By MOLLY DRYMAN

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE — The St. John the Baptist Parish Library in LaPlace will host a hurricane and flood awareness seminar this Thursday.

Presentations will begin at 7 p.m. by the St. John Planning and Zoning, Emergency Preparedness, St. John Sheriff’s Office, American Red Cross and United Way of St. John.

The seminar will inform residents about flooding, storm surge, hurricane evacuation plans, traffic concerns, available out of Parish shelters and support agencies.

Deputy Director Kathryn Gilmore of the Emergency Preparedness Department said they will be focusing more on evacuation plans.

“Our focus is to inform and educate local citizens about the developed family emergency plan,” Gilmore said. “This is not only for hurricane information, it is also information on how to be prepared during flooding.”

The Sheriff’s Office will be there to discuss the new evacuation plan, focusing on the changes that have been made since last year, according to Gilmore.

This information is important for everyone in Southeast Louisiana, but this seminar will focus more on St. John Parish, according to Gilmore.

The St. John Sheriff’s Office will also concentrate on traffic concerns. “Be prepared, and know your route,” said Traffic Commander Troy Cassioppi. “Practice the route before the situation occurs.”

Cassioppi suggested getting family members together and taking a drive around the back roads.

There will be three phases during evacuation. The first two are time elements and precautions taken regarding how and when to get out of the area. The third phase is “contra-flow,” which means you have no choice which way to leave, according to Cassioppi.

“Residents should leave before this phase,” Cassioppi said. “Contra-flow will probably only affect St. Charles Parish, because St. John is at the end of the contra-flow. They can only go north or west.”