In 2005, Hurricane Katrina wiped out all 10 of St. Bernard’s Parish’s fire stations in Chalmette, La. — but that wasn’t the worst of it. Chief Thomas Stone had a long, hard battle with FEMA in trying to rebuild each of the stations.
All 10 stations were supposed to be completed by the first of this year. But only four stations are fully functional and three fire stations still are under construction. The unfinished stations have been stalled further by the oil spill in the Gulf. Station No. 6 had to be demolished and started because of faulty construction.
“Instead of the steel inserted in cement, they were epoxied in place,” Stone said. “Unfortunately, the superintendent’s office just awarded Station No. 8 to the same contractor!”
Last month, FEMA and the Louisiana Recovery Authority gave an additional $10.9 million in federal aid to three fire stations across Southeast Louisiana for Katrina-related recovery efforts, including $1.1 million for St. Bernard Fire Station No. 6. To date, FEMA has provided more than $101 million to rebuild and repair Katrina-damaged fire stations in Louisiana.
“Getting our first responders back in the field has always been a recovery priority, and these funds will restore fire stations in parishes most affected by Hurricane Katrina,” said Robin Keegan, executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority, in a press release.
But five years later?
Stone currently has two crews, a pumper and a tanker, stationed at the 12,000 square feet of tents that serve as the chow hall for clean-up workers. He has also trained more than 800 commercial fisherman deploying booms in HAZWOPER.
Stone also continues to face personal challenges from Katrina. After moving back into his family home three years after Katrina, corrosion around metal fixtures in the bathroom resulted detectable levels of hydrogen sulfide from the Chinese drywall installed during re-construction. Stone’s H2S meter continues to register hydrogen-sulfide levels of .05 to .07.
The Stones’ changed out the sheetrock to American sheet rock in two of the rooms; however, the council on safety is now recommending going back to the studs, re-wiring and replacing pipe.
Stone was named “Man of the Year” in St. Bernard Parish. His spirits are good in spite of all he has been going through the past five years.
I hope to see one of the St. Bernard Parish stations in next year’s Station Style Design Awards. Perhaps we need a category for perseverance?
