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Disaster Recovery & Assistance

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Cleaning Up

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[Image: Disaster Information Resources]Disaster Information Resources Series These publications are designed to help Louisiana residents recover from floods, storms, extended power outages and other stressful, dangerous events. Determining Structural Damage When calm returns after the storm, it’s time to assess the damage and begin repairs. A number of factors should be considered. Preventing Mildew and Decay The secret to mildew prevention is two words -- clean and dry. The solution to mildew problems is --- disinfect and dry. Saving Wet Walls and Floors If your home was flooded, it must be disinfected and dried thoroughly to prevent mildew and future damage by wood rot. [Image: termite cover graphic]Keeping Formosan Termites from Spreading after Hurricanes Cleaning up wood debris after a hurricane or other severe windstorm can spread one of Louisiana’s most destructive pests – the Formosan subterranean termite. Hurricane Information Series: Protect Landscapes & Property Living in south Louisiana, we know that getting ready for the storm means stocking batteries, candles, water, canned goods and first aid supplies. We also need to think about the landscapes that surround our homes or businesses and how they can provide a buffer zone that can reduce storm damage. Care For Electrical Appliances Soaked By Flooding Many appliances get wet when flooding occurs or when other storm damage strikes. LSU AgCenter experts caution you should exercise care before putting those appliances back in service. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 [Image: Disaster Information Series]Handling Food and Water After a Storm or Flood After a major storm or flood, you must assume that all water sources are contaminated until proved safe. Food that has been contaminated by floodwaters should also be handled carefully. Learn how to purify your water and what flooded foods to discard and keep. [Image: Arborist Dave Leonard uses and air knife to remedy soil compaction under a live oak tree in New Orleans.]Hire an Arborist for Residential Tree Needs Sound stewardship of urban and community trees includes employing the services of arborists to help maintain their health and vitality. This article provides the homeowner tips on finding and hiring a tree care professional for your residential tree care needs. [Image: Cleaning Flood-damaged Homes]Cleaning Flood-Damaged Homes Information on flood insurance claims, electrical systems, food and water sanitation, carpets and rugs, and other necessary steps to take in cleaning a flood-damaged home. Katrina Flooding Killed Some Fire Ants; Now Is The Time To Keep Them Away Floodwaters from Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and the surrounding area suppressed fire ants in some areas and eradicated them in others, according to experts from the LSU AgCenter. As families move back into the devastated areas, they’re offered a unique opportunity – a red-imported-fire-ant-free landscape, said Dr. Linda Bui, an entomologist with the LSU AgCenter. Contracting for Pemanent Repairs If it is necessary to complete the repairs, however, it is important to receive good quality work, or major deterioration may appear later. Outside contractors and companies will enter the area to offer their services. Some are honest and will do an adequate job, but be careful in working with outside contractors. [Image: Travel lift in ship yard]Traveling Lift Goes Distance To Get La. Boats Back In Water One gleaming ship stands out among the others in a Plaquemines Parish shipyard crowded with boats damaged by last year’s hurricanes. That vessel, the Pat-Al, went back in the water this week thanks to a device known as a Marine Travelift and the generosity of people from Alaska. Cleaning Carpets and Floors After a Storm or Flood It's best to get professional cleaners to work on carpets and floors, but this may not be possible. In any case, begin cleanup as soon as possible. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 After the Flood - Private Water Well Safety After a flood, you’ll be anxious to use your normal water supply – your private well. But, when floodwater covers your well, or neighboring wells, there’s a possibility the water in your well will become contaminated. Emergency Procedures for Disinfecting a Flooded Well Disinfecting a well can sometimes be done by the well owner; however, for some wells it can be difficult to get the disinfectant into the well or other parts of the system that need disinfecting. If professional help is not available for cleaning the well, follow these procedures. [Image: Goldman]Goldman Sachs Donates Cash, Sends Volunteers To Assist In New Orleans Cleanup After taking a firsthand look at the needs of New Orleans, officials with investment banking firm Goldman Sachs decided to lend some helping hands plus cash to the recovery effort. [Image: PDF well water cover]Testing Your Well Water for Safety The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals recommends testing private well water for total coliform bacteria following floods. Rescue Your Lawnmower or Other Small Engine After the Flood Many lawnmowers, string trimmers, leaf blowers, and other lawn and garden equipment with small engines were inundated during the flooding from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In many cases, that equipment can be salvaged. [Image: Professional logger wearing protective equipment]Chainsaw Safety Hurricane Katrina put a lot of limbs and whole trees on the ground in various areas of the state, and many people already are working on cleanup efforts. An LSU AgCenter forest safety specialist says safety should be a major consideration during those efforts – particularly when it comes to use of a chainsaw. [Image: post KATRINA]Post Hurricane Lawn Establishment Some lawns were lost to the flood waters and some were only hurt in spots. Dead areas will have to be replanted, or a weed patch will result. Some forethought before planting may save time, effort and money. