Vital preparation steps include developing an evacuation plan, preparing an emergency supply kit and preparing your home for the impending disaster.

From 15 to 40 percent of businesses fail following a natural or manmade disaster. Getting your business back in operation after a disaster often depends on emergency planning done today. A commitment to planning will help support employees, customers, the local community, the local economy and even our nation. It also protects your business investment and gives your operation a better chance for survival.

Your home is one of the largest financial and emotional investments you are likely to make. Advanced planning and preparation can reduce flood damage to your home and belongings in times of disaster.

Talk with your family about any impending disaster. Family support and preparation can be key to successful readiness and future recovery.

FEMA released a Levees Brochure during the Spring 2011 Floods, explaining NFIP coverage behind levees, for protective measures and the waiting period. This page is copied directly from that brochure and includes a PDF of the original document as an attachment.

These publications are designed to help Louisiana residents recover from floods, storms, extended power outages and other stressful, dangerous events.

It’s time to pull out your family disaster plan. Even if you don’t have one, there are still things you can do! Find tips on what to do when preparing for a hurricane and Emergency Management Office telephone numbers for selected Louisiana parishes (most affected by hurricanes and tropical storms). It is designed to print on legal-sized paper. (PDF Format Only)

Ways to determine seafood safety after an oil spill: detecting taint, the sniff test, and the smell test.

Hurricane Katrina refugees needing medical attention are treated at both the Field House and the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

Winter is the perfect time to prune trees so they will be healthy and better able to resist storm damage, according to experts with the LSU AgCenter.

The LSU AgCenter Coastal Area Research Station is located near Port Sulphur in lower Plaquemines Parish. This aerial photo was taken the day after Hurricane Katrina struck southeast Louisiana and the Mississippi and Alabama coasts.

This report summarizes the estimated damage caused by excessive rains in September and October 2009.

The LSUAgCenter has provided the following images taken by staff members for informational purposes. Please check back often as this page is updated.

The animal shelter was set up in Parker Coliseum in response to Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts.

AgCenter employees pitch in at the Baton Rouge River Center, which is housing 6,000 refugees from Hurricane Katrina.

Although your policy may not cover flood damage to your home, it does offer some protection from loss caused by natural disasters, such as hurricanes.

Stories are hitting the media saying bleach doesn’t work in mold cleanup and prevention. An LSU AgCenter expert says there are reasons for some of the confusion but that bleach is effective at killing mold.

These tips will help you benefit from your good credit and to ensure that your credit record is not harmed in the wake of disaster.

Horses that survived the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina still may need special attention to assure their continued health.

A flood-damaged building requires special attention to avoid or correct a mold population explosion.

As a 4-H club member and a caring person, you are probably wondering what you can do to help people your age that had to move away from their home town into a different home and a new city and school. Here are some suggested activities to help new students in your schools or at other schools:

Storms may damage turf directly by flooding or indirectly by wind debris. "In either case, this is not a good time to regrow grass," says LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske.

Louisiana families impacted by disaster often experience a sudden reduction in income that can be financially and emotionally traumatic. Reduce this hardship by taking positive action.

Guide to information about emergency measures you can use to protect property from flooding (rising water). Includes links to Web pages, fact sheets (PDF files) and videos.

Fire ants can be a serious problem after hurricanes – particularly in flooded areas, according to experts with the LSU AgCenter.

Those who survive hurricanes and other natural disasters are at risk for behavioral and emotional readjustment problems. Most child and adult survivors experience one or more normal stress reactions for several days after a natural disaster.

Children's reactions to disaster depend on their age and maturity. Their responses also are affected by how close they are to the event, their level of exposure to it through TV and how they see their parents react.

If you rent or lease an apartment, house or business building and the structure is damaged in a natural disaster, read your lease carefully to determine what you need to do regarding damages, terminating the lease, securing temporary housing and other matters, advises LSU AgCenter family economics professor Dr. Ann Berry.

As hurricane evacuees are allowed to return to their homes, LSU AgCenter family economics professor Dr. Ann Berry makes several recommendations for filing insurance claims.

Many people are surprised about the extent of protection their homeowner's insurance policy offers. Although your policy may not cover flood damage to your home, it does offer some protection from loss due to natural disasters, such as hurricanes, according to LSU AgCenter family economics professor Dr. Ann Berry.

