Between Aug. 12–22, an unnamed storm damaged more than 150,000 southern Louisiana homes. Gov. John Bel Edwards said part of the state received more rain in 48 hours than the Mississippi River discharges into the Gulf of Mexico in 18 days. Locals are calling the event a once-in-a-thousand-years storm that left three times as much rain in Louisiana as Hurricane Katrina did 11 years ago.


The storm’s devastation is stunning. Thousands of families, including Mike and Michelle Gautreau, lifelong residents of St. Amant and Ascension Parish, La., lost everything but the clothes on their backs.


Dee Binder, Louisiana Region Feeding Lead for the Red Cross, said that, after the storm and the rising flood waters, the organization was serving 38,000 hot meals per day. A month later, they continued to serve about 7,000 hot meals each day.


Binder said that lessons learned with hurricanes Katrina and Isaac helped organizations such as the Red Cross better prepare, but this storm caught more people off guard. Of the four parishes most affected by the storm’s deluge and subsequent historical flooding, St. Helena Parish and Livingston Parish residents were nearly cut off from receiving immediate assistance. 


Without the help of the Louisiana National Guard’s high-water vehicles and helicopters to navigate flooded roads and impassable bridges, many citizens would not have received any assistance.


In addition to federal, state and local aid organizations, the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) have found a way to assist. Students from the Electrical Training Alliance of Jacksonville, Fla., (ETAJ), operated by IBEW Local No. 177 and the North Florida NECA chapter, organized and collected donations to fill a trailer and send to affected NECA and IBEW families in Louisiana associated with Local No. 995. The goods were delivered by former NASCAR driver 
Alli Owens.


The waters have receded, but the damage is daunting. Beyond the losses of personal property, businesses and equipment, many communities are also reminded of the loss of human life.


Following Katrina, ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR published “Disaster after the Disaster?” which covered an emergency ordinance enacted by the City of New Orleans, allowing contractors to self-inspect their work. Flood victims in southern Louisiana learned valuable lessons, including seeking quality, guaranteed workmanship from contractors.


“Floods can result in damage to electrical equipment that must not be left to chance,” said Michael Johnston, NECA’s executive director of standards and safety. “Damage caused by water submersion and saturation can render an electrical system unsafe. The National Electrical Manufacturers Association published valuable guidelines [available at goo.gl/BRP2yW] for dealing with water-damaged electrical equipment, and they are worth the read.” 


Natural disasters have a sobering way of reminding us how fragile life is. Southern Louisiana will rebuild; many residents will build higher. Some will be forced to leave. All will remember the storm without a name of August 2016.