"Red Stick Ready Day" will help prepare residents for disasters | Business

Mayor-President Melvin "Kip" Holden and the East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (MOHSEP) are urging citizens to attend “Red Stick Ready Day” Saturday, June 16 to help get the community prepared for all disasters, especially hurricanes.

“Red Stick Ready Day” will take place at the Mall of Louisiana on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.   Booths will be set up throughout the first floor of the mall, with most located beneath the food court.

Mayor Holden said he is declaring Saturday "Red Stick Ready Day" in East Baton Rouge Parish to encourage citizens to take immediate action to prepare themselves and their families for what is forecast to be a busy hurricane season, and to learn more about personal preparedness for all disasters. 

"We learned through experience that the better prepared our citizens are for an emergency situation, the more effectively we can work as a community to stay safe, minimize disruption and recover more quickly," Mayor Holden said.  "We want citizens to have an opportunity to talk directly with the first responders who work to keep them safe during emergencies, and also learn how they can help be a part of our city-parish response."

Local, state, federal, and private agencies are teaming up with the Mayor for the expo to hand out information, speak with residents, present preparedness tips, give away essential items, and much more.

Participating at the event are the Baton Rouge Police Department, Baton Rouge Fire Department, Louisiana State Police, Emergency Medical Services, American Red Cross, Entergy, Metropolitan Medical Response System, Office of Public Health, WAFB, East Baton Rouge Mosquito Abatement and Rodent Control Office, the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, St. George Fire Department, I Care, the National Weather Service Slidell Office, ExxonMobil and others.   Sponsors for the event include ExxonMobil, Entergy and North Baton Rouge Chemical Industry Task Force.

"Red Stick Ready Day is an excellent opportunity to introduce ourselves to the citizens we serve, explain our capabilities, and provide them with needed information to help them mitigate the effects of disasters," said JoAnne Moreau, MOHSEP Director.

Recognized as a national best practice by the National League of Cities and the Emergency Management Institute of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the "Red Stick Ready" campaign encourages the community to take personal responsibility with the necessary items and plans in place when a disaster or emergency strikes. 

The Red Stick Ready Campaign is based on community outreach at local meetings and public events, citizen training for all age groups and a monthly television program that provides advice from experts and tips for becoming "Red Stick Ready".