Schools choose firms to help them recover after a disaster

When FEMA asked the St. Charles Parish School board to develop a plan that would help them “expedite recovery” following a natural disaster, members responded by voting to accept proposals for emergency construction and restoration services. And the winners are: Frickey Brothers Construction and Quality Wholesale and Janitorial Supply.

The plan doesn’t cost the schools one red cent.

But it does “line up” companies that are ready, willing and able to help them reopen as quickly  as possible after a disaster.

“FEMA requested we go out for these particular services so in the case of a named storm or anything we’ll need emergency help for, we have somebody in line here and ready to do that,” said Rodney Lafon, superintendent of schools.

The board approved Frickey Brothers Construction Inc. for building services and Quality Wholesale and Supply for janitorial and restoration services if schools need them after a disaster.

Larry Sesser, the board’s assistant superintendent of administrative services, said the plan is good for schools and “a normal procedure” by a governmental agency.

“What this does is put us in position to as rapidly as possible put our buildings back to a normal state of use,” Sesser said.

FEMA requested the school board put these measures in place as a result of Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath. At the time,  school officials had to scramble to get emergency services so they could re-open schools, Lafon said.

“One of the main things that happened to all of the parishes as governmental agencies was FEMA kept saying ‘where’s all the paperwork and how you got people to do the work and where are the bids and guess what, there wasn’t someone necessarily available to take care of that at the time and we were in a hurry to get schools back open,” Lafon said.

“It’s not something we’re just required to do, but something all governmental agencies are required to do.”

The contract for construction and janitorial services extends for one year with an option for the board to renew for another two years at their discretion, according to the school board.