BRANZ Glad to Play its Small Part in Katrina Recovery
The Louisiana State Government is distributing BRANZ’s flood recovery guide to the residents of Louisiana to help them
recover from the damage suffered by their homes at the hands of Hurricane Katrina. This is the same guide that was
distributed to residents of the Bay of Plenty following that region’s terrible flooding earlier this year.
Having hunted the globe for flood recovery information, the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources made an approach
to BRANZ for the use of its guide. The Louisiana State Government already had the vast resources of the US Federal
Government available to it. But, according to James Davidson of the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, “Our FEMA
[Federal Emergency Management Agency] guide is good but I like yours better.”
Davidson went on to provide an insight into the level of uncertainty and potentially irrecoverable damage caused by
Katrina.
“There is talk of tearing them [houses] down. I have no experience with determining which to tear down and which to
salvage. However, there are many of these homes that had to have survived other floods in the past since some of them
predate the construction of the levees along the Mississippi River. Those, I would think, should be salvageable. But
perhaps this flood was higher than any other event and I am therefore wrong,” said Davidson.
BRANZ Chief Executive, Peter Robertson, was pleased that BRANZ could play its small part in the Katrina recovery.
“With the internet, it’s great that an organisation like BRANZ can make a contribution from such a distance. But, I’m
not at all surprised the Americans are finding our work so valuable.
“The fact the Louisiana State Government prefers our guide to the information made available by the US Federal
Government is testimony to its quality. And you can’t argue with Google,” said Robertson.
A copy BRANZ’s guide, Restoring A House After Flood Damage, can be found on BRANZ website at:
http://www.branz.co.nz/branzltd/pdfs/BU455.pdf