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Parish emergency manager reports jump in operations, urges residents to sign up for alerts
Summary
Jason Toste, the parish emergency manager, told the council the emergency operations center is logging far more incidents this year and warned residents to enroll in the parish notification system; he also outlined training and hurricane preparedness exercises ahead of the season.
Jason Toste, director of the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, told the Saint Charles Parish Council on July 13 that the parish’s emergency operations center has seen a substantial rise in activity this year and urged residents to sign up for parish alerts.
"In 2025, we had 9,543 log entries. So far this year we've had 6,790 entries," Toste said, using the log count to show the center is on track for a busier year. He outlined the department’s training work — 47 trainings last year, participation in a biannual nuclear‑plant exercise with FEMA, and a recent active‑shooter exercise — and said more than half of parish staff are now certified through the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Association.
Toste warned that the parish’s residential reach for emergency notifications is limited and asked residents to enroll online. "We have 18,608 households in Saint Charles Parish. Currently we have a little more than half of those signed up on our emergency notification," he said, describing the alert system as the best way to get timely messages to residents.
Toste also reviewed hurricane‑season planning and exercises, including a regional hurricane coordination exercise in June and full‑scale commodity distribution exercises at Bridal Park. He listed recent unusual events tracked by the EOC — hazardous‑materials calls, severe weather, and transportation incidents — and said those incidents underscore the need for preparedness.
Council members asked questions about specific exercises, equipment, and outreach; Toste directed residents to the parish website for the alert sign‑up. The report closed with a routine offer to take questions from the council and residents.
