The Times-Picayune
ST. BERNARD PARISH, La. — FEMA will provide St. Bernard Parish with $1 million to repair more than 500 fire hydrants across the parish, the agency said in a news release today.
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which swamped the parish in 2005, damaged 581 fire hydrants in the parish. FEMA’s news release said the saltwater corroded the metal components of the hydrants, including their mechanical joints, nozzles and cap gaskets, and the damage limited the hydrants’ operational capabilities by causing their water flow to be uneven and unreliable.
“Replacing fire hydrants may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to hurricane recovery, but this is an important step in ensuring that the fire departments in St. Bernard Parish can operate effectively,” said Paul Rainwater, executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority.
Tony Russell, acting director of FEMA’s Louisiana Transitional Recovery Office, noted FEMA’s help in the rebuilding of the parish’s fire stations and added, “The recent funding that we have provided for the restoration of the parish’s fire hydrants will definitely support the fire department’s operations as they work to protect the citizens of St. Bernard.”
St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro said the parish is pleased for FEMA’s assistance in its recovery.
“With many of the obstacles related to the construction of our firehouses having been resolved, we are pleased that our continued partnership with FEMA and GOHSEP will allow us to comprehensively address the fire hydrant component of our fire protection system,” Taffaro said.
Copyright 2009 The Times-Picayune Publishing Company