JOINT INFORMATION CENTER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 13, 2008

Governor's Office Of Homeland Securitya And Emergency Preparedness News Update

Media Alert: State's Emergency Joint Information Center Deactivated

BATON ROUGE -- The state's Joint Information Center (JIC) at the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) has been shut down, effective 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13.

The JIC serves as a central communication point for all state agencies in times of state emergency, giving a single access point for the public and for media outlets seeking information on emergency response and other related information.

The JIC was activated on Aug. 28 in preparation for the approach of Hurricane Gustav and extended to manage communications related to Hurricane Ike.

With the closure of the JIC, the phone line will no longer be manned, and members of the public and the media should contact state agencies directly about issues under their separate jurisdictions.

The state's emergency information website, emergency.louisiana.gov, will continue to be updated throughout the coming week.

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