The City of St Joseph has released its emergency evacuation plan for the city’s south side. These plans are for emergency, flash flooding caused by levee failure.
Officials say the possibility of flooding and levee failure will continue through the remainder of the summer months at least. River levels between 27.5’ – 32.5’ are a certainty during this period. In an effort to provide the maximum amount of notification, the city has established the following Emergency Evacuation Notification system. Depending on the location and type of emergency, a resident may have only a brief period of time to evacuate.
The city and county sirens will be tested on Friday, July 1st at 3 p.m.
In the event an emergency evacuation for the southern area of the city is necessary, all possible means of notification will be utilized. This evacuation area of the city has been identified as all areas west of Lake Avenue from the intersection of King Hill and Lake Avenue extending south to the city limits.
Once an emergency has been confirmed by the proper authorities, police and fire will be dispatched to the area to begin the notification. Emergency Management Coordinator George Albert says city police and fire department staff will go door-to-door to warn residents.
The severe weather alert sirens, along with the cable television notification, will sound. All sirens will be activated in the city and county.
The sirens will not use the sounds normally associated with severe weather. It is described instead as a “fast wail.” Click play to hear the evacuation siren.
[audio:http://www.stjosephpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/FAST-WAIL.mp3|titles=FAST WAIL]The following message will be broadcast:
At (time) on (date), the city of St. Joseph’s south side is under an emergency evacuation due to a levee breach. This affects all residents west of Lake Avenue from the intersection of King Hill and Lake Avenue extending south to the city limits. Listen to local media for more information.
Residents should not call the communication center (9-1-1) unless it is an emergency. Continue to call one of the city’s emergency operations center public phone lines. Those numbers are 816.364.1377 or 816.364.1380.
The primary source of notification will be police and fire personnel presence in the evacuation area utilizing loud speakers and door-to-door notifications. All means of notification to include:
Outdoor emergency sirens
Radio and television
Cable television emergency response notification
St. Joseph School District notification systems for Benton, Spring Garden, Hosea, and Lake Contrary school
(The Rushville School District is also expected to be included)
Nixle
National Weather Service Announcement
The city’s website, Facebook and Twitter accounts.
The city’s government access channel (cable channel 19)
The primary evacuation route will be Alabama to the intersection with King Hill, at which point north / south traffic will be allowed. The secondary evacuation route will be Lake Avenue north out of the evacuation zone if passable and / or east on Illinois Avenue to King Hill. Traffic control points will be established at:
King Hill and Lake Avenue
King Hill and Alabama
Lake Avenue and Alabama
Alabama and Southwest Parkway
Hyde Park parking lot will be utilized as a staging area. The police department’s mobile command post will be located there. A temporary evacuation shelter will be established at Benton High School, 5655 South 4th. The following locations will be designated as areas for residents needing transportation out of area:
5200 Lake Avenue (Bus Stop)
5800 Lake Avenue (Bus Stop)
Alabama and Diagonal (Bus stop)
Residents should be prepared to survive any type of disaster, so you should:
Establish an evacuation kit including: important documents, money, clothes, food and water, medications, cell phone and charger, and family contact information.
Purchase a weather alert monitor and/or a radio with batteries to listen for instructions and emergency routes.
Practice and know where the emergency routes are located.
Never drive through standing water.
Plan for your pets.