In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans CVB Vice President Donna Karl says the city has learned a lot about contingency planning, including the necessity for good communication flow among all departments and entities. Annual updates are also important, Karl believes, as are emergency training sessions.
“New Orleans is now one of the best-prepared cities in the U.S.,” Karl says. “Our bureau and other city entities had emergency plans before Katrina, but they didn’t integrate. Now, we have plans for any kind of emergency for both city residents and visitors, and an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) that includes people from the city, police department and the CVB.”
Karl says she will offer any meeting planner, CVB or other industry partner help in setting up an emergency plan, whether or not they are booking New Orleans.
