Gov. Jeff Landry issues state of emergency ahead of Tropical Storm Francine

RIGHT NOW. PREPAREDNESS. I'M GOING TO COVER SOME BRIEF METRICS ON THE STORM ITSELF. THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE GOVERNOR JUST TO LET EVERYONE KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TRACKING TROPICAL STORM FRANCINE FOR THE LAST WEEK AND A HALF. RIGHT NOW IT IS IT IS TROPICAL STORM FRANCINE. WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT IT WILL GO TO CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE FRANCINE BY TOMORROW AT AROUND 7 P.M. WE ALSO ANTICIPATE THAT AT LANDFALL, BASED ON THE INFORMATION WE'RE GETTING FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AS WELL AS FROM JAY GRIMES INTERNALLY TO GOSSIP THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY RISE FROM A CATEGORY ONE TO A CATEGORY TWO STORM, MOST LIKELY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH LOCALIZED FLOODING OF 7 TO 9IN OVER A 12 HOUR PERIOD. ONCE THE STORM MAKES LANDFALL, AND THEN THE MOST DANGEROUS ASPECT OF THE STORM IF IT APPROACHES LAND AND THEN SLOWS DOWN AND PUSHES STORM SURGE, THE GOOD NEWS IS, IS THE STORM METRICS HAVE GONE FROM MOVEMENT OF FIVE MILES AN HOUR IN THE ADVISORY AT 1:00 TO NOW, 4 P.M., IT'S MOVING SEVEN MILES AN HOUR. WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT THIS WILL BE A MID AFTERNOON TO LATE NIGHT LANDFALL. SO THAT BRINGS A SPECIFIC ELEMENT. WE WOULD ASK EVERYONE TO STAY OFF THE ROADS AND REMAIN VIGILANT AS YOU MOVE, AS YOU'RE AT HOME, PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON. WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT YOU MAY EXPERIENCE POWER OUTAGES. AND IN ONE OF THE THINGS MOST CONCERNING TO US IN GOSSIP IS GENERATOR SAFETY. SO IF YOU HAVE A POWER OUTAGE, WE REMIND YOU TO USE YOUR GENERATOR. IN THE PROPER FASHION. IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT HOW TO USE YOUR GENERATOR, YOU CAN GO TO GET A GAME PLAN. ORG AND TO FOLLOW THE METRICS OF THE STORM, ALONG WITH ALL THE ROAD CLOSURES, YOU CAN GO TO VIRTUAL LA LA DOT GOV. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO THE GOVERNOR FOR HIS COMMENTS. THANK YOU JACK. I WANT TO THANK BOTH THE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER WHO'S HERE TODAY, AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE WHO JOINED US, AS WELL AS THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CABINET THAT ARE HERE TODAY. TODAY, WE WE ISSUED A STATEWIDE DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY. THIS WILL ALLOW THE THAT RESOURCES WILL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESOURCES TO BEGIN TO FLOW. I SPOKE TO ADMINISTRATOR DEANNE CRISWELL, THE FEMA ADMINISTRATOR, EARLIER THIS MORNING. WE HAVE REQUESTED A PRE LANDFALL PRESIDENTIAL DECLARATION ALREADY. WE WANT EVERYONE IN THE STATE TO BE CAUTIOUS AND VIGILANT. AS JACK SAID, WE DON'T WANT YOU. WE DON'T WANT TO DOWNPLAY THIS EVENT, BUT WE ALSO DO NOT WANT PEOPLE TO PANIC. WE ARE PUTTING OUT THE BEST INFORMATION POSSIBLE. WE HAVE OUR STATE CLIMATOLOGIST WHO IS WORKING 24 AND SEVEN, PUSHING INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT HE PREDICTS IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THIS, WITH THIS STORM, WE WANT EVERYONE TO GO TO THE THEIR HURRICANE PREPARATION PLANS THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE. WE'VE BEEN PUTTING OUT ALL SUMMER LONG. AGAIN, YOU CAN GO TO GET A GAME PLAN.ORG. THERE'S GREAT INFORMATION THERE AS WELL. YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE RISKS FOR YOUR AREA AND LISTEN TO YOUR LOCAL OFFICIALS. WE HAVE ALREADY BEGUN INITIATING CONFERENCE CALLS WITH ALL OF OUR PARISH PARTNERS AND S STATE