'Lion paws on deck' to help flood victims

August 18, 2016
Hammond Daily Star

By Lauren Langlois

Reprinted with permission


Classes may be pushed back to Monday, but Southeastern Louisiana University students were on campus Wednesday, getting their instructions and cleaning equipment to help flood victims throughout the region.

And they will be back to help flood victims again today.

Amber Narro, communication professor, came up with the idea of organizing student volunteers to help clean flooded homes and the effort was put together by university officials the day before.  

The call to help was answered by more than 100 volunteers, who came ready in knee-high boots and other gear. Organizers plan to go out to devastated places again today.

"It's all lion paws on deck," said Erin Cowser, director of public and governmental affairs for Southeastern.

Volunteers broke into groups and received their instructions about where to go and what work they will have when they arrive, including pulling out Sheet rock and carpets.

Narro gave them some safety pointers, including to be weary of snakes and other critters that may be calling flooded buildings their new homes.

Many flood relief organizations need people doing the physical recovery work more than anything. That and cleaning supplies, Narro said.

"The only thing we hear is manpower, manpower, manpower," she said.

While she did not see any flooding in her house, her neighbors, and many other people she knows personally, were devastated by the weekend's floods throughout the region. All she did to look for someone to help was go to her neighbor's home and knock.

"There's no shortage of places to help," she said. "That's what people need to do."

St. Albert's Catholic Church donated cleaning supplies for the effort, and Narro is encouraging volunteers to leave behind the much-needed supplies once their work is finished.

"They'll be glad to have that there," she said.

The organized flood relief effort has the spirit of the Big Event, said Pam Rault, director of student engagement who was also at the Student Union helping.

Big Event is a large community service project led by students and held in the spring.

Elaina Pichon, a Southeastern student who was awaiting instructions Wednesday morning, said she has friends whose family members live in Denham Springs. They were trapped in their homes as water filled their bottom floor, she said.

She and other members of her group were assigned to clean homes in the Denham Springs area that was hit hard by flooding.

They recalled how Southeastern flooded during the March flood, enough to make the tunnel leading to a parking lot look like a pool. Officials said the weekend's flood did not cause significant water damage to the university.

Volunteers should meet today at 9 a.m. in front of the Student Union. They should be ready with closed-toe shoes and an extra set of clothes. Cowser said those who cannot volunteer can still donate supplies, such as work gloves, goggles, garbage bags and brooms.