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Facilities Services employees have been essential to the university’s Katrina response and recovery. By working many 12-hour days, weekends, and holidays, they accomplished three years’ worth of work in six months. The Winter 2006 Tulanian tells the story of uptown Facilities Services employees in the days after August 29, 2005.
Facilities Services and Public Safety (PS) Employees. Photo by Brian Oubre (on manlift).
First row, standing: Mike Millet, power plant engineer. First row, seated: Julious Stirgus, power plant engineer;Seslie Davis (PS); Dwayne Jenkins (PS).
Second row: Rodney Jeff, power plant engineer; David Dean, power plant engineer; Tom Casey, electrician;
Juan Perez, vehicle mechanic; Jeanie Hines (PS).
Third Row: Clyde Dixon, power plant engineer; Bill Russell, power plant chief engineer; Bob Voltz, electrical superintendent; Tracy Boudreaux, carpenter; Pete Smith, instrumentation technician.
Not shown: Pat Arceneaux, John Jones, Brian Oubre, Facilities Services; Claudia Lewis, George Wichser, Public Safety.
Carpenter Tracy Boudreaux, electrician Brian Oubre, vehicle mechanic Juan Perez, and electrical superintendent Bob Voltz heroically transported President Cowen to safety.
Management
Vice-president of Facilities Sylvester Johnson, Director for Maintenance Karen Henley, and Director for Administration Heather Hargrave worked in Houston with Dr. Cowen’s management team to direct recovery operations. Director for Architecture and Engineering Larry Smith directed the recovery on campus, including the Belfor disaster recovery contractor; Technical Environmental Services; Carl E. Woodward and other construction contractors; Facilities Services maintenance staff; and Capitol Projects staff.
Electrical Shop
Electrical superintendent Bob Voltz has been with the department since 1983 and has managed electrical service through many hurricanes. After switching power from the local utility company to the campus co-generation system, Bob and electrician Brian Oubre rode out the storm in the campus power plant and during the storm took turns running 50 yards through rain and high winds to check the Willow Street electrical substation. They turned off the substation about 4 a.m. Wednesday.
Tracy Boudreaux drives manlift to transport Dr. Cowen and Public Safety Director Ken Dupaquier along McAlister Extension
Grounds
Superintendent Tom Armitage and Supervisor Mike Case returned to campus in mid-September to coordinate the massive effort to remove more than 600 cubic yards of tree debris from campus. Grounds employees including Keith Alexander, Renard Dabney, and Tom Powell as well as contractors worked feverously to salvage equipment, flush root systems of residue with fresh water, and to begin campus recovery efforts. Chris Brashear led equipment operations to enable repairs, including renovations to quads and other green spaces. Grounds recovery efforts included:
- Trees – pruned, removed dead branches, aerated soil, injected agent to aid respiration, fertilized
- Sidewalks – repaired where damaged by storm-uprooted trees and enhanced pedestrian safety
- Irrigation – repaired heavily storm-damaged systems
Thanks to a generous donation from a Tulane supporter and parent, an extensive replanting program is underway to revitalize campus flora.
Key Shop
Locksmiths worked 12/7 to provide access to areas needing repair; to specify and install locks and hardware; and to rekey much of the campus. Steve Vicknair and Steve Barrosse returned in mid‑September to:
- Used a generator to cut keys for campus and members of the Tulane community.
- Unlocked and relocked buildings and rooms for roof damage inspections, refrigerator removal, insurance inspections, and repairs.
- Inspected every door and lock for damage.
- Set up new key code system for entire campus
- Opened warped doors and installed temporary chains and locks.
- Used personal vehicles to pick up from suppliers and deliver hardware, including padlocks and keyblanks
- Repinned cylinders in locks
In addition to working with Steve and Steve, foreman Ronnie Charpio
- Specified all replacement doors, door handles, locks
- Installed and reprogrammed new card readers
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