In 2020, Hurricane Laura made landfall two days after I took the oath of office as Mayor of the City of Natchitoches. I assume Laura all looms ominously in our memory, and history will forever record it as one of the most devastating storms in Louisiana’s history to have made landfall. An event such as this helps to make one keenly aware of the necessity to strategically plan for the next natural disaster. As one emergency professional noted, “The most effective way to prepare for any emergency is to prepare for it before it happens.” That’s precisely why I am asking members every household in Natchitoches to develop a plan that will adequately prepare their family for the next big natural disaster.

We hope citizens will utilize this webpage to "Get A Game Plan" for emergency situations from the information provided on this page as well as visiting the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness webpage Get A Game Plan. Additionally, the City has partnered with Regroup, a mass notification messaging service, to help the administration disseminate information more seamlessly to residents during times of crises. To that end, I am encouraging every resident to download the Regroup-Alert Me app to bolster the flow of information during both emergency and non-emergency circumstances. A list of these resources and others can be found on this page.