Environmental Health Needs

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Environmental Health Needs Habitability
Assessment after Hurricane Katrina

• DIVYANG SURATI
• Cleveland State University

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KATRINA

• DurationAugust 23 - August 31, 2005
• Intensity Category 4
• Highest winds175 mph (280 km/h)
• Size 120 miles from its Center
• Damages Total damages estimated from 70 to 130
  billion (Costliest tropical cyclone of all time)
• Areas affected Bahamas, South Florida, Louisiana
  (especially Greater New Orleans), Mississippi,
  Alabama, Florida Panhandle, most of eastern North
  America

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PATH OF KATRINATHE WAY OF DEVASTATION
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City of New OrleansVictim of Devastation

• The effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans
  was catastrophic
• Large number of people were evacuated
• 80 of the city was flooded
• Some part of the city were under 20 feet height
  water
• Deaths The confirmed death toll stands at 1,281
  mainly from Louisiana (1,035) and Mississippi
  (228).

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Effect of Katrina
City of New Orleans
Before Hurricane
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Effect of Katrina
City of New Orleans
After Hurricane
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Effect of Katrina
City of New Orleans
Before Hurricane
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Effect of Katrina
City of New Orleans
Before Hurricane
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Effect of Katrina
Unhygienic condition of the city of New Orleans
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Challenges

• Hurricane Katrina created one of the greatest
  public health and environmental challenges in
  history
• water systems destroyed miles of toxic sludge
  huge oil spills soaring energy prices.
• Condition of the city is very unhygienic to
  live.
• There were lot of challenges for the local and
  federal authority to rebuilt the city of New
  Orleans
• The biggest challenges for authority is to remove
  water from the city and to established the
  healthy environment for the people of New Orleans
  to come back.

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Government ResponseAssessment of the situation
after devastation

• The impact of Katrina mobilized federal, State
  and local resources to assist with the response
  and recovery.
• The first challenge of the authority to know the
  ground condition of the city, and fully
  assessment report for the rehabilitating and
  rebuilding the city
• As a first step the joint task force called
  Environmental Health Needs Assessment and
  Habitability Taskforce (EH-NAHT) was announced
  for initial Assessment for the City of New
  Orleans
• The joint task force consist of
• Center of Dieses Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
• US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• The responsibility of the Task Force is to
  Prepare the site assessment Report and Submitted
  to Federal Government.

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Approach of EH - NAHT

• Eh- NAHT had done the full survey for the city
  and collect the data regarding the environmental
  condition of the city.
• The Taskforce identified 13 environmental health
  issues and supporting infrastructure to be
  addressed.
• This include the drinking water, waste Water,
  Solid Waste, Soil Contamination, Power, Natural
  Gas, Housing , Unwatering , Occupational Safety
  and health etc.
• After the initial assessment, the EH-NAHT
  categorized these issues by increasing time and
  complexity to full restoration of services (Level
  4, most complex and requiring the most time to
  restoration). Part of the complexity relates to
  how specific and explicit the criteria for the
  end points are for each function.

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Approach of EH NAHT(Cont.)
Summery of 13 Key Areas Impacting Reinhabitating
New Orleans
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Conclusions of the Assessment

• Based on the Assessment EH NAHT reported
  following conclusions
• A complex array of environmental health problems
  exists in New Orleans.
• The Unwatering of New Orleans is a critical first
  step.
• It is important to bring infrastructure systems
  in New Orleans back on line.
• Ensuring worker safety and health and public
  safety and security are essential.
• The cleanup of debris (including housing debris)
  and potentially contaminated soil/sediment in New
  Orleans are rate-limiting factors.
• Intense interest will exist to rein habit New
  Orleans.
• It is critical to address the housing issues in
  New Orleans.

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Recommendations

• It is important to involve state, local, and
  other stakeholders in decision-making.
• Developing a shared vision for the rebuilding
  (including infrastructure) is
• critical.
• Maintaining collaboration with involved agencies
  is essential.
• Monitoring the progress in all key areas of
  environmental health and infrastructure is
  important because reinhabiting New Orleans
  depends on success in all areas.
• Resolving potential toxic chemical exposures is
  important.
• Officials should ensure public safety and
  security and worker health and safety.
• Maintain a broad vision on issues affecting the
  rehabitation of the city.

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Thank You