Seabees, Local Residents Establish Temporary Housing for Hurricane Victims

Navy NewsStand ^ | Sep 30, 2005 | Journalist 1st Class (SCW/SS) James G. Pinsky

[SandRat]

PLAQUEMINE PARISH, La. (NNS) -- Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 40 and local Plaquemines Parish residents teamed up in September to help the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) expedite establishing housing for hundreds of Hurricane Katrina evacuees.

One of FEMA’s plans for relocating evacuees involved Plaquemines Parish landowners like Ray Tolar, who volunteered his land to host trailers for local families to stay in.

In Tolar’s case, FEMA placed 19 trailers in his front yard, and Seabees are installing water, sewage and electrical connections for the trailers.

“The faster and better we can install these lines,” said Construction Electrician 3rd Class (SCW) Matthew Huston, “the sooner the evacuees can get into these trailers.”

The plumbing and electrical work is a welcome change to Seabees who have seen more than their fair share of debris clearing throughout the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast.

“I love a job like this trailer park,” said Huston, “because we’re actually doing something for the hurricane victims directly.”

In addition to making sure the 19 trailers have safe sewage, water, and electrical connections, the Seabees are helping volunteers like Tolar with their own concerns as well.

“The Seabees are doing good,” said Tolar, who is a contracted plumber by trade. “They helped me change my tractor’s tire. We’re friendly to each other, bring them coffee and iced tea. They’ve been very courteous, and I’m just glad to see them here to help us.”

[SandRat]

050928-N-2653P-067 Plaquemines Parish (Sept 28, 2005) - Utilitiesman Gregory Knight and Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Joshua Ross assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Four Zero (NMCB-40), dig trenches for sewage lines for 19 trailers for evacuee families. The Navy’s involvement in the Hurricane Katrina humanitarian assistance operations are led by the Federal Emergency management Agency (FEMA), in conjunction with the Department of Defense. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 1st Class James Pinsky (RELEASED)

[SandRat]

SeaBee PING

[Pete-R-Bilt]

them boys are gonna be busy for a long while...

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/special/story/344936p-294496c.html

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[B4Ranch]

>>About 128,000 "mobile houses" will become home for the displaced for at least 18 months,<<

That's why they brought the SeaBees in to do the job. Proud men who are proud to do a first class job as fast as possible.