[StBernard] Jindal working to get federal aid for St. Bernard Parish storm damage

[Westley Annis]

Jindal working to get federal aid for St. Bernard Parish storm damage
by The Times-Picayune 
Tuesday September 16, 2008, 5:48 PM
In an impromptu appearance Tuesday before the St. Bernard Parish Council,
Gov. Bobby Jindal praised parish residents for their resiliency in
recovering from Hurricane Katrina and said he is working to secure federal
aid for damage in St. Bernard caused by Hurricane Ike. 

Jindal urged residents who have losses from Ike to call the Federal
Emergency Management Agency, saying it would help his efforts to have the
parish declared a federal disaster area. 

Jindal's stop in Chalmette was part of a swing through several south
Louisiana parishes Tuesday. Earlier, during a stop in neighboring
Plaquemines Parish Jindal met with local officials for an update on their
efforts to sandbag breached levees and drain floodwater from Louisiana 23. 

Ike's storm surge caused considerable flooding in sections of Plaquemines
Parish.

Jindal was also scheduled to visit St. James Parish after leaving Chalmette.

Addressing the St. Bernard Parish Council for about five minutes after
meeting with Parish President Craig Taffaro, Jindal said St. Bernard
residents deserve "honorary doctorates" for becoming experts in hurricane
recovery. 

"I want to thank the residents of St. Bernard for their strength and
resilience in recovering from four storms in three years," he said,
referring to hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 and Gustav and Ike this
year. 

Jindal also praised St. Bernard officials for helping with sandbagging
efforts to shore up levees in Plaquemines Parish during Gustav and Ike. 

"That's been the key to our recovery," Jindal said. "People across the state
are saying, 'We got hit, but we know someone else got hit harder and we want
to help them.''