It's the same story every year as the June 1 opening day of hurricane season draws near. Stock up on batteries, non-perishable foods, water, medical items, develop and practice a family plan, secure your home... The information was repeated so many times that lots of people probably paid little attention. Until the 2005 season, that is, when Hurricane Katrina literally slammed the point home.
As the 2008 season begins, the message of preparedness is again being sounded. Local folks, now equipped with the benefit of hard lessons learned, are paying attention. And Tommy Thiebaud, Washington Parish Director of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) urges not only individuals and families, but businesses to also develop hurricane plans.
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"We certainly have knowledge we didn't have before Katrina, and nobody can take that hard-earned education away from us," said Thiebaud. "We already have a contract for debris removal and a plan for fuel to be brought in. We're working on the shelters, and increasing capabilities. And communications are probably the best they've ever been, but we're steadily making improvements and adding redundancy."
He believes most people are making preparations as well, and said he hopes many took advantage of the recent tax-free weekend for hurricane supplies.
Reading or re-reading the official lists and guidelines wouldn't hurt.
Thiebaud encourages everybody to check out the new state storm preparedness Web site, http://getagameplan.org.
"And we still have plenty of 2007 Hurricane Guides available," he said. "The information is still good. People can stop by the OEP office at 803 Pearl Street in Franklinton or at any of our public libraries and pick one up."
The guides are free of charge.
People need to make preparations, and so do businesses, said Thiebaud.
"It's not just a personal thing - every year get your batteries...," he said. "Businesses have to prepare, too. They have to plan for a continuity of operations."
Katrina knocked the Daily News, like businesses across the region, to its knees.
That won't happen again, said John H. Walker, editor and publisher of the newspaper.
"We missed about 10 publishing days and still didn't have power when we put out our first paper on Sept. 10," Walker said. "We worked by generator with a shop light and portable fan and discovered if we wanted more light and turned on the second light, we had to turn off a computer or the fan ... so one light was fine."
Walker said pages were put together on computers in Bogalusa and saved to a disc, then driven to Covington, where they were transmitted to the Natchez Democrat for printing.
"They would print them and drive them back halfway and we would meet them, transfer papers from one truck to another, and bring them back to Bogalusa," Walker explained.
Red Cross canteen trucks were instrumental in getting the newspaper delivered.
"We would go to First Baptist Church on delivery mornings and unload bundles to be taken out on the canteens ... we also dropped bundles of papers off that first Saturday at churches and at the post office main counter. It's a time - and experience - I certainly don't want to repeat," he said.
If another devastating storm hits Bogalusa, it will be easier and quicker. The Daily News now has a powerful generator that can simultaneously power all the lights, computers and other equipment needed to prepare a newspaper. And a process is being developed that will allow the power to be diverted to the press for printing and the distribution center for putting sections together.
The newspaper also now has a designated "Hurricane Room," where supplies like water, flashlights and electrical cords are stored. An out-of-town communications hub has been established at corporate headquarters.
And every employee will be given a seven-page 2008 Hurricane Plan that includes basic operational information and phone numbers.
"After our experience with Hurricane Katrina it became clear that while we thought we were prepared, we were not," said j. Kennon, president of Pontchartrain Newspapers, of which the Daily News is a member. "That is probably no different from many other businesses. Now a Hurricane Plan is a routine part of our business, and we encourage all businesses and households in the community to do the same."
Forecasters predict that the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season, which will run through Nov. 30, will be more active than usual. Preparation can mean the difference between life and death, or between a crippling blow and a short diversion off course.
Thiebaud and others urge everybody to take what they learned during Katrina, add it to the official advice and get ready to weather whatever future storm may make a bull's eye or a near bull's eye of Washington Parish.
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