Two days into the 2008 hurricane season and almost three years after Hurricane Katrina, city officials met with Slidell residents to give them an update on hurricane preparations and the plans to keep people safe.

Mayor Ben Morris, backed by officials from the Slidell Police Department, Louisiana State Police, the National Weather Service, CLECO and Acadian Ambulance Service, outlined what they have learned from Katrina and what they will do if another hurricane hits the area.

The main themes of the meeting Monday night held at the Slidell Municipal Auditorium were planning and evacuation. “When you get that phone call from me or Parish President Kevin Davis to evacuate, it’s not a suggestion. Get out,” Morris told an audience of about 40 Slidell residents.

The mayor said the city has a plan in place that addresses what to do before, during and after a storm. However, he said, police, fire and emergency crews cannot do a proper job of holding the city together if people do not leave.

“Our primary mission is search and rescue,” Morris said. When the wind goes over 50 mph, emergency personnel will take shelter until the storm is over and will not be able to respond to people in trouble during the storm.

“Evacuation is of utmost importance,“ Slidell Police Chief Freddie Drennan said. “If you stay, that takes time away from our rescue operations.”

He added that after a storm, every policeman has to go to every house in the city to make no one is there.

“That takes time, and the quicker we can do this, the quicker we can protect your possessions,” Drennan said.

Morris said the city has learned its lessons from Katrina. Since Aug. 29, 2005, Morris has added several things to the city’s hurricane plan. There is a team that will restore the city’s water supply as quickly as possible after the storm. Katrina taught the city not to keep the water towers open during a storm. Now the towers will be shut down, a team will come in, turn the water back on, check for leaks and make repairs.

“This is essential for the hospitals and fire department,” Morris said.

The city has also formed teams that will do damage assessment after the storm and that will keep the Slidell Airport open.

Communications have also improved, Morris said. Several city officials are now licensed short-wave radio operators, and in case phone lines and cellular towers go down, the city will be able to contact the outside world.

Drennan said after search and rescue, the police department’s other mission is to secure the city and make sure non-residents don’t stop in Slidell.

What to do about pets is another issue that has been addressed by the city. Director of Slidell Animal Control Damian Anti said the city doesn’t want a repeat of what happened in 2005 when they had to take care of over 2,000 abandoned pets.

“It was awful the conditions these animals were left in,” Anti said.

He urged all residents to take their pets during the evacuation.

The Slidell Animal Shelter will not take in animals before and after the storm, he said, and the animals in the shelter will be transported to Jackson, Miss.

He also suggested people should leave their pets with friends during their first sojourn into the city after the storm.

“If your house is gone, there will be no place for your pet,” Anti said. He added that a temporary shelter will be set up after the storm, but it will only be for abandoned animals.

An evacuation plan for families was also stressed by city leaders. Trooper Louis Calato of State Police Troop L said that even though the contraflow plan to get people out of the city works, having an exact route is important to avoid traffic jams. He urged residents to get out of town before the state orders contraflow.

Slidell is in an area known as Phase III of the evacuation, when the storm is 30 hours away.

Before that, residents near the coast have started evacuation in Phase I and II. By that time, contraflow has been ordered, but Calato said it is better to get out before then. He strongly urged parish and Slidell residents use secondary roads for evacuation and not the interstate system, which is part of the contraflow plan.

“But know the route beforehand, and run the route at least once during the hurricane season,” Calato said.

He added that getting into the contraflow evacuation limits the freedom of local drivers.

“We tell you where to go, no ifs ands, or buts. Your only hope for real freedom of movement is before contraflow,” Calato said.

Anti reminded people their pets should be included in all evacuation plans. Besides taking food, clothing and other supplies for humans, Anti reminded people to include extra pet food, medicine and inoculation records of their pets.

Morris admitted that hurricane planning for the city is a “huge coordinated effort,” but the plan is in place and the city is ready.

Morris was a bit disappointed by the small turnout at the meeting, even though he said that in the 16 years he has staged these hurricane meetings, this was the biggest crowd he has seen.

“I wish the auditorium had been packed,” Morris said.