U.S. Department of Homeland Security
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Private Sector Advisory

Safety Remains Top Priority as FEMA and its Federal Partners Continue to Support States Impacted by Tropical Storm Barry

“Please don’t take your eye off the storm. Stay out of the water. Keep your family safe and don’t put first responders at risk by making bad choices.” – Acting Administrator Pete Gaynor

Heavy rainfall continues as the storm moves through northern Louisiana and into Arkansas.  The risk of flooding remains high. Residents should remain vigilant and follow instructions from local officials. FEMA and other federal agencies, and voluntary organizations have personnel and, commodities ready to support response efforts as needed.

Safety

Stay off roadways and do not return home until your local officials say it is safe. 

Once safe to do so, check on your neighbors. You may be the help they need.

Do not attempt to walk, swim, wade, or drive through floodwaters. Floodwater can contain dangerous debris, downed power lines and germs.

This storm is expected to bring heavy rain and flooding as it moves into Louisiana, Mississippi and other states for several days. Residents who live in the storm’s projected path should be prepared now.

Go to Ready.gov and Listo.gov for more preparedness information in English and Spanish. Download the FEMA app.

Federal Response Efforts

• Successful emergency management is locally executed, state managed, and federally supported.
• Many areas within Tropical Storm Barry’s predicted track remain engaged in recovery activities from prior disasters, including flooding that began in early 2019.
• FEMA remains in close coordination with, local, state, federal and tribal partners in Louisiana, Mississippi and other affected areas to assist in response efforts.
• FEMA staff and commodities are in position, ready to support local and state response efforts. Incident Management Assistance Teams are in place in Louisiana and Texas and engaged with state emergency management personnel. Urban Search & Rescue teams stand ready to support response efforts. 
• More than 300 FEMA responders are deployed or mobilizing in support of TS Barry.
• This is in addition to the full-time staff at our Louisiana Integration and Recovery Offices in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. We also have staff at our regional response coordination center in Denton standing by to support.
• The American Red Cross and other partners have more than 40 shelters open in Louisiana and Mississippi with more on standby to open if needed.
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) deployed staff to Louisiana and Texas to assist with response planning. USACE remains on alert for a potential temporary power missions to support efforts if needed.
• U.S. Department of Energy’s industry partners positioned power crews from Florida, Kentucky, and North Carolina to assist with power restoration, if needed.
• Two U. S. Health and Human Services Disaster Medical Assistance Teams are pre-staged to assist local and state response if needed.

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Please help support FEMA’s mission of “Helping people before, during and after disasters.”

Download the FEMA App to locate and get directions to open shelters across the state, and receive weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five different locations anywhere in the United States. Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.twitter.com/FEMAespanol, https://www.facebook.com/FEMA, www.facebook.com/FEMAespanol and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Acting Administrator Pete Gaynor’s activities @FEMA_Pete.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.