FOR SEVERAL HOURS AND YOU ARE ASKED TO AVOID THE AREA. WITH JUST WEEKS TO GO TO THE START OF STORM SEASON, HURRICANE PREPS ARE UNDERWAY AS LEADERS TEST OUR FLOODGATE SYSTEM ON THE WEST BANK. THE WDSU’S AUTUMN SIDDIQUI BREAKS DOWN THE FLOOD PROTECTION AUTHORITIES PLAN AS WE GET READY. NOW THIS IS ONE OF THE LARGEST PUMPING STATIONS IN THE WORLD. IT WAS BUILT POST-HURRICANE KATRINA AND NOW EVERY HURRICANE SEASON, OFFICIALS SPEND THE WHOLE DAY TESTING THE SYSTEM. TAKE A LOOK AT THE WEST CLOSURE COMPLEX TO GET READY FOR HURRICANE SEASON. AS A TEST. OFFICIALS CLOSED THEIR 225 FOOT NAVIGATING SECTOR GATE 11 PUMPS TURN ON THAT, DRAW WATER FROM ALGIERS AND HARVEY CANALS. THIS EXERCISE IS VITAL TO KEEP 250,000 PEOPLE IN THE WEST BANK SAFE. WHEN A HURRICANE LANDS, AND THIS IS PART OF THE LARGER $14.7 BILLION THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INVESTED IN LOUISIANA AFTER KATRINA AND AND I’M VERY PLEASED TO SAY THAT THIS WAS PROOF OF CONCEPT. IT WORKED. IDA WAS EXACTLY THE STORM THAT THIS SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED FOR, AND IT DID EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO DO. SO WE’RE CONFIDENT IT’S GOING TO DO IT AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. OFFICIALS SAY HURRICANE IDA WAS THEIR LAST MAJOR STORM THAT THEY DEALT WITH, AND SINCE THEN THEY’VE IMPROVED A NUMBER OF DETAILS TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE IN THIS COMMUNITY. FOR NOW, REPORTING IN THE WEST BANK, AN