St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office participates in mock evacuation exercise

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies and members of its Community Emergency Response Team, or C.E.R.T., participated in a mock evacuation exercise conducted by the St. Bernard Parish Homeland Security on May 24 at the Frederick J. Sigur Civic Center in Chalmette. First row, from left, are: C.E.R.T volunteers Shirley Labrano, Charlie Alfortish, Patti Pannagl, Susan Stringfrield, and Carol Eilers. Second row, from left: Lt. Bryan Fleetwood Sr., Capt. Bret Bowen, Dep. James Wood, Capt. Charles Borchers, C.E.R.T. volunteers Pat Preau, Hilton Preau and Terry Pitre, and Sgt. Eric Eilers.

Lauren Stone, left, with St. Bernard Parish Government’s community development department, puts an identification bracelet on Pat Preau, a volunteer with the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Community Emergency Response Team, during the St. Bernard Parish Homeland Security’s mock evacuation exercise held May 24 at the Frederick J. Sigur Civic Center in Chalmette.

Volunteers with the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Community Emergency Response Team, Susan Stringfield, left, and Carol Eilers, right, register St. Bernard resident Martina Duplessis, left, for emergency evacuation assistance during a mock evacuation exercise held May 24 by the St. Bernard Parish Homeland Security in Chalmette.

Lt. Bryan Fleetwood Sr., center, discusses a plan of action to be taken with St. Bernard Parish Government employees Julie Bradbury, seated, and Luther Jackson, during a mock evacuation exercise conducted by the St. Bernard Parish Homeland Security on May 24 at the Frederick J. Sigur Civic Center in Chalmette.

Members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office participated in a mock evacuation exercise conducted by the St. Bernard Parish Homeland Security on May 24 at the Frederick J. Sigur Civic Center in Chalmette.

“The purpose of this annual event is to make sure the evacuation plan set in place works without any problems,” said Capt. Charles Borchers, director of the Community Relations Division of the Sheriff’s Office. “It gives personnel a chance to run through various scenarios and practice what to do in different situations so they can be better prepared to ensure the safety of our residents.”

Members of the Sheriff’s Office Community Emergency Response Team, or C.E.R.T., volunteered their time during the event by registering members of the community and staging them in the correct locations as if they were actually being evacuated during a natural or man-made disaster.

Also on hand were St. Bernard Parish Government workers, Louisiana State Police, Louisiana National Guard, Acadian Ambulance and St. Bernard Parish Hospital employees.

St. Bernard Parish residents with special needs or those who have no resources to evacuate themselves are eligible for assistance in evacuating should a mandatory evacuation be called in the parish, either due to a hurricane or another type of emergency which might arise. Residents can register with the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness by calling (504) 278-4268. Information also is available at sbpg.net. Click on Departments, then Homeland Security, then Special Needs Registration.

For more information about the Sheriff’s Office C.E.R.T. program, call Borchers at (504) 278-7628.