 In response to the storm 's projected path into the Gulf of Mexico , prices for crude oil rose on the New York Mercantile Exchange at branch offices in London . Natural gas prices rose considerably in New York Mercantile Exchange electronic trading on August 2 . Anticipation of a threat to supply by a potential Hurricane Chris coupled with high demand during an ongoing heat wave were cited as factors in the price move . In New Orleans , officials including Mayor Ray Nagin prepared for a possible evacuation of the city if Chris entered the Gulf of Mexico as a hurricane . The evacuation plan included moving all residents out of the city as a worst @-@ case scenario , intended to avoid a re @-@ occurrence of Hurricane Katrina around one year prior . Florida Emergency Management requested ten mobile recovery centers , and placed hospitals in the Florida Keys on standby for evacuation . Officials in Mississippi identified the need for 110 to assist in an evacuation process in case of a possible landfall . Both Louisiana and Texas emergency operation centers monitored the progress of the storm , though did not execute any preparation action . 