Aftera Disaster - Lesson Plan for youth Educators sometimes feel unprepared when new students arrive as a result of disaster they experience, and current students sometimes have difficulty feeling empathy for the new transfer students. This lesson plan can be used with groups of youth in junior high and high school who need guidance in dealing with a change in their social environment, i.e., their school, following a disaster or even after positive changes in their life situation.

Repetitive flooding affects thousands of Louisiana homes and businesses. In this publication and its companion videotape, a procedure to demonstrate a non-invasive method to flood proofing is explained as it was demonstrated by a Michigan contractor. Special attention is given to adapting the technology for use in Louisiana’s floodplains. (PDF format only)

The aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita is a wake-up call for all whose homes were spared. It’s a vivid reminder of the importance of making your home stronger, safer and smarter.

Many lawnmowers, string trimmers, leaf blowers, and other lawn and garden equipment with small engines were inundated during the flooding from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In many cases, that equipment can be salvaged.

Every forest owner has questions and decision needs when faced with salvaging timber after a storm.

Questions about logging downed timber from the hurricanes and wet yard locations.

Thousands of Louisiana residents are facing home rebuilding or repairs in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. "Selecting a competent contractor to make home repairs is one of the most important things you will need to do to put your home and life back in order," says AgCenter family economics professor Dr. Jeanette Tucker.

When disasters happen, dedicated volunteers and professionals swing into action to help those affected by the tragedy. But who takes care of the "helpers"?

Louisiana 4-H’ers are doing their part to help victims of Hurricane Katrina find at least some bits of relief and sparks of hope.

Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Mike Strain toured the state to assess the Hurricane Gustav damage to agriculture. This presentation is a result of his tour and was presented to a joint Agriculture Task Force at Louisiana Farm Bureau on September 11, 2008.

The link below takes you to the USDA-FSA Disaster Assistance Page which lists information and links to all current USDA disaster assistance programs.

Louisiana’s sweet potato harvest had not really begun before the storm – with only a few producers conducting any part of their harvest.

The pecan industry in the state was extremely hard hit by Hurricane Gustav.

After more than two weeks of poor weather from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, Louisiana is assessing the impacts on agriculture and the effects are quickly adding up.

Most of the state’s corn crop was harvested prior to Hurricane Gustav, but damage still is $45.8 million or nearly 11 percent of the crop value.

Commercial timber and forest damage associated with Hurricane Gustav in 2008 was neither as widespread nor as acute as was damage associated with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.

The temporary shelter at Parker Coliseum on the LSU campus, set up to handle pet animals evacuated from hurricane-affected areas of southeast Louisiana, is bursting at the seams and accepting no more animals at this time.

Here are some toll-free numbers set up to provide disaster assistance:

Estimates of losses to Louisiana agriculture, forestry and fisheries resulting from Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike now place the totals as high as $950-plus million and climbing. The totals include up to $763 million in lost revenue to Louisiana farmers, ranchers, foresters and fishers, as well as another $175 million to $200 million in damage to the industries’ infrastructure – farm equipment, barns, processing facilities and so forth.

As the cleanup from this summer’s hurricanes continues, LSU AgCenter agents are helping coordinate the work of people who are coming to the rescue. Among those were 30 students from The Ohio State University who arrived in Louisiana earlier this week (Dec. 11-17) ready to roll up their sleeves and pitch in to clean up parts of hurricane-ravaged South Louisiana.

The LSU AgCenter’s efforts to help with the cleanup and recovery in New Orleans continue to take on national dimensions. One of the latest projects targeted Bayou Metairie in City Park and included 200 volunteers. Although most were local, some came from as far away as Boston.

Only a small percentage of the state’s soybean crop was harvested prior to Hurricane Gustav, and damage to the crop so far is estimated at more than $115 million or nearly 28 percent of this year’s anticipated value.

Louisiana faces serious flood threats during tropical storms and hurricanes from a combination of surge and inland rain. This site directs you to information you can use to understand how predicted flood levels may impact you, how you can reduce flood damage and how you can recover and rebuild once the floodwaters recede.

As the flood crest moved down the Mississippi River and as hurricane rain and surge threatens Louisiana many people want to compare their ground elevation to a predicted flood crest at their property. This page gives detailed instructions for using the two LSU AgCenter interactive mapping systems to assess flood risk.

