Hurricane Katrina Demolition and Private Property Debris Removal

Background

APTIM’s Emergency Management and Disaster Services team managed post-Hurricane Katrina structural demolitions and private property debris removal (PPDR). We coordinated with Jefferson Parish, debris removal contractor and subcontractors, the parish engineering firm, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP), Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and individual homeowners/property owners to facilitate demolition PPDR at FEMA-approved and eligible locations.

Our Approach

Demolition management included both residential and commercial structures, involved ‘regular’ and ‘wet’ demolition, and proper handling of regulated asbestos containing material (ACM) and asbestos abatement prior to demolition. We developed a debris management plan and project administration plan for debris to be managed and monitored from site of origin to disposition at landfills or temporary debris staging locations.

Pre-demolition activities included drafting contractor bid specifications and tracking mechanisms: truck certification tickets, load tickets and formation of geographic information system (GIS) databases. Our personnel coordinated with FEMA and property owners, monitored the decommissioning of properties to remove household hazardous waste, and the disconnection of utilities prior to demolition. Post-demolition management activities included development of a debris management plan, database management, post-demolition site review, file closeout, and contractor invoice review and approval.

Services also included the preparation of a debris management plan in accordance with FEMA, GOHSEP, and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) guidelines.

Outcomes

Temporary Sorting and Debris Reduction (TSDR) stations were open 12 hours a day to receive trucks loaded with debris. At completion, we monitored the removal of 1.7+ million cubic yards of debris including 12,000+ hazardous trees, 167,000+ hazardous limbs, and 2,600+ hazardous stumps. We provided and maintained a database for the parish to track and monitor the debris volume and type for invoice cross checking. The work was completed with zero OSHA recordables and zero lost time incidents.