Emergency Restoration from Hurricane Katrina

Featuring:
B & B Electrical & Utility Contractors
Brien Blakeney, B&B President

The Story:
For those not living on the Gulf Coast or in New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina and the flooding that followed in late August of 2005 isn't given much attention these days. But for residents of these areas, the effects of those devastating storms are still being felt, and restoration of storm damage continues every day. B&B Electrical & Utility Contractors, Inc., based in Brandon, Mississippi, was deeply involved in emergency restoration immediately following the storms and B&B crews have been busy with storm-related work ever since. "We had emergency crews and equipment restoring power immediately after the storm hit and winds subsided enough to be able to work safely," said Brien Blakeney, B&B president. "In fact, many of our employees were affected by the storm and had to cut their way through downed trees to get to their homes to pack before leaving for emergency work. Once we arrived like others coming to help, we found logistics very difficult. Cell phone towers were down, so communicating was difficult and often impossible. There was no place to stay, so we were sleeping in trucks, gyms, and other temporary shelters." Even though "emergency" restoration of utility services is complete, B&B crews remain busy in the area on projects directly related to the storms. For the past year, they have been replacing underground cable and traffic signal and highway lighting along segments of U.S. Highway 90 in Waveland, Mississippi in the state's western-most Gulf Coast county, east to Pascagoula. Waveland was nearly destroyed by Katrina."When the Mississippi governor said everything along the coast in that area had been destroyed, he wasn't exaggerating," said Blakeney. "From the water inland to the railroad tracks--roughly two blocks--everything was simply gone--historic antebellum homes, whole sections of streets and the highway, everything was gone." Even though cables for lighting and traffic signals were buried, they were uncovered by the force of the storm.

Submitted by: Jeri  Briegge, Ditch Witch

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