New Orleans city officials and government agencies addressed concerns regarding Hurricane Gustav and levee preparations today in a press conference near the levee break that occurred during Hurricane Katrina. Representatives from the city of New Orleans and officials from the Army Corps of Engineers were present, as well as leaders from Jefferson Parish and Plaquemines Parish.

“We are confident and feel very secure with the current state of the levees,” said John Boudreaux, a spokesperson for Jefferson Parish. “We are as ready as ever, and we want our residents to know that the levees will hold.” Mr. Boudreaux didn’t elaborate on specifics regarding the strength of the levees other than to state that they were “better” and “even more secure than when Katrina hit.”

Mayor Ray Nagin backed up Mr. Boudreaux’s words with an assurance that “everything’s been taken care of”, but he added that residents should have an evacuation plan in case of the worst-case scenario, which would be a close of direct hit by Gustav. “Our residents know that we as a city will do everything in our power to help them, but even though they know that, I just want to say that if they can get out they maybe should,” the mayor said while standing in front of his mayoral evacuation helicopter.

The highlight of the press conference was when Michael Jacobson, chief engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Levee Wall project, displayed the improved levee walls.

“This levee wall employs some new engineering techniques that we pioneered along with some of the city of New Orleans engineers. As you know, New Orleans people take pride in their city and they take great care to do a job right. And that’s what we did – we think the new levees are a tribute to the leadership Mr. Nagin has provided, and we hope to dear God the levee holds this time.”

Officials did not stay to answer questions, but closed the conference with an additional urge to the public to “get the hell out while you can” and the words “good luck”.

Stumble it!