(New Orleans, LA) The City of New Orleans will release regular updates, or Situation Reports, detailing the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the city and the progress of rebuilding efforts. Reports will be posted on the City’s website, www.cityofno.com.

As of Wednesday, September 14, 2005:

Schools

• Since schools will be out of service for the foreseeable future, parents are urged to enroll their children in schools outside Orleans Parish.

City employees

• To ensure that they continue receiving paychecks, City of New Orleans employees are being asked to register with a tracking service by calling (877) 751-2415. Sewerage and Water Board employees are asked to call (877) 863-9405.


• Callers will be asked about personal identification information, job title and duties, current contact information, names of spouse and children, whether the children are now enrolled in school outside of the city, the status of their homes in New Orleans, long-term plans for returning to the area, and credit union membership.
  
• City of New Orleans employees received a direct deposit payment as usual on September 2, 2005. Payroll cards will be sent to employees who normally receive a paper check; employees should call (866) 795-2427 to register for the cards.

Mass care/housing/human services

• The Convention Center continues to house a triage center for remaining victims and evacuees.


• Non-evacuated civilians remain in numerous areas at this time.


• Two cruise ships are now docked at the Mississippi River, with an occupancy of about 2,000 City workers and officials.

Public health and medical systems

• Respectful and dignified removal and disposition of the deceased continues to be a priority. Search and recovery is underway or completed in almost all areas of the city.


• Algiers has been cleared from a boil water notice. For additional information, visit www.dhhemergencynews.com.
  
• A safety officer position has been assigned to public health.
  
• Dark water in the area contains 10 times the acceptable amount of E. coli bacteria.

Long term recovery and mitigation

• The U.S. Postal Service has begun assessments to determine adequate locations for re-establishing postal service to the New Orleans Area.


• City of New Orleans government officials are planning the long term rebuilding of the governmental structure to provide continuity of operations.


• Planning is underway for restoration of critical infrastructure including water/sewer, electrical and communications.


• Vital facilities are being assessed for the extent of damage and efforts required for restoration.


• The emphasis of the operation is beginning to shift to recovery.

Domestic animals

• A variety of animal rescue groups are working independently to rescue animals, including the Louisiana SPCA. Ideally, all individual groups will coordinate with the SPCA for a unified approach to finding animals and reuniting them with owners.


• The New Orleans OEP is working to establish a centralized dispatch location so all animal calls can be dispatched and logged.

Transportation

• The Regional Transit Authority and the Capital Area Transit System have developed an operational plan to meet the transportation demands of people displaced due to Hurricane Katrina, including an expansion of services in and around Baton Rouge and a Park-n-Ride regional service.


• The RTA is considering establishing a free fare passenger policy for the time being.
  
• Due to the evacuation of the city, there is no public transportation running.

Debris Management

• Effective Monday, garbage service will resume on the West Bank of New Orleans.
  
• Debris has been pushed to the side on all West Bank Streets. Streets are passable.
  
• Residents should place garbage and storm debris curbside. Contractors will collect waste and bring it to staging areas for sorting and disposal at landfill.
  
• Streets throughout Carrolton Avenue are currently being cleared of debris, with 90 percent of non-flooded areas clear.
  
• Canal Street, the French Quarter and the Convention Center have been cleaned. Omni crews are working to clean the second floor of the Superdome.
  
• Debris management is being handled by the Army Corps of Engineers and the New Orleans Department of Sanitation as removal continues.

Emergency Management

• Officials are in the process of establishing and carrying out a plan for a unified 911 Communications Center.


• The Emergency Operations Center is fully activated and operational under the Incident Command System.


• The EOC is working under written Incident Action Plans to coordinate tactical operations in the field.


• Ongoing work

o Coordinating resource requests and allocations.

o Prioritizing missions to optimize resource usage.

o Established logistical support for EOC/City Hall staff.

o Completed digital aerial photography to complete rescue mission tasking.

o Preparing to transfer operations to larger facility in order to ramp up operations with agency representatives.

