Gulf Coast Information Call Centers Buzzing Ahead of Hurricane Isaac

If there was ever a scenario that emergency call centers and call center redundancy were made for, it's happening this week: the expected landfall of Tropical Storm Isaac, which is expected to strengthen to a hurricane by the time it makes landfall in the Gulf of Mexico States.

The Mississippi State Joint Information Center is announcing today that it has activated emergency protocols and the call center is open for the general public to ask questions regarding Tropical Storm Isaac. Mississippi residents may contact the center through the following number: 1-866-519-6362 (toll free).

Members of the media are asked to keep the call center free for residents, and instead may call 1-866-920-6362 for interview requests and information. This number is not for public use.

For more information, visit www.msema.org, use Twitter (News - Alert) keyword MSEMA or check Facebook under Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has also published its emergency hurricane preparedness plans, and is currently prepositioning supplies to help Gulf Coast residents as Tropical Storm Isaac moves closer to the state. The National Guard has activated 1,500 guardsmen to prepare for the aftermath of the storm.

In neighboring Louisiana, the local United Way 2-1-1 call center is reporting that it has fielded almost 4,500 calls related to Tropical Storm Isaac since yesterday, according to the local News Star news site. United Way of Northeast Louisiana president Janet Durden said the local office is one of six 2-1-1 call centers in the state.

Around noon Monday, all call centers, which operate round-the-clock through emergencies, began accepting calls statewide to ensure people’s questions were answered quickly.

“We operated in our 12 parishes until noon yesterday when we went statewide so all calls to 2-1-1 about Isaac goes to the next available person,” Durden said.

Callers are primarily asking about evacuation routes, available shelters and general storm information.

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