Welcome to the inaugural LABEOC newsletter. We are excited to provide this document to you monthly. Let’s continue to hope that the 2022 season remains quiet, but hope is not a method. Preparation is key.
Content for this newsletter will follow the READY.GOV calendar, which makes the focus for August, Back to School Preparedness, and Extreme Heat Safety Month. September’s newsletter will be Fall Safety and National Preparedness Month and will contain tips and content supporting those awareness topics.
We are heading into the heart of the active period of the hurricane season, so please do not let your guard down. We will strive to improve communications with our private sector partners before, during, and after any event (this newsletter is one improvement).
Last month we welcomed a new director for the National Incident Management System and Advanced Technologies (NIMSAT) director here at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Dr. Shannon Strother. She is no stranger to the LABEOC; she worked with NIMSAT when the LABEOC started. The NIMSAT director will provide a monthly article in the newsletter giving updates on initiatives and research being conducted at the university.
Monitor critical supplies and services needed to stay resilient this season. Just a reminder that the guidance has changed, businesses and homeowners should be prepared to be self-sufficient for 5-7 days post storm for small to medium-sized events and ten days or more if the storm was catastrophic.
While hurricanes remain a threat, it is always cyber season. It is never too late to discuss your company’s cyber posture with your employees. Case history has proven that the vast majority of attacks result from people letting the hackers in by clicking on links in emails. Take the time to discuss this with employees. With your IT department (or person), ensure your anti-virus software is updated and your spam filters are active.
Stay safe.
James “Jim” Williams
Public Private Partnership Operations Officer