Garbage and trash collection resumes
Published 2:17 pm Monday, September 4, 2017
- New Orleans Fire Capt. Rick Lavaca, left, and Capt. Gabriel King survey damage to homes around Platt Avenue in Port Arthur on Monday. Three teams from NOFD have bene in town, first to assist with search and rescue and now with recovery efforts in the wake of Tropical Storm Harvey.
Flood damaged residents across the city are beginning the task of gutting their homes and tossing out everything — wood, carpet, appliances and even their most cherished items.
The city of Port Arthur resumed garbage and trash collection on Monday, but it will be a slow process, Risa Carpenter, public information officer with the city of Port Arthur, said.
Heather Alexander of Groves tosses out flood damaged wood and insulation from her brother’s Platt Avenue home in Port Arthur on Monday. The Port Arthur home is one of many that was heavily damaged during Tropical Storm Harvey.
“All of the public works fleet was damaged,” Carpenter said of the flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey. “One garbage truck is operational and everything else is being done by contract crews.”
The landfill is open and fees are being waived for Port Arthur residents. Officials realize it may be difficult to even find an identification card so they will accept insurance card, paperwork, library card or whatever is available to prove residency. The roads to the landfill are accessible, Carpenter said.
In addition, the city is working to get dumpsters for the general public to use that will be placed at the city’s fire stations in a day or two.
Trash should be placed at the curb, not ditches, and separated into piles if possible.
Heather Alexander of Groves was at her brother’s home on Platt Avenue rolling a wheelbarrow filled with wood, soggy insulation and more Monday.
Alexander wore a mask over her nose and mouth as she tossed the items in piles out front of the house. The family had been tearing out walls and floors when New Orleans Fire Capt. Gabriel King and Capt. Rick Lacava stopped to survey the street.
Three teams from NOFD have been in town, first to assist with search and rescue and now with recovery, King said.
“We are working in conjunction with the code enforcement office to start damage assessment,” King said.
As he spoke, a truck pulling a trailer filled with lawn equipment made its way down the street.
“It helps to get back to normalcy,” he said. “To see homeowners mowing grass helps mentally. Your house can be messed up but if the grass is cut and looks good you feel better mentally.”
King has been with NOFD for 14 years and has experience dealing with the devastation that flooding and a hurricane can bring.
“We’re fortunate, or unfortunate, to have experienced something like this. It better prepared us to know what to expect and put us in a better position to help someone.”
