The Emergency – forum of City Officials
on Rebuilding Infrastructure for a Sustainable Environment
- ECORISE –
Session IV
Sharing Experiences on Resiliency Level Assessment & Reconstruction Strategies
March 8, 2007
Randy Roach, Mayor
City of Lake Charles
HURRICANE RITA
In September 2005, Hurricane Rita was the second most powerful hurricane on record in
the Gulf of Mexico. As Rita approached, approximately 20,000 evacuees from Katrina,
who had temporarily taken shelter in Calcasieu, evacuated the area with the support of
local citizens and officials.
On September 22, a mandatory evacuation order was given, and the citizens of Southwest
Louisiana, with few exceptions, heeded the warnings and began evacuating. Roads were
congested to the north – Texas residents had already been given the word to evacuate –
and hotels were full with evacuees from Hurricane Katrina.
Rita made landfall at 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 24, 2005, at Sabine Pass,
Cameron Parish, Louisiana. All emergency responders – police, sheriff, firefighters,
public works and medical personnel – remained on the job. Public officials coordinated
relief efforts and residents who remained assisted in cleanup.
Within 48 hours of landfall, FEMA and the National Guard were distributing food, water
and ice. FEMA and the Red Cross began distributing emergency payments to evacuees.
The Salvation Army assisted in various ways, including some 223,000 hot meals. The
Lake Charles Civic Center provided some 993,000 meals for Katrina/Rita. Area
churches, the synagogue and mosque fed and sheltered victims and volunteers. And
20,000 electrical utility workers, deployed from various parts of the country, helped
restore power.
Between September 30 and October 5, Calcasieu Parish residents returned to the area
after the storm with the “Calcasieu Visit - Look and Leave” program, initiated so citizens
could check on their property, then leave until advised they could return permanently.
During “Look and Leave,” they returned to find that over 19,000 homes or approximately
25 percent of the housing stock was destroyed and another 35 percent of the housing was
damaged. Power was out throughout most of the area for one to three weeks causing
widespread loss of water and sewer systems and closing industry and retail businesses.
Residents learned that gasoline was a rare commodity, and, most noticeably, they saw
amid the ruin the reshaped landscape of their community - approximately half of the trees
in Calcasieu Parish had been destroyed or damaged.
Industries and public facilities were heavily damaged. The Lake Charles Regional
Airport had over $20 million in damage including the passenger terminal, which was
damaged beyond repair. Chennault International Airport, home to Northrop Grumman,
had approximately $40 million in damages. Damages to all Southwest Louisiana aviation
industry businesses were estimated to be $90 million.
The vast petro-chemical industry, represented by The Lake Area Industry Alliance,
reported damages of approximately $50 million to member facilities. Damage to offshore rigs and the closure of the Port of Lake Charles - the nation’s 12th largest port caused supply disruptions to production facilities. Supply disruptions and power outages
resulted in loss of production, worker layoffs and additional startup costs. Lyondell
Chemical Company closed its facility resulting in the loss of 295 well-paying jobs.
The six casinos of the area gaming industry were shut down during the power outage.
Harrah’s two riverboats were damaged - the gaming facility was permanently closed and
later sold.
Educational facilities, including McNeese State University, Sowela Technical College,
and the Calcasieu Parish School System experienced major damage at approximately $20
million.
The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury and area municipalities had about $30 million in
damages. An early estimate to parish-wide highway damage was $20 million.
Cameron Parish was totally devastated. Thankfully, there was no loss of life; but there
was a loss of a way of life. Approximately 90 percent of the homes in the parish seat of
Cameron were destroyed. The parish’s major industries – oil, agriculture, seafood and
tourism – were destroyed and it will take years for the parish to recover.
Cameron Parish contains four wildlife refuges, each of which sustained significant
damage. The 125,000 acre Sabine National Wildlife Refuge was closed after Rita. The
facilities were destroyed and the landscape was littered with debris from damaged
structures, vehicles, dead animals and hazardous chemical containers.
On October 7, 2005 the population of Calcasieu Parish was allowed to permanently
return.
The housing shortage and labor shortage following Rita became critical issues impacting
workers, employers and wages. FEMA trailers became available to those who qualified.
At one point, some 13,197 trailers were being used as temporary housing in Southwest
Louisiana.
RESILIENCY AND RECONSTRUCTION
The area’s number one private-sector employer, the petrochemical industry, escaped
serious damage, and most major employers in the area were able to continue operations
and employees continued to receive paychecks. The notable exception was Harrah’s
Riverboat Casino Complex, which employed approximately 1,500 people.
During, November – December, 2005, economic improvement began as recovery
rebuilding began. But this was a “bubble” which would eventually come to an end and
have to be replaced by real long-term economic development opportunities.
In February, 2006, a Louisiana Recovery Authority backed planning study executed by
planner Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company (DPZ) announced their downtown/lakefront
planning ideas for Lake Charles.
As this activity was developing, the LRA’s, The Road Home, held their first Community
Meeting in April concerning housing recovery needs in Southwest Louisiana.
Other initiatives being acted upon in Southwest Louisiana as part of Rita recovery
included the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act (GO ZONE), and the Chamber of SWLA
pursued a two-year extension, which was later realized.
In May 2006, there was a ribbon-cutting ceremony of the FEMA “Crying Eagle Village”
temporary housing facility. Also, the City of Lake Charles continued to assist with the
Southwest Louisiana Housing Initiative, which helped qualifying participants with postRita housing needs.
In August of 2006, the SWLA Economic Indicators report mentioned that there still was
a need for more housing to house workers.
In September of 2006, SWLA recognized the one-year anniversary of Rita with
commemorative events in Calcasieu and Cameron parishes and Southeast Texas. That
same month, the LRA commissioned “The Rita Report” was released which included
good news regarding the Louisiana Road Home Housing Assistance Program being
ramped up, new LNG plants under construction and continued growth anticipated for the
vital petrochemical industry.
In a November 7, 2006 election, the City of Lake Charles passed a $90 million bond
issue, which was geared to take Hurricane Rita as a long-term opportunity for a new
beginning in the development and growth of the City. That same month, DPZ held a
highly attended public input meeting on lakefront development at the Lake Charles Civic
Center. Also, the latest SWLA Economic Indicators report mentioned that labor markets
had tightened considerably one year after Rita and that unemployment was at record low
levels.
The many strides made by the 44 agencies of the Calcasieu Long Term Recovery Group,
in partnership with the City of Lake Charles, were outlined in a long-anticipated press
conference on November 29, 2006. Much had been accomplished with more to be done.
In 2007, the City of Lake Charles continues its recovery efforts and onward look to the
future growth of Southwest Louisiana. The City is planning toward an early May vote
that would allow for amending the city charter and approving the residential and
commercial development of the lakefront. The bond issue that was passed in November
2006 is designed to enhance the infrastructure within the city and provide for economic
development, now and in the future.
The City’s track is to make the most of a disaster of unimaginable proportions and view it
as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make Southwest Louisiana a world player on the
world stage – a quality small city and truly exceptional place to work, live and play.