The LSUAgCenter Flood Maps portal displays Flood Insurance Rate Maps, used for rating flood insurance and as a basis for regulating development in identified flood hazard areas. The portal can be useful in estimating your risk when flooding is anticipated. This page tells you how and explains what you can and cannot do with the information provided on the portal.

Louisiana is facing serious flood threats, primarily on the Mississippi River but affecting many streams that flow to and from it. As the flood crest moves down the Mississippi River, levees are being challenged, spillways are being opened, and people are evacuating. This site directs you to information you can use to understand how predicted flood levels may impact you, how you can reduce flood damage and how you can recover and rebuild once the floodwaters recede.

Tips on portable ladder safety including general guidelines for step and extension ladders.

In the wake of a disaster, home rebuilding or repair is crucial for putting a family's life back in order. Selecting a competent contractor is important to the recovery process.

After a disaster, if personal items and furnishings have been lost, rent-to-own purchase contracts may seem like a quick and easy option for replacements. Get the facts.

Steps to take to file an insurance claim following a disaster.

Unfortunately, hurricane season does not end with the busy start of school each fall. There are LSU Ag Center on-line resources available to aid you in planning and preparing your family.

Disasters often bring an influx of con artists. Consider these tips to protect yourself and your money.

A report that illustrates the LSU AgCenter's response to the devastation of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Certain insect problems increase dramatically after flooding, windstorms and other disasters, according to entomologists with the LSU AgCenter.

Precautions to take to avoid dehydration while cleaning up after a disaster.

When disaster strikes, people everywhere want to help those individuals in need. To ensure that this compassion and generosity are put to good use, it’s important to know what stages victims go through disaster recovery.

River Stages and Forecasts - Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley

You can reduce your expected damage from hurricanes by taking some steps to prepare.

All families in Louisiana should have a family disaster plan. This article provides information about developing a disaster plan for your family.

Much of the damage and loss of life associated with hurricanes can be prevented or reduced by planning, preparation and evacuation.

Attention is focused on floods right now with the rising Mississippi River. But hurricane season is right around the corner, officially starting on June 1. NOAA forecasts 12 to 18 named storms, and six to 10 could become hurricanes with winds 74 mph and more. Are you ready for a hurricane?

Flood cleanup bucket service projects by organizations, churches and other faith-based groups can help families in cleaning up their home after a flood disaster. This article provides information about what should be included in a flood cleanup bucket.

Disasters can produce lots of stress in peoples' lives. This information provides steps supported by research that individuals can take to manage their stress.

Parents can help their children to cope with disasters. There are actions parents can take that will help. This information features tips that parents can use during and following a disaster.

Information about preparing a child's evacuation to-go kit in anticipation of a disaster and possible family evacuation. Parents can help their child be a part of the preparation to evacuate prior to an approaching disaster and assemble this critically important material.

Parents and children can work together and prepare for a disaster. Developing and having a Family Disaster Supply Kit ready in the event of a disaster is a proactive way to teach your children about family safety and may give your child some sense of comfort and control.

If an evacuation or other emergency separates family and friends, you’ll want to find each other. Fill out a card for each close friend and relative. Carry it with you wherever you go.

A collection of phone numbers for Louisiana state agencies, parish emergency management and law enforcement offices in the southern parishes, and national disaster information centers.

Flooding affects everyone in Louisiana, if for no other reason than the reality that management of flood risk and response to flood events consumes public resources (tax dollars).

It's best to get professional cleaners to work on carpets and floors, but this may not be possible. In any case, begin cleanup as soon as possible.

Offshore waters are under the jurisdiction of the National Oceanic and Atmostpheric Administration. Current and archived closure maps from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico Oil spill are availabe on their website.

Up-to-date and archived information from LDWF on fishing closures in response to the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

On Tuesday, January 25, 2011, The League of Women Voters of St. Tammany coordinated a panel from the LSU AgCenter, Louisiana Sea Grant and the Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program at LSU to talk about Climate Change and what that means to Louisiana.

If you rent or lease an apartment, house or business building and the structure is damaged in a natural disaster, read your lease carefully to determine what you need to do regarding damages, terminating the lease, securing temporary housing and other matters.

The following steps should be taken to file an insurance claim for disaster damage to your home.

Most disaster checklists include recommendations to keep a three-day food supply on hand for each person, but just exactly what does that mean? LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames has some of the answers.

