New Orleans leaders say city is ready for hurricane season, 20 years after Katrina
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Nearly 100 unclaimed or unidentified victims of Hurricane Katrina are interred at the New Orleans Katrina Memorial. This photo was taken at the 10th anniversary event in August 2015. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Leaders in metro New Orleans say they have tested, checked and prepped everything they can for hurricane season, which starts Sunday.
Why it matters: They say the lessons learned in Hurricane Katrina 20 years ago forced south Louisiana to get better at weathering storms.
The big picture: Power outages remain a looming concern, especially during the summer's extreme heat, New Orleans leaders said earlier this week.
- The weekend's rolling blackouts further highlighted the fragility of the grid.
- Authorities in Orleans and Jefferson parishes say they are prepared to quickly open shelters and resource centers that would have air conditioning and charging stations.
- New Orleans also has its network of community lighthouses, which are solar-powered centers at churches and community spaces.
Inside the room: Regional authorities have hosted several press conferences leading up to the start of hurricane season.
- They've emphasized how much has changed in the past 20 years.
- The levees and power grid have been strengthened, forecasts are more accurate, buildings are built to higher standards and leaders have more ways than ever to connect with residents and each other.
- They've all emphasized the need for individuals to make their own storm preparations, a lesson that was hard-learned after Katrina when the city was left languishing by the federal government.
Between the lines: Katrina will be a constant theme this hurricane season.
- Officials already have been sharing their memories. Expect more commemorative events and heavy media coverage in the coming weeks.
Zoom out: Uncertainty remains at the national level for FEMA and what it will look like this season under the Trump administration, which has called for it to be overhauled or dismantled.
- Mayor LaToya Cantrell noted that Louisiana has an advocate on the president's review council in Mark Cooper, who was former Gov. John Bel Edward's chief of staff.
- Jefferson Parish president Cynthia Lee Sheng says she's glad the conversations are happening and she hopes it leads to quicker responses after a storm.
- "I'm glad that there's healthy debate going on about what FEMA should look like, where our resources should go, the role for the state, the role for local governments," she said.
- Both parishes said nothing has changed with their planning due to the potential changes at the federal level.
What's next: Authorities urge residents to prepare now by gathering emergency supplies, preparing their home for storms and making an evacuation plan.
- The National Hurricane Center began its daily tropical outlook May 15, and so far all has been quiet in the Gulf, Caribbean and Atlantic.
- Historically, the most active period for strong storms in the Gulf is August and September.
Go deeper
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- New Orleans leaders say city is ready for hurricane season, 20 years after Katrina