AGENCIES. TOMORROW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A UNIFIED COMMAND GROUP MEETING WITH THE ENTIRE CABINET AND STATEWIDE OFFICIALS. THE STEPS THAT WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN, GOSSIP HAS BEEN MONITORING THIS STORM DEVELOPMENT OVER THE PAST EIGHT DAYS. IN CONJUNCTION AGAIN WITH OUR STATE CLIMATOLOGIST, JAY GRIMES. THEY HAVE BEGUN CONFERENCE CALLS WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SINCE SATURDAY. WE HAVE BEEN IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH FEMA AND REGION SIX. WE BEGAN DAILY CALLS WITH ALL PARISHES AND STATE AGENCIES TODAY, WE ACTIVATED THE STATE EOC CRISIS ACTION TEAM. TODAY AND BEGAN BRIEFING THE LEGISLATURE. TOMORROW WE WILL BE AT A LEVEL THREE ACTIVATION, WHICH MEANS THAT GOSSIP WILL GO TO A 24 HOUR EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTION. AND AS I SAID EARLIER, EARLIER TOMORROW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A UNIFIED COMMAND GROUP MEETING AND A PRESS CONFERENCE RIGHT AFTERWARDS, I WILL NOW LIKE TO BRING THE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER UP TO GO OVER A COUPLE OF OF PRE PREPARATION PLANS THAT PEOPLE CAN MAKE IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THEY PROTECT THEIR PROPERTY. TIM. THANK YOU, GOVERNOR, AND I'D LIKE TO ECHO WHAT THE GOVERNOR AND JACK SAID, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER WHAT THE FORECAST FOR THIS STORM IS, WE NEED TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY WITH THAT REGARD, I'D LIKE TO ASK EVERYBODY TO BE INSURANCE READY. AND BY THAT WHAT I MEAN, I'M ASKING IS YOU TO READ YOUR INSURANCE POLICY, GO OVER IT AGAIN. LOOK AT YOUR DECLARATION PAGE. KNOW WHAT YOUR INSURURANCE DEDUCTIBLE, YOUR NAMED STORM DEDUCTIBLE IS. AND AT ANY TIME YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON YOUR POLICY, CALL YOUR INSURANCE AGENT, CALL YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY. NOW IS THE TIME TO GET THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED. THE OTHER IS PREPARE YOUR PROPERTY. NOW. IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE SO ALREADY, PLEASE TRIM BACK ANY LIMBS OR TREES THAT ARE CLOSE TO YOUR HOME. SECURE YOUR FURNITURE AND YOUR WINDOWS AND DOORS. YOU DON'T WANT YOUR FURNITURE TO BECOME PART OF THE DEBRIS THAT COULD DAMAGE YOUR NEIGHBORS. TAKE PHOTOS OF YOUR INVENTORY, NOT JUST THE INSIDE, NOT JUST YOUR CONTENTS, BUT ALSO THE EXTERIOR. IT'S A BETTER WAY TO DOCUMENT. IF YOU DO HAVE DAMAGE, MAKE COPIES OF YOUR POLICY AND YOUR INSURANCE. YOUR INSURANCE AGENTS PHONE NUMBER, YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY'S PHONE NUMBER. TAKE THOSE WITH YOU AND MAKE THAT PART OF YOUR EVACUATION PLAN AND THEN FINALLY, ONCE IT IS SAFE TO RETURN, IF YOUR HOME DOES HAVE DAMAGE, MAKE SURE AND DOCUMENT IT. TAKE MORE PHOTOS, BUT ALSO MITIGATE ANY FUTURE DAMAGES. TARP YOUR YOUR ROOF IF YOU HAVE DAMAGE THEIR TARP OR BOARD UP YOUR WINDOWS IF YOU HAVE DAMAGE SO THAT YOU WON'T GET WATER INTRUSION AND AGAIN, LET'S LET'S TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY AND I APPRECIATE THE GOVERNOR'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TIM. AGAIN, AGAIN, WE WANT THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE NOT TO PANIC, BUT TO BE PREPARED. THESE THESE STORMS ARE STORMS THAT WE UNFORTUNATELY HAVE BEEN SUSCEPTIBLE TO EACH AND EVERY YEAR THAT HURRICANE SEASON IS UPON US. WE ARE GOING TO BE PUTTING OUT INFORMATION. PLEASE AGAIN, GO TO GET A GAME PLAN ORG OR STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL OFFICIALS AND TO LOCAL WEBSITES ON THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN THE PARISHES THAT YOU LIVE, AND WE WILL BE HOLDING A PRESS