A floodwall is a self-supporting barrier to floodwater. It may look like a garden wall or privacy fence, but it has more internal reinforcing and a more substantial foundation. This heavier construction keeps the wall from tipping or sliding. The foundation also blocks seepage of water under the wall. This publication includes information on the cost, considerations and construction of floodwalls. (PDF format only)

Natural disasters often bring an influx of con artists looking for ways to take advantage of the suffering and confusion. Consider these tips to protect yourself and your money.

Louisiana residents can learn how to operate chainsaws more safely through workshops offered by the LSU AgCenter.

LSU AgCenter coastal resources agent Mark Shirley had hoped to bring a group of students back to a plot near Holly Beach where they had planted marsh grass during the 4-H Marsh Maneuvers program in July. But, after driving for several miles on La. 82 between Holly Beach and Johnson’s Bayou last weekend, Shirley gave up on his hope to find the transplanted grass, which apparently fell victim to Hurricane Rita’s wrath.

The rains brought on by hurricanes and tropical storms can lead to more mosquitoes. That means Louisiana residents have even more reasons to protect themselves from mosquito bites and the diseases mosquitoes can carry if storms head our way.

Camp Grant Walker is one of the shelters for people seeking refuge from Hurricane Katrina.

It’s not necessary to buy all the equipment you need for your lawn and garden – especially for short-term use like storm cleanup.

Even though Louisiana falls are usually dry, rain eventually comes. After long, extended wet periods, a sinister looking fungus or slime may appear, attacking lawns in the cooler season ahead.

The flood insurance policy provides limited coverage for expenses you incur trying to protect insured property from flood damage.

Hurricanes put a lot of limbs and whole trees on the ground in various areas of the state, and many people already are working on cleanup efforts. An LSU AgCenter forest safety specialist says safety should be a major consideration during those efforts – particularly when it comes to use of a chainsaw.

After taking a firsthand look at the needs of New Orleans, officials with investment banking firm Goldman Sachs decided to lend some helping hands plus cash to the recovery effort.

LSU AgCenter faculty members are working on plans to put the Formosan subterranean termite research project in New Orleans’ French Quarter back on track after the recent hurricanes.

A scourge of New Orleans and South Louisiana could find its way to other parts of the state and country if people move wood that’s infested with Formosan subterranean termites.

Hurricanes are divided into five categories to help recognize the threat they pose to structures and inhabitants of coastal and inland areas.

My home was infested with rats after the hurricane. I picked up quite a few dead rats in the house and in the attic. I am concerened about dead decaying rats in the walls and attic insulation. Can you tell me what to do?

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals recommends testing private well water for total coliform bacteria following floods.

The Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) links Extension educators from across the United States and various disciplines, enabling them to use and share resources to reduce the impact of disasters.

Flashbacks, feelings of grief or depression and other symptoms can be attributed to the anniversary of a traumatic event such as the loss of a loved one, an accident or a natural disaster. LSU AgCenter family life professor Dr. Diane D. Sasser expects many people will suffer the "anniversary effects" of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Managing in Tough Times provides helpful information for families experiencing a disaster, such as how to manage family finances, keep the family strong and stay healthy. Topics include financial survival tips, getting the most from what you have, what bills to pay first, making meaning our of adversity, helping children cope with crisis, keys to coping with stress and cutting food costs.

When calm returns after the storm, it’s time to assess the damage and begin repairs. A number of factors should be considered.

The secret to mildew prevention is two words -- clean and dry. The solution to mildew problems is --- disinfect and dry.

If your home was flooded, it must be disinfected and dried thoroughly to prevent mildew and future damage by wood rot.

In addition to restoring buildings and replacing material possessions during the recovery period, victims may need to devote time to getting their stress level under control.

Homeowners have shared with Extension some of the common misconceptions about flood insurance that caused them to suffer financial losses greater than they expected.

(Distributed 05/29/08) Everyone will be able to cope better if you talk to your children early about hurricanes and get them involved in your plans and preparations, says LSU AgCenter family development specialist Dr. Diane Sasser. Discussing what hurricanes are, the dangers they pose and the safety measures to take against them can help to alleviate some of the fear and anxiety children and adults feel when a storm is approaching.

(Distributed 05/26/08) If your family has a plan for what you’d do in case of a hurricane or other disaster, now is the time to pull it out and review it. If you don’t, there’s still time to write your plan, LSU AgCenter disaster preparedness specialist Pat Skinner says.

