Hurricane Katrina

[stehansen]

Anyone know how to flush/buffer/treat this kind of salt damage?[/QUOTE]

Gypsum or any kind of sulphuric acid to lower the PH will help. If the PH is high the salt is not very mobil, if you lower the PH you will release the salt and can flush the area with fresh water to push the salt down past the root zone. Rather difficult with already waterlogged soil. I'm assuming that most of the trees in the flooded area of New Orleans will be dead by the time the water is pumped out. I used to farm next to the San Joaquin river and once in the 1980's it flooded and the water didn't receed until July and it killed about half of the Valley Oak trees there. As long as the trees were flooded in the winter time they could tolerate a long time under water, but when the water stayed until hot weather arrived, many trees were lost. That was flooded with fresh water, not near as bad as salty polluted water like they have in New Orleans.

 

[Tree Machine]

agreed, not in New Orleans

TM I think they really need us OUT of New Orleans, for at least a month.

I should have been more specific. New Orleans is not even a possibility, plus there are volunteers and chainsaws in the (saltwater) heart of it all. What I meant by 'in there' is in the zone of destruction, an area about the size of Great Britain. It benefits 'expedition tree care' operations (and their tools) to keep themselves dry and in good health.

Many of us have never faced destruction of this magnitude. I know to a lot of guys it seems like we're going in blindly, but the advice offered by veteran storm chasers is like gold right now, so feed us more of that. Feedback coming from within the zone will happen in the days and weeks to come.

Also, there are a good number of us who live in the storm's path who've just not been able to reach us out here because they don't have power.

Even if you're not leaving right away, continue preparation. Our work will be needed all Fall and all Winter. We'll keep the logistical support coming from this end. That's a promise.

 

[redemption]

I am considering headding that way with a full crew, I did some storm work in Pensacola "tree work residential" Lot's people think we are bad, crap local tree companies where 10 times worst. First day we arrived a local guy was bidding 3k for a 1k removal, it was unreal.

Anyway's rambling on, this time arround I want to do some contracting work. My budddy just purchased a Truck with a 100 yard trailer. We have 4 40 yard dumps, two bobcats. I am triying to find out what they will be paying for hawling before we commit to go there. Anyone has an idea what fema is paying, are there grants to help get there?

 

[Tree Machine]

Let's get focussed

Thank you, redemption, and welcometo the site.

Gentlemen, the ones of you who are considering, or dedicated to going, are you talking good and long with your families?

For you to do your very best, you need people behind you. You have a vision to do storm assistance and earn a good living risking your lives and putting yourselves out there. You are leaving your homes and families to go out and be heroes. You're not going there to do tree work, you're going there to help people.

Enroll your family and friends. If you're leaving, the people back at home are thinking of you every minute. They want to help. Let them. If people you know are going to give to the cause, they can assist the cause DIRECTLY by assisting YOU.

Helping you gear-up:

In the long-term view, what is most important is that nobody gets hurt. Personal protective gear is essential! If people want to buy you something, make sure you have good hearing protection for all your team members. Chaps are a good idea, helmet system/face screen and plenty of safety glasses. UGLI Gloves by the dozen. What else? Respiration, man. Who KNOWS what you might be breathin besides sawdust and exhaust. Something beyond just those particle paper masks.

Have your friends buy you that sort of stuff. Right now you're trying to shore up all your money for the trip out there and what all expenses. I can not overstate the importance of safety gear. How bout two-way radio? If someone wants to donate to the cause, have them contribute a couple motorola radios. LED flashlights and batteries. Headlamps, plenty of batteries. This is safety and logistics, the stuff you put in place, the stage you set, to ensure your success.

From the pure standpoint of being a treeguy and truly understanding the environment you create while working, I think one of the most important, super-critical pieces of safety gear will be Ear-Protective AM/FM muffs, nickle-metal hydride batteries and a charger. Alkaline batteries for spare and backup. Having these will keep your hearing protected and the radio will keep you updated at all hours as to what is going on around you. You will need to know what is happening in the region, you will need the news. A simple set of Peltor Worktunes and you are <i>there.</i>

WE WILL GET YOU DIALLED-IN. Continue your preparations. We are pulling together maps.

 

[redemption]

Thanks for the warm welcome and the great tips!

 

[boo]

Hey Tree Folk,

I've been reading here for a while ....I figure now is a good time to post.... that damage is wide spread. Take supplies if you go.
We left Milton,Fl.(Hurricane Dennis) where the winds were getting strong and the waters were starting to flood that day headed west, the bridges along I-10 and hwy 90 were out, we had to go around to the northeast of it.The National Guard fell in behind us as we cut the path through, several times we had to stop and clear the road for travel, they cheered us on, along with the locals trying to get back in.
I just came from down there, seems the local police don't quite have their ducks straight. We also got booted from the hotel room the day after when power was restored so that Progressive Auto Insurance could have a room, also a ROOFING co.....seems it would be kinda hard to put a roof on a house when trees are through the middle of it..I'd guess the price of the room went up...anyway ...no phones work local cell phones are out too ...I had one of the very few that could get a call once in a while being from out of state.
The local radio stations were telling people not to trust out of state services.
I spent most of my time there reporting gas leaks to the fire dept. and telling the local people who were trapped in their neighborhoods to send for FEMA sites for ice,water,etc., as I was giving my own supplies to a more desperate people. Seems none of those people really knew what to do.
I have alot of footage on video and alot of still shots ....maybe i'll find a faster way to post em.
I'm home to see the wife and kid for a few days and gather supplies then I'm heading back. I was motivated by the amount of work and money there... after I got there and seen..... I felt ashamed of myself for even thinking about making any money.
Even if the local police and radio bash us, and hotels kick us out for the higher rent, Those people need our help they just don't know it yet.
Be prepared and safe folks.
God Bless

 

[boo]

stopped in Ocean Springs and Hattiesburg

 

[Tree Machine]

Please Boo, tell us more about what it's like inside the zone.....


