City of New Orleans Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 16, 2009

MAYOR NAGIN TO LEAD DELEGATION ON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS TRIP TO CUBA

NEW ORLEANS - (October 16, 2009) -- Less than 24 hours after President Barack Obama talked during his visit to New Orleans about the importance of flood protection and disaster preparedness, Mayor C. Ray Nagin and a delegation of city and state officials departed this morning on a disaster preparedness exchange mission to Cuba. Mayor Nagin will be the first New Orleans Mayor in 50 years to make an official visit to Cuba. Cuba is internationally applauded for exceptional Disaster Management. New Orleans is serving as an American laboratory for newer and improved methods of emergency preparedness and response. The City has implemented new evacuation plans which include assistance for residents who are unable to leave the city on their own. The City evacuated more than 18,000 residents using the City Assisted Evacuation Plan when Hurricane Gustav approached last year. The delegation is scheduled to meet with the Latin American Medical Centers for Disaster and will learn about the preparations the Defense Committee makes in advance of disasters. Several other meetings also are scheduled, including with the Ministry of Exterior Relations and the Ministry of Culture. Mayor Nagin will be joined by Louisiana Speaker of the House Pro Tem Karen Carter Peterson, Council Member Cynthia Hedge-Morrell, Chief Administrative Officer Brenda Hatfield, Police Superintendent Warren Riley, Fire Superintendent Charles Parent, EMS Director Jullette Saussy, Director of Emergency Preparedness Lt. Col. Jerry Sneed, New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport Chairman Dan Packard, Regional Transit Authority Chairman Caesar Burgos and others. Mayor Nagin will return to New Orleans on October 22.
--END--

CITY OF NEW ORLEANS Mayor’s Press Office 1300 Perdido Street, Suite 2E04 New Orleans, Louisiana 70112