If you don’t have the right answers to this hurricane quiz, you may be flirting with disaster for your home or your family, cautions LSU AgCenter housing specialist Dr. Claudette Reichel.

A sudden reduction in family income due to a disaster can be financially and emotionally traumatic. Hardships can be reduced by taking positive action.

After a disaster, many poeple are surprised to find out what their homeowner's insurance policy does and does not cover. Important tips are offered.

If the structure in which you live is damaged by a disaster, your landlord has a legal obligation to make needed repairs so the premises are useable. A summary of post-disaster repair, rent, lease, and personal property information is provided.

Tips to restore flood or water damaged books, documents and papers after a disaster.

If it is necessary to complete the repairs, however, it is important to receive good quality work, or major deterioration may appear later. Outside contractors and companies will enter the area to offer their services. Some are honest and will do an adequate job, but be careful in working with outside contractors.

Some lawns were lost to the flood waters and some were only hurt in spots. Dead areas will have to be replanted, or a weed patch will result. Some forethought before planting may save time, effort and money.

It is important to keep a variety of factors in mind as you attempt to cope with job loss. This document provides tips and strategies for coping.

With this year’s hurricane season starting, LSU AgCenter experts say stocking up on supplies now makes sense.

As New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region struggle to recover from last year’s hurricanes, help continues to arrive, and LSU AgCenter faculty members continue to assist in coordinating those efforts. Among the latest to help was a group of students from Penn State University, who gave up their spring break last week (March 4-10) to visit the New Orleans area and help to get the city back up and running.

(Distributed 04/27/09) You can’t get swine flu from eating pork or pork products, says an LSU AgCenter extension nutritionist. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no evidence that a person can get swine flu from touching raw pork or from eating pork that has been properly prepared, says Beth Reames.

(Distributed 09/07/08) You probably can’t avoid the stress coming in the wake of Hurricane Gustav, but you can manage it, says LSU AgCenter family and consumer sciences specialist Becky White.

(Distributed 09/07/08) When disasters happen, dedicated volunteers and professionals swing into action to help those affected by the tragedy. But these helpers also have needs, says LSU AgCenter family and consumer sciences specialist Becky White.

(Distributed 08/29/08) Adults are urged to assemble a “grab-and-go” box of important papers in case of a hurricane evacuation. How about making a “to-go kit” for your child? Assembling a few treasured items can help your child in times of disaster, according to LSU AgCenter family development professor Dr. Rebecca White.

(Distributed 09/05/08) Most of the mosquitoes being bred in the standing water left in Louisiana from Hurricane Gustav are not the kind that carry West Nile virus, according to LSU AgCenter entomologist and mosquito expert Wayne Kramer.

(Distributed 09/11/08) For the first time in the history of the LSU AgCenter, a powerful storm did not completely shut down communications in the hardest-hit areas.

(Distributed 09/11/08) Red Cross officials were so impressed by the inaugural operation of the Louisiana Emergency Shelter near Alexandria during Hurricane Gustav they have invited the manager to address chapter and city officials in New York City later this year.

Construction continues on the LSU AgCenter’s showcase home, the Louisiana House Home and Landscape Resource Center. The special features of the structure could influence techniques and components used to rebuild hurricane-damaged areas. Runtime: 60 seconds. (Radio News 1/9/06).

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita exposed how vulnerable standard buildings can be to powerful storms. A lesson from these storms is to build stronger and smarter, the experts say. Runtime: 60 seconds. (Radio News 1/9/06)

Representatives with the U.S. Department of Energy toured the LSU AgCenter’s showcase home, known as LaHouse, and said this structure shows what homeowners can do to streghten their homes and make them more efficient. Runtime: 60 seconds. (Radio News 1/9/06)

Hurricane season is over, but the hardships from it are lingering into the holidays. Many Louisiana residents endured financial hardships this year, and LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker says holiday budgets may be tight for many.

Neighbors nicknamed Warren Lawrence’s home in Plaquemines Parish Fort St. Lawrence. Lawrence added special features to his home such as walls constructed of insulated concrete form. His home is outside of levee protection and vulnerable to storms.

Individuals who lost work due to recent hurricanes may qualify for disaster unemployment assistance, according to LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker.

Landscapes damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita can be revitalized. LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill talks about what can be done to repair the damage.

(TV News For 11/21/05) Added safety measures can make a difference on a home when a storm threatens. The proof stands on a corner lot in a development in Plaquemines Parish.