CONFERENCE AGAIN TOMORROW ABOUT 1030, 1130 1130 AFTER THE UCG MEETING, WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE RIGHT NOW. JULIE, CAN YOU GUYS TELL US WHERE YOU THINK THE THE MAIN PART OF THE STATE THAT MIGHT BE AFFECTED BY THE STORM IS? AND CAN YOU ALSO, ARE YOU OPENING ANY PUBLIC EVACUATION CENTERS AT THIS POINT? WELL, WE'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW WE'RE TRYING TO MONITOR AND UNDERSTAND EXACTLY THE IMPACT THAT THE STORM IS GOING TO HAVE ON THE COASTAL PARISHES. RIGHT. SO AGAIN, THE PLACES THAT THE STORM MAKES LANDFALL ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED THE MOST. THE HEAVIEST. AND DEPENDING UPON THE SPEED OF THE STORM IS GOING TO DEPEND UPON THE THE STORM SURGE THAT THAT WILL IMPACT THE COAST. AND SO AGAIN, AS WE ALL KNOW, THOSE PEOPLE LIVING ALONG THE COAST SHOULD HEED THEIR LOCAL OFFICIALS WARNINGS AND TAKE THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS NECESSARY FOR HIGH TIDES, FOR EXTREME STORM SURGES, AND FOR AND FOR THOSE AREAS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY A STRONG SOUTHERLY WIND. ASAS FOR STORM SHELTERS, THE STM SHELTERS ARE ALL BASED ON A PARISH BY PARISH BASIS, SO THE BEST MECHANISM IS EXACTLY WHAT THE GOVERNOR SAID. MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH YOUR LOCAL PARISH OFFICE OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, AND THEY'RE GOING TO TELL YOU WHICH SHELTERS BY PARISH WOULD BE OPEN. I THINK WE HAVE, AND I THINK JACK SAID IT. WE HAVE GOT 23, 23, 23 DECLARATIONS OF EMERGENCY BY PARISHES. I'M SURE THAT THAT MAY EXPAND BY TOMORROW WHEN WE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THE IMPACT OF THIS STORM TO THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. ANY OTHER? YES, SIR. I KNOW WE MENTIONED GETTING INSURANCE READY, BUT WHAT OTHER ADVICE DO YOU HAVE PEOPLE FOR GETTING READY NOW? WE'VE SEEN A COUPLE OF GAS STATIONS WITH EXTREMELY LONG LINES OF PEOPLE FILLING UP THEIR CARS, PEOPLE GETTING READY WITH THEIR GENERATORS. WHAT OTHER ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR PEOPLE? LOOK, AGAIN, IF YOU IF PEOPLE WOULD JUST GO TO GET A GAME PLAN.ORG THAT WE TOOK A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME AND RESOURCES IN ORDER TO PUT GREAT INFORMATION OUT. THAT'S READILY AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE, RIGHT ON THAT WEBSITE. THEY CAN THEY CAN ACCESS IT FROM THTHEIR PHONES OR THEIR LAPTOPSR THEIR IPADS OR THEIR DESKTOPS INSIDE OF GET A GAME PLAN DOT ORG. YOU SEE SOME SOME ADVICE AS TO PREPARING FOR A STORM. AND AGAIN WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO PANIC. WE HAVE SOME TIME. THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THESE PRESS CONFERENCES TODAY. IT'S WHY WE'RE CONTINUING TO PUSH OUT INFORMATION TO THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE. SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A STORM COMING. THIS THIS IS THE LEVEL OF RISK THAT WE HAVE. THESE ARE THE POTENTIAL EFFECTS THAT ARE GOING TO BEBE ALONG THE COAST. AND IF YOU GO TO GET A GAME PLAN.ORG, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE JUST FINE. SO IS THAT THE POINT WHERE WE JUST SELLING THIS WEBSITE, THIS THIS THIS APP IS THAT. NO, I THINK THAT NO, BECAUSE LOOK, WE HAVE PUT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESOURCES AND INFORMATION ON IT. AGAIN, I COULD GO HERE AND GO THROUGH THAT WEBSITE WITH YOU, BUT THAT WOULD THAT MIGHT TAKE US SECONDS IN 12 HOURS, EVERYONE'S GOING TO FORGET THAT. IF YOU REMEMBER, GET A GAME PLAN.ORG AND YOU GO TO THAT WEBSITE IF YOU FORGET SOMETHING THERE, YOU WILL FIND ALL OF THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO PREPARE YOUR PROPERTY, TO