Louisiana Firefighters Upset Over Gustav Evacuations

Sept. 11, 2008
Some Jefferson Parish firefighters complained Wednesday that emergency planners failed them during Hurricane Gustav.

ELMWOOD, La. --

Some Jefferson Parish firefighters complained Wednesday that emergency planners failed them during Hurricane Gustav.

The first responders said they were bused to government buildings and hospitals without basic necessities.

"Our emergency managers have failed," said Bob Burkett, president of the Jefferson Parish Firefighters Association.

NewsChannel 6's Gina Swanson reported that some members of the East Bank Consolidated Fire Department had to ride out Hurricane Gustav at the Yenned Building without food and water.

Deano Bonano, Jefferson Parish's emergency response chief, disputed the claims.

"Things with the fire union are so exaggerated," Bonano said.

In the face of Hurricane Gustav, Jefferson Parish officials were big on planning, figuring out ways to get hundreds of thousands of people out of town and to safety, Swanson said.

Some emergency personnel who had to stay behind said all the planning did not account for them.

"Once again, we were faced with no food, no water, no ice, no accommodations for our people," Burkett said. "Our people were evacuated to local area hospitals and were basically shown a spot on the floor: No cots, no showers, no reasonable accommodations."

"It's not like they are living here," Bonano said. "For cots and all of that for a 12-hour period is not needed. There was food in the form of (Meals Ready to Eat) and ice available."

The firefighters criticized that being away from their equipment in an emergency situation simply is not a good idea.

"I don't know if the hospitals are safer than the fire houses. I have had plenty of firemen tell me, 'I'd rather ride it out at the station and respond until we simply can't anymore,'" Burkett said.

"With wind gusts that high, you have to be in a building that is certified to handle those winds. Their fire stations are not certified to handle that," Bonano said.

High wind gusts were also the reason firefighters were not initially allowed to respond to a fire at a home in Old Metairie. By the time firefighters arrived, the home was gutted without much to salvage, not even the kitchen sink, Swanson said.

"It's not safe for human beings to work in winds greater than 50 mph sustained, not safe for employees to be on the street," Bonano said.

Jefferson Parish officials said that there are plans in the works for three fire stations that can withstand hurricane-force winds. Parish officials said the new fire stations should be able to withstand Category 5 winds and be completed by next hurricane season.

Parish officials are also in the process of reviewing their emergency plans to identify potential needs for improvements, but officials said they will not compromise the safety of any parish employees.

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