How Hurricane Katrina Shaped the Future of Emergency Management at APTIM and Beyond

When Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005, everything changed overnight—especially for those of us with deep roots in New Orleans. The demand for help was immediate and overwhelming, described to me as, “We need every capable body available.” APTIM leadership asked me to leave my current role leading a facility upgrade and instead support the emergency response.

Less than a month after the storm, I left my home and project behind and relocated to New Orleans. My initial lodging was the Hotel St. Marie in the French Quarter, where emergency responders found keys unattended in a bowl on the counter. The hotel had no staff, power, water, or basic services. For the first two to three months, this was our reality: no electricity or resources, a heavy police and National Guard presence at every turn, and a city in shock and disarray.

The First-of-its-Kind Haul & Install Project

I was assigned to the FEMA Individual Assistance Technical Assistance Contract Haul & Install project. We were tasked by FEMA to haul and install travel trailers on private and group sites across Louisiana, providing temporary housing for residents displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. I started as a construction coordinator, overseeing the installation and lease-in process to ensure all requirements were met. Then, recognizing a gap in ongoing support, I developed, implemented, and managed the maintenance division. This first-of-its-kind mission included:

The project logged over 780,000 man-hours without a single lost time accident or OSHA recordable, demonstrating the APTIM team’s commitment to safety and quality. The scale was immense, and the impact was direct: tens of thousands of families received safe, temporary housing, allowing them to begin the process of rebuilding their lives.

APTIM’s Impact on Hurricane Katrina Survivors

For the next 1.5 years, I lived in New Orleans area hotels while my family, including those displaced by the storm, stayed in my home in Baton Rouge. The Crescent City was unrecognizable: neighborhoods emptied, infrastructure crippled, and a sense of uncertainty everywhere. Yet, the work we did was tangible and urgent. Every trailer installed meant a family could return, a community could start to heal, and the city could take one more step toward recovery.

I was involved in several other Hurricanes Katrina projects:

Many other APTIM teammates also answered the call. My direct managers were some of the first on the ground in New Orleans; they located and operated pump stations to dewater the city, a task completed in just 40 days. Other teammates were assigned to blue roof and dewatering operations.

Hurricane Katrina’s Impact on Emergency Management

Katrina was a turning point for emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation, not just for New Orleans but for the nation and the world. The storm brought global attention to the challenges of disaster response, the importance of resilient infrastructure, and the need for comprehensive planning.

Today, New Orleans is in a better place—thanks in part to the homes APTIM rebuilt to resilient standards. Our other projects, like the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal, provide critical hurricane protection for the region. If a storm of Hurricane Katrina’s magnitude struck today, the outcome would be different. Infrastructure failures have been addressed, awareness and planning have improved, and the city is better prepared to withstand and recover from future disasters.

On a personal note, Hurricane Katrina changed my view of my profession. While construction projects always have schedules and deadlines, the stakes during Katrina were life-altering. Every day mattered, and the work had immediate, real-world benefits for thousands of people. It was the most relevant and urgent work I had ever been a part of.

The experience with Katrina put a spotlight on all facets of humanity at once: the good, the bad, and the extraordinary. The best parts—that is, the resilience of the people of New Orleans, their togetherness, and the overwhelming desire to help one another in a time of need—were always in focus.

Emergency Management: Our Work Matters

The Hurricane Katrina Haul & Install project stands as the most impactful and complex assignment of my career. It required rapid adaptation, large-scale coordination, and a relentless focus on serving the impacted community with quality and safety. We made a real difference, and the lessons learned continue to shape how we approach disaster response and recovery at APTIM and beyond.

Hurricane Katrina tested APTIM and shaped a dedicated team that I am very proud to work alongside to this day. It shined a light on the value of adaptability, the importance of rigorous standards, and the power of teamwork. Most importantly, it reinforced the idea that our work matters—not just to our clients, but to the communities we serve.

We would be proud to continue our legacy by partnering with your community or business today.

Published August 2025