From left to right –Lake Charles Police Department Chief Shawn Caldwell, Phillips 66 Gulf Coast Field Communications Director Megan Hartman, Lake Charles Fire Department Chief Delton Carter, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office Chief Stitch Guillory, Calcasieu Parish Police Jury President Chris Landry, Phillips 66 Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex General Manager Scot Tyler, McNeese State University Chief Information Technology Officer Chad Thibodeaux, and Phillips 66 Social Impact Advisor Elizabeth Eustis.
The community now has a new way to receive emergency information during a declared disaster or other emergency thanks to Phillips 66’s partnership in the reconstruction of an emergency communications tower destroyed by Hurricane Laura.
A $50,000 contribution from Phillips 66 has provided for improved radio signals, vital for law enforcement and emergency responders, and created the opportunity for McNeese State University’s KBYS radio station, 88.3 FM and www.kbys.fm, to serve as a means of communicating vital public safety information over their airways via the emergency communications tower located behind Central Fire Station. The addition of this new channel, added to local media outlets and messaging systems such as Calca-Shout, will help create a redundancy in communication during public emergencies.
A recently signed memorandum of understanding between the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, City of Lake Charles, McNeese State University and Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, solidified this new partnership formed in the interest of public safety and awareness during declared disasters and other emergencies.
“This communications tower is critical to local public safety agencies in communicating vital information efficiently during emergencies,” said Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter. “As we have seen in recent years, emergency situations know no jurisdictions or boundaries so this new partnership, thanks to Phillips 66’s $50,000 grant, is expanding our capability to disperse timely, important information during disaster and other emergency situations.”
“The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office is pleased to partner with the numerous private and public entities participating in order to replace the radio tower that was destroyed during Hurricane Laura. Due to this partnership, the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, along with other agencies, will be able to provide pertinent information to the citizens in Calcasieu Parish during any major incident. We are grateful to Phillips 66 and the other partners who take an active role and interest in the safety of our community,” stated Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso.
“Phillips 66 invests in public safety and emergency response programs like the emergency communications tower because we are committed to protecting community residents. We are grateful to the local agencies who provide the support and services in our community’s time of need,” said Megan Hartman, Phillips 66 Gulf Coast field communications director.
“On behalf of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, I would like to thank every organization that is joining together in the effort to rebuild this critical communications tower. Our Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and other agencies will have a tremendous resource to use in the event of an emergency,” said Chris Landry, Calcasieu Parish Police Jury President.
“We deeply appreciate Phillips 66 for their contribution to this most important project,” said Dr. Wade Rousse, McNeese executive vice president. “Their donation helps ensure that McNeese Radio KBYS 88.3 FM has the capability to broadcast critical information during emergencies. Because of our private partners like Phillips 66, we can advance the service KBYS provides for our campus and Southwest Louisiana communities.”
The tower, located behind Central Fire Station, has been used for over 50 years by several area agencies such as the Lake Charles Police Department, Lake Charles Fire Department, Calcasieu Office of Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security, 911, Mutual Aid of Southwest Louisiana and the Calcasieu Sheriff’s Office.
About Phillips 66
Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) manufactures, transports and markets products that drive the global economy. The diversified energy company’s portfolio includes Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, and Marketing and Specialties businesses. Headquartered in Houston, Phillips 66 has employees around the globe who are committed to safely and reliably providing energy and improving lives while pursuing a lower-carbon future. For more information, visit phillips66.com or follow @Phillips66Co on LinkedIn or Twitter.
