Public Safety

Public Safety facilities were hard hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  Buildings were damaged, equipment was wrecked, and many police officers and firefighters lost their homes.  Public safety services must be restored to ensure the safety of hurricane survivors and returning residents.

As recovery proceeds, public safety agencies from all levels of government continue to cooperate to provide services in areas that still lack their own facilities.  Levels of service will continue to increase as people return, and eventually public safety responsibilities will be transferred completely back to local authorities.  Ensuring communities’ safety, even in the face of massive disruption, remains the goal of public safety agencies. 

This section was written with specific input from the Louisiana Recovery Authority and FEMA’s Long-Term Community Recovery Division.  This sector contains:

• An overview of recovery-specific public safety initiatives
• Goals for public safety agencies in Louisiana
• A list of all public safety agencies working on the recovery effort in Louisiana