Lake Charles officials prepare for potential storm

Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) - While Lake Area residents are preparing for a potential storm, so are Lake Charles city officials.

Residents are bracing themselves for a possible hurricane as Tropical Storm Ida makes its way towards the gulf.

“Local governmental agencies are as prepared as humanly possible for what is coming our way,” said Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter.

Preparation is evident as grocery store shelves empty, gas stations are packed, and sand bags line the exterior of houses. City officials are among the many making those final arrangements.

“The City of Lake Charles has departmental head, there are division meetings that are taking place,” Mayor Hunter said. “We have our blue teams and red teams, which are making sure that they are on top of our latest preparedness plans. We have members of public works who are scouring throughout the streets making sure that surface drains are as clean as possible.”

Mayor Hunter says he feels that the city is ready, but his concern lies with the residents.

“Some of these homes and businesses are in a very precarious state right now,” Hunter said.

He also said there is no such thing as being over-prepared.

“I pray that in two or three days, we are going to look back and realize that a lot of these emotions and trepidation were not warranted because it went somewhere else or it dissipated,” Mayor Hunter said.

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