As hurricane Ida bears down on southeastern Louisiana Sunday, residents should prepare for delays in emergency response times, Baton Rouge Fire Department spokesman Curt Monte said.

Once winds reach a sustained force of roughly 50 miles per hour or higher, Monte said crews will no longer be dispatched to emergency calls.

“There are times, when the winds get too high, that we won’t be able to respond,” he said. “It’s up to the commander or supervisor in charge, but generally somewhere around 50 mph winds.”

Ida had winds of about 150 mph upon making landfall, and could have winds of 110 mph by the time it gets to Baton Rouge.

Public safety crews, including the parish’s swiftwater rescue and structural collapse teams, are in place and have been strategically spread throughout the city, Monte said.

As of Sunday afternoon, Mayor-President Sharon Western Broome said the city-parish has more than 180 water rescue personnel across all its first-responding agencies on standby.

EMS teams were briefed Friday about emergency protocol. Spokesman Mike Chustz said backup generators will keep EMS headquarters and dispatch center running even in a worst-case scenario.

Similar to BRFD, EMS personnel will not be dispatched to emergency calls once winds reach a sustained impact of 45 miles per hour.

However, Monte said saving lives remains the highest concern.

"Life is our first priority," he said. "If life is in jeopardy, we’re going to respond."