And just for everyone's reference, we've got another hurricane brewing in the Atlantic. I don't know the name of this storm as i just picked up on it earlier today and began watching it. Tonight it gained a well-defined eye. No threat any time soon as it's indicated no real direction yet.

 

[boo]

I'm not real big on posting ,but maybe I'll be of some help....they have lockdown at 8:00 noone can be out ...too many break ins I guess.
I've seen people fighting at the gas pumps for $3.00 of gas, only 2 or 3 stations in Hattiesburg that has any gas. Hopefully the local police come up with another plan that seperates us from the theives.....it kinda hurt my heart the way they treated us. Don't count on getting supplies,water,ice or food after work ..take them with you.

 

[Tree Machine]

Boo, that's valuable logistical advice. Thank you.

Here is a first map. I laid out a fat streak about where the eye travelled. Know that the hardest hit zones are to the east of the fat line.

I've light-lined in the outer destruction zones. These are by no means where the damage starts and stops, they're just rough dimensions to isolate the worst of the worst. The damage goes further up than when the arrow stops, that's just where the winds got below 100 KM/h.

I've circled Boo's Hattisburg. As you can see, the eye rolled right over that town.

 

[Xtra]

For hi-res photos of the area & neighborhoods go to:
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/s2495.htm

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

The most money will be in hauling. loader trucks and big dumps that can be run in three shifts.

In my past work I've seen guys with loader trucks get sub contracts to just sit by debris piles and load other trucks. Most operations pay out by CUFT of the truck whne dumping.

Tubs and hamermills run day and night....

 

[Tree Machine]

FABULOUS LINK Xtra. This is an extremely valuable link, over 350 high res aerial images taken specifically to help assist in damage assessment. I will study these images in the morning to assist in piecing together our damage zones.

In the meantime, the tropical disturbance I brought you 24 hours ago looks to be a hurricane at this point that's more or less hanging out in one spot. To the south and west of it there's a major buildup that went from nothing to quite large in only 8 hours. We'll continue our watch.

 

[Tree Machine]

Hurricane season is far from over

I'm not trying to derail the Katrina thread, but there's some really wild stuff happening out in the Atlantic.

The hurricane on the right is decaying, which is good news. The storm in the middle has doubled in size in 12 hours and is lapping at the south side of Bermuda. And what the heck is going on off the Atlantic coast of Florida? That's a lot of energy on the move right now over warm waters.

It's only 8 days since Katrina made landfall and we're into the hottest part of Summer. The waters are at their warmest. The atmosphere is active.

While we get tree guys and rescue personnel into the bayous and river valleys and remote areas throughout the three state region, we have another storm forming that's about to eat Bermuda.

I'm putting in a personal message (pm) to Bermie....... Bermie....you out there? What's going on to your south? What are they saying? Bermie.....click, click, Bermie are you there??? BERMIE!!!!!

 

[Bermie]

Hi Hi, I'm here! :alien:
Just got back on the Island this afternoon, got in the door an hour ago, been in NY City for a field hockey tournament all weekend.
TS Nate is due to pay us a visit early Friday morning, so far just 50-60 knots, a strong breeze for us, but with all the warm water we've got to keep an eye on it! I hope I can get out on Thursday, due to fly out to the UK on the evening flight, going to miss it all, that new 250 will have to wait again!
One thing about us out here, we are VERY used to hurricanes, our architecture and building style has developed over the years with severe weather as part of the design factors. All of our houses are built of stone or concrete block, even Fabian (cat 3) only wrecked a few houses, more roof damage than major structural stuff (with a few exceptions of course) Fabian was the FIRST time in our history (500 years) that anyone was killed as a direct result of a hurricane, four people drowned when their cars got washed off the causeway, they left it too late to get across, very sad, Sept 2 was the 2 year anniversary memorial.
We just hope Nate stays a TS or at worst a cat1.
Thanks for your concerns, nice to know you care!
Cheers

 

[Tree Machine]

Thanks for piping in, Bermie. My big concern is that the goliath will sit on you and not move for a few days. I hope I'm wrong.

Glad to hear your voice, Girl. Do you mind me nagging you for an update between now (Tuesday) and Thursday of this week. We'll know in the next 24 hours if you're getting consumed by something that grows by the hour.

After the sun goes down there's a chance that it might peter out. If it strengthens overnight, and then cooks in the sun again tomorrow, by this time tomorrow Nate will give us a better clue of what his intent is with you.

Thank you for staying in touch, Bermie. We could enjoy hearing how your tournament went in New York. Are you an elite athlete, or a SuperCoach?

Thanks for your concerns, nice to know you care!
Cheers

We adore you.

 

[Bermie]

No prob, I'll update you in the morning.
GO AWAY NATE!!!
Hockey later,
Good Night.

 

[Tree Machine]

I'll update you in the morning.

We will look forward to that. Thank you for bringing us into your world.

Here's what your world looks like to all the rest of us: 9:00 pm New Orleans time.

 

[Tree Machine]

He's growing

.

 

[Tree Machine]

Bermie.......

Bermie, I have not such good news for you....... The tropical storm is approaching hurricane status, rotation is distinct and the eye is forming. It worries me that a storm that big is so close to you. It has not determined a course yet, but even if the eye stays in on place, the sheer size of the storm could grow over top of you. I mean, you're on an island! Where do you go to evacuate? We're keeping watch over you Sister Arbo Girl.

Are you gonna do some surfing on the south shores before you hunker down?