Infrastructure

Electric

• Several areas, including much of Algiers, are back up and operating – including around NASA, pumping stations 6 and 7, the Crescent City Connection, the Port of New Orleans, office buildings in the CBD, the Bell South building, much of the Convention Center, various hotels and much more.

• The City is working on priority lists to restore power where it’s needed most, including hospitals and the Sewerage and Water Board facilities. Many pumps are online and operating.

• Work continues on pumping down vaults, inspecting infrastructure, patrolling and assessing overhead and feeder lines and energizing areas where it is safe.

• The CBD grid should be energized in the next several days.

Water and Wastewater

• Officials are concentrating on trying to maintain firefighting water supply. Some water mains are breaking as pressure is increased, creating delays in restoration of services.

• Priorities established for the Sewerage and Water Board

1. Drainage of storm water.

2. Restoration of water service to the Central Business District. Sewer infrastructure is still intact in CBD.

3. Restoration of water service to the Garden District.

4. Repair/restoration of the East Bank Waste Water Treatment Plant

• According to the US Army Corps of Engineers, the water purification plant is operating and chlorinating the water. The water, however, is not considered potable yet. A major problem preventing normal water pressure is the numerous leaks in the distribution lines supplying the lower 9^th Ward. The shut off valves on these lines are not accessible until the water is drained from the area.

Gas

• All of Algiers has gas service. Work continues to assess and restore service in other parts of the city where it is safe.
  
• Work In Progress

· Entergy crews continue to work to restore the gas supply in the French Quarter.

· Entergy crews continue assessments in the CBD, Downtown and Uptown areas.

· Onyx Industrial Service Divers are working gas leaks in flooded areas north of I-610 in the Gentilly area.

Communications

• Cox New Orleans customers will not be billed for services in the month of September. Cox Communications will announce procedures for October and beyond. Updates are available at www.cox.com.

• Commercial cell phone carriers have periodic disruption of services throughout the city.

Oil/Hazmat Response

• 14 new spills reported (300 to date, six still considered significant)


• 10 vessels waiting to enter river


• Offshore facilities: 52 platforms lost, 58 damaged, 3 MODUs (Mobile offshore drilling rigs) sank, 16 damaged .


• 39 of 179 bulk liquid facilities in the area are functional, nine are non-functional, the rest are undetermined as of now.

Emergency Services

Emergency Medical Services

• Approximately 23 EMS transport units are working within the city, with numerous additional private and mutual aid resources operating.


• NOEMS is using FEMA-contracted ambulances to provide coverage. NOEMS medics are assisting out of town medics with call locations, care protocols and communication with hospitals.

Law Enforcement and Public Safety

• The United States Secret Service completed the credentialing process in the City of New Orleans on September 12, 2005. The credentialing was intended to identify New Orleans police officers, officers and deputies from the State of Louisiana, federal officers and officers and deputies from out of state jurisdictions that are operating in the City of New Orleans with firearms. In addition, fire executive staff also received credentials.


• New Orleans Police Department: 1,352 credentials issued


• All others: 1,444 credentials issued


• Credentialing will move to Baton Rouge on Wednesday, September 14, 2005.


• Security is being maintained by local law enforcement augmented by state and federal law enforcement resources.


• Check points are established throughout the city to control traffic and restrict access to authorized personnel only.

Fire Department

• Fire department infrastructure: 6 stations operational for daylight only.


• Six staging ground areas are operational.


• An aerial firefighting operation of helicopters has been used in the city to prevent the spread of large fires and to fly reconnaissance to spot outbreak of fire.

Military

• Task Force All American established a decontamination site in the French Quarter and divisions are working strategically throughout the city.
  
• Task Force Orleans is working to help Bell South determine communications operability, guard critical buildings, and protect infrastructure.
  
• The number of evacuees continues to significantly decline. Future evacuees will be processed at the Convention Center and be transported by bus.
  
• Together with local law enforcement, the military has reestablished security in Orleans Parish.

• Task Force Orleans is working to eliminate the backlog of 911 calls.

Coast Guard

Numbers are for a 24 hour period.

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  21 air rescues


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  65 water rescues


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  Six local wharves are damaged: Louise, Congress, Desire, Piety, Press and Mandeville.