BATON ROUGE – Wednesday, Governor Bobby Jindal issued a state declaration of emergency in preparation for Hurricane Gustav, which could potentially make landfall in Louisiana by early next week. 

Hurricane Gustav is expected to impact the coastal parishes of Louisiana with hurricane strength winds, wave surges, high tides, torrential rain and tornado activity. The storm is expected to make landfall on the Louisiana coast on or about September 1, 2008, with the expectation that hurricane force winds will reach the Louisiana coast prior to landfall.

The forecast from the National Weather Service indicates that the coastal parishes of Louisiana will be subjected to hurricane conditions to such a degree that life and property will be placed in jeopardy.

The coastal parishes of Louisiana are expected to issue parish declarations of emergency.

A declaration of emergency is necessary to allow state agencies to thoroughly prepare for any eventuality and to allow federal agencies and federal resources to be deployed if necessary.
The state of emergency extends from August 27, 2008 through September 26, 2008, unless terminated sooner.

The Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act confers upon the Governor of the state of Louisiana emergency powers to deal with emergencies and disasters, including those caused by fire, flood, earthquake or other natural or man-made causes, in order to ensure that preparations of this state will be adequate to deal with such emergencies or disasters and to preserve the lives and property of the people of the state of Louisiana.

When the Governor determines that a disaster or emergency has occurred, or the threat thereof is imminent, the act empowers him to declare a state of emergency by executive order or proclamation, or both.