Launching the New LUS Outage Map

When severe weather hits South Louisiana, access to accurate information becomes critical. During hurricanes, thunderstorms, and unexpected outages, residents want answers quickly: Is my power out? Is restoration underway? Is there a boil advisory in my area?

As part of the launch of their new website, LUS partnered with Firefly Marketing to develop a major new feature for the community: a real-time outage and utility events map designed to improve emergency communication.

The new platform, now live at map.lus.org, gives residents a faster, mobile-friendly way to access critical utility updates during emergencies and service interruptions.

Utility outage maps are no longer just “helpful tools.” During major weather events, they become essential communication resources for entire communities. 

LUS recognized the importance of creating a system that residents could rely on during periods of heavy traffic, degraded cellular connectivity, and rapidly changing conditions. The goal was to create a centralized communication platform that could deliver real-time utility information clearly and reliably when the community needs it most.

The result is a streamlined, responsive platform that provides visibility into:

• Real-time electrical outages
• Restoration progress and estimated repair updates
• Boil advisories and water service notifications
• Planned maintenance and tree trimming activity
• Utility-related alerts affecting local residents

Using enterprise utility mapping services from DataCapable and ArcGIS technologies, Firefly helped deliver a solution tailored to the unique communication needs of a public utility provider. The platform was optimized specifically for mobile devices, recognizing that many residents access outage information from smartphones during storms and power outages.

Projects like this reflect Firefly’s broader approach to digital development: building scalable, high-performance platforms that help organizations communicate more effectively with the audiences they serve. 

Whether supporting public infrastructure, customer engagement, or operational communication, Firefly Marketing focuses on creating digital tools that are reliable, user-friendly, and built around real-world needs. Every project begins with understanding how clients serve their customers, communities, and stakeholders, then developing solutions designed to support those goals long term. 

We’re proud to have partnered with LUS on a project designed to improve access to critical information for the Lafayette community and support better communication during emergencies.

To view the new platform, visit: LUS Real-Time Outage & Utility Events Map