Posted on 10/04/2005 4:10:12 PM PDT by SandRat
By Journalist 2nd Class Barbara Silkwood, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 40 Public Affairs
NEW ORLEANS (NNS) -- Nearly a month after Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 40 deployed to Southern Louisiana in support of Joint Task Force Katrina relief efforts, the Seabees continued working in October with Parish residents and local government officials to help rebuild the surrounding communities as quickly as possible.
Crews from NMCB 40's Air Detachment finished a project restoring St. Rosalee elementary - one of the largest schools in the New Orleans Archdiocese.
“After the storm hit, debris, roofing and fallen trees scattered the courtyards,” said school principal Mary Wenzel. “You couldn’t even recognize the place.”
The Seabees cleaned up the courtyards, took out wet ceiling tiles and sheet rock, checked for electrical hazards, mopped up standing water, and carried out all the damaged desks and chairs.
“The crew was wonderful; they did anything and everything possible to make it safe for the children to return,” said Wenzel. “In less than a week, they basically gutted the entire campus, so all we need to do now is get some contractors in to start fixing the damage,” she said.
Although the school lost six classrooms due to water damage, the school is scheduled to reopen soon.
“After we saw the damage, we didn’t even know where to begin,” said Wenzel. “Without the Seabees we wouldn’t have been able to open back up for at least another couple of months. We can’t thank them enough for the work they have done.”
SeaBees PING
BTTT
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