Lafayette, Louisiana
Hurricane Ivan Shelter Operations
By Chester Young
Lafayette Parish Emergency Coordinator
September 17, 2004
In response to the large number of people fleeing the path of hurricane Ivan, the Lafayette Louisiana City-Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (OHSEP) requested the help of Amateur Radio communications in its decision to open temporary shelters in Lafayette Parish.
The Lafayette Parish OHSEP Director, Bill Vincent, contacted Lafayette Parish Emergency Coordinator Chester Young KN5LSU about 11:00 AM and requested that the City-Parish Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and one shelter be manned. By 1400 members of the Acadiana ARES Group had responded and made operational 2-meter voice and packet operations at the Dupuis Center in Brown Park thereby establishing voice and digital communications with the EOC thirty minutes before the scheduled opening of the shelter. When this shelter quickly reached capacity a request was made to supply Amateur Radio communications at the larger Cajun Dome facility.
Amateur radio operators were dispatched to the Cajun Dome and 2-meter communications with the EOC were established. Both shelters were operational during the night with head-counts being supplied to the OHSEP on a moment-by-moment basis. One medical emergency was handled when a diabetic occupant of a shelter became in need of insulin but had failed to bring a syringe. The situation was reported to the EOC by 2-meter voice and Acadian ambulance was immediately notified.
By 1100 on the 16th the shelters were vacated as residents returned to the storm-endangered areas after hurricane Ivan’s landfall. Altogether, approximately 600 people were housed in the two shelters.
Participating in the deployment were Herman Campbell, KN5GRK, Vermilion Parish EC Kris Wotipka, KD5QYV, Dean Talley, KD5JZN, Gary Nezat, KD5QYU, Joseph Bienvenu, WO5G and Lafayette Parish EC Chester Young, KN5LSU.
Amateur Radio operations at the Dupuis Center in Brown Park. Left to right: J C Bienvenu, WO5G operating 2-meter packet, Herman Campbell (background) operating 2-meter voice and, right, Gary Nezat, KD5QYU operating 2-meter voice.
Dean Talley, KD5JZN operating 2-meter voice at the Cajun Dome shelter.
Photos by Kris Wotipka, KD5QYV
Created September 21, 2004 by k5dpg @ laarr l. org Louisiana Section Webmaster