With the pending closure of the Katy Bridge in Franklin scheduled from January 29 – March 23, local fire departments are working together to ensure that first responders have access to Highway 87, if the need arises.
Baldwin Fire Chief Rickey Cook tells KQKI News that his department will have access to Highway 87 from Highway 182 at Adeline. He said he has been communicating with Chitimacha Fire Chief Billy Mora, who tells him that Chitimacha Fire Protection has a pumper staged at one of his firefighter’s residence across the Bayou Teche, which can quickly respond.
Cook also said that response times will be affected for Baldwin Volunteer Fire Department District 4 and Chitimacha Fire Protection District 12, as those districts’ geographical boundaries are along Highway 87. Therefore, Franklin Fire Chief Chuck Bourgeois tells him that Franklin Fire Department will respond from the eastern side of Highway 87 to assist with an emergency; while St. Mary Parish District 11 Fire Chief Clarence Clark told KQKI News that he has a truck on standby at the Sorrel Fire Station that will respond from the west.
Cook said, “We want to ensure the residents on Highway 87 that we are doing as much as possible to protect our communities during this closure.”