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 LSU AgCenter Advises Making Your Home Safer, Stronger, Smarter The aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita is a wake-up call for all whose homes were spared. It’s a vivid reminder of the importance of making your home stronger, safer and smarter. Building Expert Advises To Build Stronger, Smarter An ounce of prevention can be worth a pound of cure when it comes to building homes that stand in the path of a hurricane. Stronger and smarter is the message building specialists are sending to builders and homeowners. (TV News 1/2/06. Runtime: 1 minute 34 seconds) Use Preservative Treated Wood When Rebuilding After a Hurricane Your new home can be safeguarded by using preservative-treated wood and following an integrated pest management program at the time of construction. What Home Builders, Homeowners and Real Estate Agents Think About Mold Athough it is uncommon in most homes, toxic mold, also known as black mold, has become a major issue for some home builders and homeowners in the United States. The effects have run the gamut from disposal to litigation. Everything You Need to Know About Your Travel Trailer After a natural disaster many people are housed temporarily in travel trailers provided by FEMA. Safety issues arise from these unique temporary living quarters. LaHouse Influences Building Techniques Construction continues on the LSU AgCenter’s showcase home, the Louisiana House Home and Landscape Resource Center. The special features of the structure could influence techniques and components used to rebuild hurricane-damaged areas. Runtime: 60 seconds. (Radio News 1/9/06). Expert Advises Building Stronger, Smarter Hurricanes Katrina and Rita exposed how vulnerable standard buildings can be to powerful storms. A lesson from these storms is to build stronger and smarter, the experts say. Runtime: 60 seconds. (Radio News 1/9/06) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Builders, Homeowners Have Options When Rebuilding Representatives with the U.S. Department of Energy toured the LSU AgCenter’s showcase home, known as LaHouse, and said this structure shows what homeowners can do to streghten their homes and make them more efficient. Runtime: 60 seconds. (Radio News 1/9/06) LSU AgCenter Experts Teach Chainsaw Safety Louisiana residents can learn how to operate chainsaws more safely through workshops offered by the LSU AgCenter. LSU AgCenter Housing Seminar Focuses On Post-hurricane Construction Joseph Lstiburek, a principal of Building Science Corp. of Westford, Mass., and an international expert on moisture-related building problems, recently led a two-part seminar on designing and building for extreme climates. Sponsored by the LSU AgCenter, the program was held in Baton Rouge last week (Dec. 15). Now Is The Time To Prune Trees Winter is the perfect time to prune trees so they will be healthy and better able to resist storm damage, according to experts with the LSU AgCenter. Expert Offers Tips For Renting Lawn And Garden Equipment It’s not necessary to buy all the equipment you need for your lawn and garden – especially for short-term use like storm cleanup. Added Strength Equals Added Insulation For Home Neighbors nicknamed Warren Lawrence’s home in Plaquemines Parish Fort St. Lawrence. Lawrence added special features to his home such as walls constructed of insulated concrete form. His home is outside of levee protection and vulnerable to storms. Replanting Storm-ravaged Landscapes Begins Landscapes damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita can be revitalized. LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill talks about what can be done to repair the damage. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bleach Does Kill Mold – Within Limits Stories are hitting the media saying bleach doesn’t work in mold cleanup and prevention. An LSU AgCenter expert says there are reasons for some of the confusion but that bleach is effective at killing mold. Reinforced House Withstands Storms (TV News For 11/21/05) Added safety measures can make a difference on a home when a storm threatens. The proof stands on a corner lot in a development in Plaquemines Parish. Not A Good Time To Replant A Lawn, Regardless Of Hurricanes Storms may damage turf directly by flooding or indirectly by wind debris. "In either case, this is not a good time to regrow grass," says LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske. FEMA Officials Visit LaHouse To Stress Rebuilding Stronger, Safer, Smarter Federal Emergency Management Agency officials came to an LSU AgCenter educational site Wednesday (Nov. 9) to stress that rebuilding "stronger, safer and smarter" is the way to go for those affected by this summer’s hurricanes. Such construction is a major theme behind the LSU AgCenter’s Louisiana House Home and Landscape Resource Center. Jefferson, Orleans Soil Contamination May Not Be As Serious As Feared LSU AgCenter experts say soil contamination in Jefferson and Orleans parishes from flooding after this summer’s hurricanes may not be as serious as originally feared. Initial results of tests conducted in October indicate no need for special preparations to the soils prior to planting and that there should be no danger for individuals digging or planting in the soil. Slime Mold ‘Sinister,’ But Not Harmful To Lawn Even though Louisiana falls are usually dry, rain eventually comes. After long, extended wet periods, a sinister looking fungus or slime may appear, attacking lawns in the cooler season ahead. Lawnmowers, Other Small Engines May Be Salvageable After Floods Many lawnmowers, string trimmers, leaf blowers and other lawn and garden equipment with small engines were underwater during the flooding from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Surprise! Homeowner's Insurance Policy Offers Good News After A Disaster Many people are surprised about the extent of protection their homeowner's insurance policy offers. Although your policy may not cover flood damage to your home, it does offer some protection from loss due to natural disasters, such as hurricanes, according to LSU AgCenter family economics professor Dr. Ann Berry. Picking Right Home Repair Contractor Is Critical Thousands of Louisiana residents are facing home rebuilding or repairs in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. "Selecting a competent contractor to make home repairs is one of the most important things you will need to do to put your home and life back in order," says AgCenter family economics professor Dr. Jeanette Tucker. LSU AgCenter Faculty Checking New Orleans Soil, Plants Will the grass come back and how long will it be before vegetable gardens can be planted were questions on the minds of LSU AgCenter faculty members who recently toured the New Orleans area. Proper Drying, Repair Keys To Salvaging Furniture Damaged By Water Wooden furniture damaged by water from a storm or flood can best be salvaged by slow drying and proper repair. Keep Food Safe The loss of power from hurricane winds, fire or flood could endanger the safety of your food within as little as four hours. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8