Urgent Announcement for Public Safety Officers on the Ecstasy and Sensation Cruise Ships
Release Date: February 18, 2006
Release Number: 1603-354
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NEW ORLEANS, La. -- Important meetings for residents of the cruise ships Ecstasy and Sensation will be held this Monday, Feb. 20, 2006, at 6 p.m. in the Blue Sapphire Lounge on the Ecstasy, and in the Fantasia Lounge on the Sensation. Only residents of the ships may attend. Media will be briefed after the meetings.
"The purpose of these meetings is to complete the steps which have been taken to ensure that every shipboard resident has a place to go," said Tony Robinson, deputy federal coordinating officer for the FEMA area field office in New Orleans. "Our greatest priority is to ensure that these first responders can continue to do their jobs. Ensuring that each one of them has housing is essential to the mission."
No further extensions can be obtained. These ships must be vacated and turned back over to Carnival Cruise Lines according to the contract. The contract expires March 1. "The cruise ships must leave so they can return this fall with paying passengers so the revitalization of this great city can continue," Robinson concluded.
The residents of the two ships include many police officers, fire fighters, and first responders of the city of New Orleans and their families. Each officer will have a FEMA community relations representative to help with their relocation.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 21-Feb-2006 08:57:38