On August 29, 2021, Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana. A Category 4 storm, nearly reaching category 5, Ida is now the second most damaging hurricane to hit the area after Katrina, which made landfall exactly 16 years prior. Ida brought extreme flooding and sustained winds moving at a high of 150 miles per hour as it tore through the state and made its way up to the Northeast. On September 1 through September 2, Ida weakened to a tropical depression, and eventually a tropical storm, while it brought dangerous weather conditions in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
Houses were destroyed, neighborhoods were submerged underwater, and thousands were left without electricity. Entergy, a large-scale power provider in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas, completed its damage assessment three days after Ida fizzled out, and found that her total damage to power lines was greater than that of Katrina and three other hurricanes combined. With so many left in the dark, families turned to emergency generators for backup. However, this caused a whole new source of danger for those who were unaware of how to safely use one. By September 7, 141 people in Louisiana had died from carbon monoxide poisoning due to generators that were running indoors. Some people were sent to power shelters in Northern Louisiana and Texas, meanwhile Jefferson Parish East Bank Consolidated Fire Department had responded to 413 carbon monoxide-related 911 calls since the storm hit.
To address the catastrophic aftermath, 41 states throughout the US sent emergency aid to Louisiana, providing assistance for first responders and line workers. On August 29, 80 volunteers with Massachusetts Task Force 1 (MA-TF1) were dispatched after being called in by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). There were medics, rescue technicians, dog handlers and firefighters amongst the team. “This is probably going to be the most significant event to respond to in Louisiana since Katrina,” MA-TF1 leader Sean Brown stated. Overall, 28 Task Forces were called upon by FEMA to assist in recovery. Additional aid was provided through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). MEMA sent ten firefighters down south to continue providing emergency assistance. The team members were from stations in Lynnfield, Dalton and Carlisle.
“When people need help, the fire service always takes the call. Our counterparts in Louisiana are confronting high temperatures, power and resource shortages, the fire and health risks associated with increased generator usage, and concerns about their own families,” said State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey. “Firefighting is a physically and mentally demanding job even under the best conditions, so we know the challenges they’re facing right now.”
Eversource Energy also responded to Louisiana’s call for help, sending crew members from Connecticut and Massachusetts to assist Entergy Louisiana in power restoration. Some workers who also provided aid after Katrina have reported that the aftermath of Ida is even worse, as their efforts continue two weeks post-landfall. Full recovery is estimated to be achieved by late September, meaning some households will be left in the dark for nearly a month. As of September 5, 39% of power had been restored in Louisiana, with hospitals and other emergency facilities taking top priority. “As we’ve emphasized, this is a marathon,” said vice president of Louisiana distribution Greg Hawkins.
As the marathon prevailed, AccuWeather continued to find signs of inclement weather patterns in the aftermath of Ida. Boston residents and government officials alike have been putting work into protecting Massachusetts’ coastal areas against storms and flooding. Ongoing efforts such as the Resilient Boston Harbor projects and the overarching Climate Ready Boston initiative are being carried out, and the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program saw a recent doubling of its funds. While projects like these are carried out to help secure the future of Bostonians, we will continue to aid those in need beyond.
