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Police jury hears warnings that Lambe Road’s condition is risking emergency response
Summary
The East Feliciana Parish Police Jury heard a sustained appeal from the fire chief and EMS personnel to repair Lambe Road and nearby routes, which they said are eroding and risking vehicle rollovers and delayed ambulance response; jurors discussed engineering assessments and short-term fixes.
East Feliciana Parish jurors heard an extended appeal to repair Lambe Road after the parish fire chief warned the route’s erosion and deep ditches threaten heavy emergency apparatus and public safety.
The fire chief, identified in the transcript as Matt Slaughter, told the jury the typical fire engine (about 26,000 pounds) and heavier water tankers risk sliding into eroded shoulders and rolling. “If it caves in, that fire truck rolls over … you’re looking at somewhere in the neighborhood of about $750,000 of taxpayers’ money that has to replace that,” he said. He asked the jury to examine drainage problems and consider repairs on L and Thompson roads in his district.
An EMS representative who spoke after the chief said impassible roads can prevent ambulance response or transport: if a unit becomes disabled the crew cannot transport patients, forcing reliance on fire department vehicles or private vehicles and producing delayed emergency care.
Mr. Hill, speaking in the treasurer’s context, said crews respond quickly to complaints but described prior repairs as “band-aid” fixes. He recommended engineering assessments to design permanent repairs and noted FEMA work following earlier floods raised road profiles to a 2016 standard that did not resolve ongoing drainage and washout problems.
No formal motion to fund a specific repair project was recorded in the transcript; jurors discussed prioritization and next steps. Officials said staff will continue to respond to urgent complaints while the jury considers longer-term engineering evaluations.
The discussion closed with jurors noting the public-safety consequences of delayed responses and the need to balance short-term maintenance with capital repairs; no vote or contractor authorization was recorded in the transcript.
