[StBernard] Sunday Press Release

[Westley Annis]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

CONTACT:  steve cannizaro

St. Bernard Parish Government

Public Information Officer

504.278.4221 OR 504.259.3395

 

October 2, 2005; 4:00 PM CST

 

FEMA disaster center to open; schools to hold classes when living quarters
are available; services to be held Sunday; mail must be picked up in
Covington

 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will establish a Disaster Resource
Center in Chalmette as early as Monday for people to apply for FEMA
assistance, St. Bernard Parish officials said.

 

Meanwhile, discussions are continuing on when FEMA can provide travel
trailers as living quarters for residents returning to the parish.

 

And Doris Voitier, superintendent of public schools, said that when families
return to live "we will provide educational services" in temporary quarters
in the parish.

 

The FEMA disaster center, to be in the parking lot of the new Super
Wall-Mart on West Judge Perez Drive in Chalmette, would be a one stop place
for processing FEMA applications and answering questions, FEMA officials
said.

 

The same Wal-Mart site is to be used as a centralized location for an
insurance adjuster complex also opening next week, possibly on Monday, where
returning parish residents can meet with adjusters.

 

"People are on the ground for set-up now" and are shooting for opening the
disaster center and adjuster center on Monday, St. Bernard Parish Council
member Craig Taffaro Jr. said Friday.

 

Council Chairman Joseph DiFatta said, "Anything FEMA can do to facilitate
the re-building of this parish will be fantastic." He said the disaster
center, combined with the adjuster complex "is something we need to do
immediately."

 

Council member Judy Hoffmeister said there isn't anything definite on when
FEMA may start to bring in travel trailers for residents as temporary
quarters but said there are several potential sites being looked at as
trailer cities, including the old Wal-Mart parking lot on West Judge Perez
Drive. "FEMA must assess (the sites) and negotiate entry rights from owners.

 

Parish President Henry "Junior" Rodriguez said the parish is seeking 5,000
trailers initially, some to be located at centralized areas and others to be
distributed to homeowners who could park them in driveways while their homes
are re-built.

 

Voitier said the school system, which isn't currently holding classes in St.
Bernard, would have classes in temporary quarters in the parish once the
travel Trailer issue is clarified and residents return to live.

 

School system officials are in Baton Rouge at the Department of Education,
Voitier said, where they are assisting parents by sending school records to
communities where students have temporarily re-located.

 

Some students who would have been high school seniors this year but already
have enough credits in core courses have been cleared for early graduation,
Voitier said.

 

Also, an inter-faith service will be held at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, and a
Catholic Mass will be celebrated at 7 p.m. the same day, both aboard the
Scotia Prince ship that has been harbored in the Mississippi River at
Chalmette. The services will be in the closed casino area of the ship.

 

Also, officials said all mail that was destined for St. Bernard Parish but
couldn't be delivered to residences and businesses because of Hurricane
Katrina must be picked up at the Covington post office.

 

#####