FEMA Funds Maintenance Building for St. Charles Parish Schools
Release Date: April 17, 2007
Release Number: 1603-623
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NEW ORLEANS, La. -- Hurricane Katrina submerged not only the city of New Orleans beneath flood waters but surrounding cities and parishes suffered major damage as well. In St. Charles Parish, west of New Orleans , Katrina damaged the maintenance building of the St. Charles Parish Schools.
Constructed in 1931, the two-story building is a brick veneer, concrete slab on grade with a one-story wing addition. The total area for the entire structure is 12,200 square feet. Today, the building is one step closer to functioning with recently obligated funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
When projects are obligated by FEMA, the funds are transferred to a Smartlink account. This allows the state to work with the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness as quickly as possible to access the monies and distribute them to the local applicants. The state may require additional documentation from the applicant before disbursals are made.
"When Katrina hit the maintenance building it eliminated the heart of our maintenance operations," said Larry Sesser, assistant superintendent for Physical Plant Services, St. Charles Parish Schools. "Our staff and workers have been working out of portable trailers and their trucks."
Sesser said the new maintenance building will be more centrally located and better suited for maintenance operations.
"The old maintenance building was housed in an old school building in a residential area," said Sesser. "The new building will be a little larger and designed for our operations. There was a process we had to go through, but I have been pleased with the cooperation we have had with FEMA."
Damage to the support joists and framing compromised the structural integrity of the building. Due to the large amount of damage, the entire facility needed to be replaced. The $2.4 million in federal funds recently obligated will reimburse the St. Charles Parish Public Schools for this work, including replacement of the roof, ceilings, walls, doors, windows, floors, wooden stairs and all electrical and mechanical systems.
The Public Assistance program works with state and local officials to fund recovery measures and the rebuilding of government and certain private nonprofit organizations' buildings and recreation centers, as well as roads, bridges and water and sewer plants. In order for the process to be successful, federal, state and local partners coordinate to draw up project plans, fund these projects and oversee their completion.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 17-Apr-2007 11:54:09