State of the Neighborhood: Post Francine

Those of us in Broadmoor have to take hurricanes seriously. We’re at the bottom of the bowl that is New Orleans, so flooding is nearly always a guarantee. Not to mention the widespread power outages this city has come to expect after severe weather events

This year, as we have in the past, the BIA has committed to being an organizing force at the neighborhood level. Our focus is simple. Make Broadmoor more resilient in the face of Hurricanes through education, communication, referrals, and resources. 

Last week, Francine arrived as a Category 1, and our all preparation was thrust into action.  Let’s take this moment to review and assess the efficacy of our response. Let's work together to ensure we’re even more prepared next time. 

Before a storm, being informed is the key to preparation. At our quarterly Neighborhood Meeting in July, city officials and neighborhood leaders equipped residents with invaluable insight. The presentations answered so many questions about weather patterns, shelter-in-place, evacuations, and more! If you haven’t already, review the meeting notes to update your Hurricane plans; information is empowerment in the face of natural disasters.

 If communication channels are compromised during a storm, accurate, life-saving information becomes that much harder to come by. Text NOLAREADY to get the updates you need from the city of New Orleans and the National Weather Service. Create a profile on Smart911 with information that will help 911 assist you in an emergency. Connect with the BIA through our hurricane survey to let us know what help you might need and what help you could give. Even a smaller storm like Francine managed to knock out power for days in some parts of the city. Every connection we make within our community is another layer of safety we add.

Before Francine even hit landfall, organizers at the Broadmoor Improvement Association had already begun mobilizing. As partners of Broadmoor Community Church, members of the BIA staff and board worked alongside Pastor Manning to activate the Community Lighthouse Community Lighthouses are buildings throughout New Orleans that have been equipped with solar panels and generators through Together New Orleans. When needed, they welcome folks to cool down, charge devices, and receive help.

In light of the power outages across the city, the Community Lighthouse opened it’s doors both Thursday and Friday. We operated with the help of 27 invaluable volunteers and served 100 patrons! It was a historic moment as the first time the Lighthouse opened to the public, and overall it was a success! 

We are so thankful to everyone who made this operation possible. Volunteers who went above and beyond to engage guests and get them the resources they needed. Ruby Slipper and Second Harvest Food Bank who so generously provided hot meals to guests and volunteers. Fox 8 Reporter David Jones who covered our story and helped us get the word out. (Watch that segment here). Without them, we would not have been able to deliver such essential services to Broadmoor.

However, all of our efforts have room for improvement. Which is why feedback and involvement from the community is so important. We want to hear from you! Check out our hurricane survey to let us know how you can help the community and how we can help you. Don’t forget to sign up for emergency alerts at the NOLAREADY website, and learn more about Smart911 while you're there. During this reprieve, let's all do our best to recover and prepare for the next one.