§ 9-9. Evacuations.

(a)

During a state of emergency as declared by the parish president, or during a named tropical storm or hurricane in or threatening the Gulf of Mexico, the parish president, in furtherance of the provisions of this chapter, and all applicable law, may order a voluntary or mandatory evacuation, when in his judgment it is deemed necessary. When a mandatory evacuation is ordered, it shall be lifted, in whole or in part, only at such time as public services are available in the area opened for re-entry. Exceptions to a mandatory evacuation may be authorized for emergency responders, security guards under contract, first responders, and private business or hospital emergency teams, and others as may be determined to be necessary and appropriate.

(b)

Once a mandatory evacuation is ordered, and for the duration thereof, no emergency services will be provided by the Parish of Jefferson for or in the area subject to the evacuation order. For the duration of the mandatory evacuation, and for those areas affected thereby, no persons shall be physically forced to leave the parish under the parish president's evacuation order. However, those persons electing to remain within the Parish of Jefferson, or more limited evacuation areas, do so at their own risk and shall be subject to arrest if they are outside the boundaries of their own property.

(c)

For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

(1)

"Evacuation" means an operation whereby all or part of a particular population is temporarily relocated, whether individually or in an organized manner, from a sector that has been struck by a disaster or is about to be struck by a disaster to a place considered not dangerous for health or safety of the populace.

(2)

"Advisory evacuation" or "voluntary evacuation" means an evacuation that may be ordered when a disaster or emergency has been declared and evacuation is recommended due to the potential for rapidly changing conditions to develop into a serious threat. The threat to lives is not yet imminent but conditions exist such that a mandatory evacuation order may be given in the near future. The time between an advisory and a mandatory evacuation is always indeterminate and may be only a few hours.

Residents are advised to leave the area and relocate to safer locations for their own safety. Personal discretion is allowed, but not advised. Those with special evacuation needs, such as care homes, or those with special transportation needs are particularly encouraged to leave as soon as possible after the order for the advisory evacuation or voluntary evacuation is issued.

Business owners are advised to take whatever precautions they deem necessary for protecting equipment and/or inventory and are strongly urged to suspend normal business operations and to release non-essential employees to evacuate and/or prepare for issuance of mandatory evacuation orders. All private sector employees shall be deemed non-essential unless designated as "critical workforce" or "essential" by government officials.

(3)

"Mandatory evacuation" means an evacuation that may be ordered when a disaster or emergency has been declared and danger is imminent; conditions exist that seriously imperil or endanger the lives of those in a defined area. Government officials strongly urge and order all persons in designated evacuation areas to relocate to safer locations for their own safety. Personal discretion is not to be considered a deciding factor.

A mandatory evacuation order will apply to the public in general. All non-essential persons are ordered to immediately leave the area via the described evacuation routes. Exceptions would include public safety officials, disaster response personnel and organizational, agency, business employees designated as "critical workforce" or "essential. However, all of these individuals are expected to eventually seek adequate shelter prior to the onset of emergency conditions.

Persons who refuse to comply with a mandatory evacuation order will not be forcibly removed from their homes, however, all public services shall be suspended during a mandatory evacuation and those failing to comply with a mandatory evacuation order should not expect rescue or other lifesaving assistance; during a hurricane, those failing to comply during a hurricane emergency should not expect rescue or other lifesaving assistance after the onset of gale force winds; unauthorized persons found to be on the property of another, on a public roadway, or those interfering with the disaster response may be subject to arrest or removal from the area.

Any non-essential persons found traveling through, the area will be escorted out and not permitted to re-enter the area. Once out of the area, no unauthorized person (including residents) will be permitted to return until conditions permit.

(4)

"Forced evacuation" means an evacuation that may be ordered as a last resort when a disaster or emergency has been declared and danger of loss of life is imminent; conditions exist that critically imperil or endanger the lives of those in a defined area.

Government officials direct and compel all persons in designated evacuation areas to relocate to safer locations for their own safety. Unauthorized persons wherever found shall be subject to arrest or removal from the area.

A forced evacuation order shall apply to the public in general and may include public safety officials, disaster response personnel. Forced evacuations are designed for small geographic areas affected by a local emergency or disaster.

Once out of the area, no unauthorized person (including residents) will be permitted to return until conditions permit.

(Ord. No. 22803, § 1, 7-19-06)