Sheriff Couvillon says temporary earlier evacuation for residents in flood prone areas to eliminate the need for dangerous rescues

Sheriff Mike Couvillon is asking the residents of Vermilion Parish who may live in flood prone areas to please monitor the weather and rainfall forecasts closely for the next couple of days and consider temporary evacuation to other areas now in order to avoid the need for rescue.
“The Sheriff’s Office will respond to all rescue emergencies as they arise, but we would like the public to understand that rescues in flooded waters are always dangerous and become much more dangerous in the night time hours for many obvious reasons. We are urging the residents to please take early precautions by making use of sandbags, preparing for power outages etc., and early evacuation now, if their home has flooded under these conditions before,” Sheriff Couvillon said.
“We would also like to ask motorist to limit their travels as much as possible for the next couple of days and to use extreme caution if travel is necessary due to possible flooding on a number of roadways, being mindful over small bridges and lower lying areas. If the road looks flooded, please do NOT attempt to travel it because often times the roads may dip and it is much deeper than first thought, causing vehicles to stall creating dangerous situations,” Sheriff Couvillon added.

The Vermilion Parish Police Jury has put out sand, bags and shovels at the following locations for those residents who may experience flooding issues however you are asked to fill your own sand bags.

1) Area 1 Barn – 13115 Mack Switch Rd. Erath
2) Area 3 Barn – 29429 Veterans Memorial Rd. Gueydan
3) Area 4 Barn – 13531 Gladu Rd. Kaplan
4) Public Works Building – 2211 Leonie Rd. Abbeville

According to the Sheriff, his department is working closely with DOTD and Local Parish Government as it relates to road conditions and says that a number of parish roadways and State Highways are flooded at this time causing road closures.

LIST OF ROADWAYS FLOODED AND/OR CLOSED IN VERMILION PARISH

10:am: Cat Road, Baudion Road, Blaise Road, Germaine Road, West Etienne Road, Perkins Road, Kirk Road, Woodlawn Road, Lormand Road, Adier Road, Albert Road, Mitchell Road, Bella Road, Grosse Isle
Denby Road, Peter Russo Road, LA 92 West of City (Maurice), Opta Road, Fusilier Road, Ranch Road,
Gallet Road.
LA 89 (will be closed in different areas) West Etienne Road (will be closed) LA 82 at Sabbath Road
Residents can sign up to receive automatic updates on their cell phones of road closures and other weather information in Vermilion Parish by:
1. Using your cell phone ... open your text messaging window.
2. Compose a new text and in the contact to send to enter>>> 888777
3. For the text message to send..... type in your zip code as the message.

4. Send the text message (your zip code).
This service is provided by the Vermilion Parish Police Jury and is FREE OF CHARGE.