Evacuation preparations underway for Acadiana

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- Preparations are underway for possible evacuations in Acadiana. The Department of Transportation and Development is getting a vehicle staging area ready.

By the time Hurricane Ida reaches Louisiana, there are going to be about 75 buses ready to go for any hurricane-related damage and activity.

"Basically what we are in the process of doing is we're preparing for what's now categorized as Hurricane Ida," Deidra Druilhet with DOTD said.

DOTD officials say the buses will be used for any hurricane activity, like transporting food and evacuations if it comes to that.

"Those vehicles could be used for many purposes related to the storm activity that we have going on. So if anyone should call or need some type of transportation vehicle, then DOTD is there," Druilhet said. "We're there to help disperse that vehicle to where it needs to go."

She says the buses will be sent out to locations that local governments and emergency operations centers need them.

"We're not transporting people at all from the vehicle staging area. Each local government, each parish has specific locations where they're handling evacuations. So we encourage the general public, anyone who wants to be evacuated, to contact their local government or the local parish EOC [emergency operations center] to find out that information," she said.

DOTD officials say if you do want to evacuate, you should not gather right at the vehicle staging area.

Instead, they say to contact your local government officials and EOC, who will do the planning and get you on one of the buses.