Up date on NOLA debris clean up.

[trof]

I've posted before about my friends in the disaster clean-up business.
Married couple in the neighborhood. They've been doing it since Hurricane Frederick hit here in the 70s, and are very good.

Originally they had the contract to clean up Jackson County, MS.
That's changed. Their expertise is even more needed elsewhere.

Jeanne called a few minutes ago.
"trof, sit down. Guess where we're going?"
"OK, I'm sitting down. Where?"
"New Orleans. We have the management contract for debris clean up in the city."
whoa

Estimated 2 year job. 92 million cubic yards of debris to dispose of. A lot of it toxic.

She promised to send me stories once she gets an office established over there. I'm sure there will be some hair-raisers.
I'll pass them along.

[babylonsister]

1. Thanks, trof. I look forward to the reports and

hope the bodies have all been removed, though I have my doubts. I'm glad a local company got the contract.

[trof]

4. Body discovery halts operation.

I did a little part time work for my friends during our Ivan clean up.

Normally bodies are removed from "searchable" places prior to debris removal. Of course there are some places, like pancaked houses, that can't be searched until debris is removed.

When a body is discovered by debris removal workers, all operation ceases at that site, and appropriate authorities are notified. Usually the local coroner's office.

It can make for very slow going.

[moobu2]

2. The Corps of engineers, not FEMA,

who usually do the hurricane cleanup, picked our debris up the other day. I talked to the guy who was working with the team and he said they were planning a 2 year schedule too. What surprised me was he said the government was paying $700.00 A cubic yard for them to pick the debris up...that's huge.

[trof]

5. I've heard quotes from $10 to $18 per cu. yd.

Depending on location. Higher in NOLA and coastal LA, lower in MS.
I can't imagine $700. Maybe for a truck load.

[booksenkatz]

3. Where do they take all of that toxic debris, anyway?

I've heard a lot of speculation, but nothing certain.

And how do the workers protect their own health?

[trof]

6. All workers to get vaccinations.

I'm told that in NOLA, the Red Cross has a facility to give workers tetanus, typhoid, HIV, and Hepatitis shots. Possibly cholera too. Nobody works until they have the shots.

Don't know what the plans are for toxic waste disposal yet. That's going to be a big problem.