Jefferson Parish authorities say they're better prepared than ever for the 2009 hurricane season.
Jefferson Parish Homeland Security Chief Deano Bonano says much of today's protection can be credited to lessons learned from Katrina. "Things happened here that have never happened anywhere else in the country. So we have an insight that other people, other emergency managements throughout the country, don't have."
"We've put plans in place that don't exist anywhere else. So I think we're probably one of the best prepared communities in the country to weather a hurricane," says Bonano.
As for the levee system in Jefferson, Bonano says, "While they're still not upgraded to the point we want to see them at, they are much better now than they were in 2005." And, he says they get better every day.
Listen to Don Ames' conversation with Bonano:
Bonano says the main area of concern remains the private levee on east side of the Harvey Canal. "A flood wall is under construction there now and will be completed sometime next year, so until 2010, that remains our biggest area of concern.
All the levees won't be completed until 2011, but Bonano says levee work throughout the parish continues to improve the protection level on a daily basis.
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Bonano says that, from a citizen's perspective, the plans the plans this year remain the same as 2008. Jefferson Parish won't evacuate this hurricane season unless threatened by a Category 3 or greater storm.
Of course, parish authorities are hoping that won't be necessary.
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