sandbagging locations: machine sandbagging and self-bagging. Machine sandbagging locations, equipped with sandbagging machines, will be available at the former Old Tyme Variety Store location in Sulphur and Public Works East in Lake Charles. Self-bagging locations, where residents can fill their own bags, will be available at various Ward Barns throughout the parish, as well as at Iowa City Hall and Vinton Public Works Yard.
While sand and bags will be provided, residents must bring their own shovels and fill their own bags. No outside equipment will be allowed on the sandbagging sites, and parish staff will be on site to maintain safety operations and supplies. To ensure everyone has a chance to prepare, residents are asked to limit their sandbags to 15 per person. If lines are long, residents can get back in line multiple times.
In preparation for the potential weather event, the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury will also close the Residential Solid Waste Convenience Centers on Monday, September 9.