Louisiana National Guard troops evacuated 112 nursing home residents Wednesday when storm water from Tropical Storm Isaacs threatened to break a levee near the facility.
The most frail residents of Riverbend Nursing & Rehab Center, which is located outside of New Orleans in Plaquemines Parish, were evacuated to a sister nursing home located on higher ground, Bloomberg News reported. The other 90 or so residents were taken about seven miles away from the parish to a nearby military base where they were treated by Riverbend staff. The nursing home is located 1,000 feet from a city levee.
Residents were transported via a military convoy of vans, ambulances and Humvees, according to local reports. The evacuation lasted about two hours.
The quick response time is a testament to the emergency preparedness efforts put in place after Hurricane Katrina devastated the area almost seven years to the day Isaac came ashore. Floodwater in some parts of the mostly rural community of Plaquemines Parish are 10 to 14 feet deep. It is unclear when Riverbend Nursing residents will be able to return to their home.