PREPARE YOUR HOME, TO PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THIS TYPE OF EMERGENCY. CHUCK IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE MIGHT HAVE MISSED ON IT? SIR, IT COMES DOWN TO ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE IN THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CYCLE. WE PROVIDE ON THE APP TO MODERNIZE OURSELVES AS AN AGENCY EVERYWHERE ACROSS THE BOARD. WHEN YOU TELL SOMEONE HOW TO WORK AN APP, THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO. SO THAT'S WHY ALL THE INFORMATION IS IN A ONE STOP SHOP. IT'S VERY GOOD, VERY IMPRESSIVE. AND AS THE GOVERNOR SAID, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TAILORING IT FROM THE PERSON'S STANDPOINT. THAT'S OUT THERE, JUST WORRIED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS. AND WE DON'T GET ANY REVENUE OVER THE CLICKS. WE JUST SAVE LIVES ANY MORE QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION. YEAH. HAVE YOU HAD TO EVACUATE ANY NURSING HOMES OR HOSPITALS OR MEDICAL FACILITIES? WE HAVE. I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION. WE WERE JUST IN CONSULTATION WITH LDH. WE WILL BE ISSUING AN EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT WILL PUT IN PLACE CERTAIN MEASURES THAT NURSING HOMES WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON NURSING HOMES ALONG THE COASTAL PARISHES. YES, MA'AM. SO THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT'S FORTHCOMING? YES, THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT THE SURGEON GENERAL WILL BE PUTTING OUT. WE'LL BE SIGNING. WE'RE DRAFTING IT AS WE SPEAK. HE'LL PUT IT OUT AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL GET THE INFORMATION ON IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ALL RIGHT? YES. ONE LAST QUESTION. YES, GOVERNOR. INVARIABLY, WHEN A STORM IS NOT REALLY DOWNPLAYED PER SE, BUT AS YOU AND THE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER BOTH ALLUDED TO, YOU NEED TO BE READY. YOU NEED TO BE READY TO GO. BUT IF THERE'S A MANDATORY EVACUATION AND SOMEBODY DOES NOT ADHERE TO IT, AND INVARIABLY PEOPLE ARE LOATH TO GET IN THAT BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC AND POSSIBLY RUN OUT OF FUEL. WHAT IS THERE A PENALTY FOR THAT? LOOK, HERE'S WHAT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ASK THE PEOPLE OF OF LOUISIANA AS A WHOLE TO PRAY FOR ALL OF THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE PLACED IN HARM'S WAY BECAUSE OF THIS STORM. AND, AND AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE ADHERE TO THE WARNINGS THAT THEIR LOCAL OFFICIALS PUT OUT BY ADHERING TO THOSE WARNINGS. THEN GUESS WHAT? YOU END UP SAVING LIVES AS WELL. SO WE DO NOT WANT PEOPLE TO GET TO WAIT TO THE LAST MINUTE TO GET ON THE ROAD, TO RUN OUT OF FUEL. WE DON'T WANT LONG LINES IN THE GAS STATIONS. WE PUT OUT A LOT OF INFORMATION THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, THROUGHOUT HURRICANE SEASON, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN BE PREPARED. THE MORE PREPARED WE ARE, THE EASIER IT IS FOR US TO ADDRESS THESE TYPES OF STORMS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. LISTENING TO GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY AND OTHER STATE LEADERS TALK ABOUT STORM PREPS AS WE ARE MONITORING TROPICAL STORM FRANCINE. OF COURSE, HIS ADVICE, LIKE OTHER PARISH LEADERS, HAVE A GAME PLAN. AND, YOU KNOW, START DOING YOUR PREP WORK NOW IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY. YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. WE'LL HAVE MUCH MORE WITH THE GOVERNOR COMING UP IN LATER NEWSCAST. AND DEVIN IS COMING BACK RIGHT AFTER THE BREAK WITH A FULL FORECAST, INCLUDING ALL OF THE