PUBLIC TRAINING SESSION SCHEDULED FOR FLOOD CONTROL TUBES
Officials seeking citizens' help to set up protection in advance of storms

For immediate release May 7, 2008

DES ALLEMANDS – St. Charles Parish will conduct a training session beginning at 8 a.m. May 31 to teach members of the public how to use the parish’s water-inflatable U.S. Flood Control Tubes.

Volunteers should meet at the end of Down the Bayou Road in Des Allemands.

The exercise’s location and setup will mimic the way the tubes would be used during a real hurricane threat, said Tab Troxler, St. Charles Parish’s Emergency Operations Director. Crews will place tubes on the western edge of the roadway to fill a gap in the Sunset Drainage District levee. Each tube measures 90 feet in length and is filled with water via nearby fire hydrants in less than two minutes.

The area’s unique topography will allow trainers to demonstrate the procedure for stacking three tubes together in low areas and joining them to a single tube in higher areas. Three tubes create a protective height of nearly 3 feet.

“We want everyone to be able to put their hands on this project, not just look,” Troxler said. “It’s so important people know how to use these tubes, because it’s too late to learn when we’re faced with storm surge or a widespread rain event. These protect people’s homes, so it’ll be very good to bring them into the fold.”

St. Charles Parish acquired approximately 200 tubes in 2004 at a cost of $250,000. The parish has the capability to lay out over 4,500 feet of tubing in vulnerable areas.

The tubes are a more practical solution to flood control issues than sandbags, said St. Charles Parish President V.J. St. Pierre Jr.

“These save time, money and resources,” he said. “Sandbags are so heavy and cumbersome to place, so they’re not very efficient. And they’re not reusable.”

Field personnel in the Public Works, Wastewater, Waterworks and Recreation Departments will continue to be trained to set up the flood control tubes to act as supervisors when emergency setups occur.

An informational segment on the tubes airs 12 times daily on the parish’s government access channel, COX Cable Channel 6. More information on the tubes is also available at www.usfloodcontrol.com.

The mission of St. Charles Parish government is to provide high quality, efficient services to sustain and enhance the quality of life for all residents of St. Charles Parish.

For more information, contact St. Charles Parish Public Information Officer Renee C. Allemand at (985) 783-5000 or rallemand@stcharlesgov.net.