Necessity Prompts Creativity, Opportunity And Success in New Orleans

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina the immediate devastation was horrific; homelessness, lack of functioning sewers and clean water, disrupted electrical and telephone service. However, that was not the worst of it because the long-term issues were at least as daunting. What could be done to mitigate, or even avoid, such devastation in the event of another “Katrina”? This is the Necessity.
Thanks to the resourcefulness and creativity of a number of individuals, as well as the commitment, financial “seed money”, and PR from movie star Brad Pitt, great things are happening in New Orleans. However, New Orleans will not be the only benefactor from this success. Architects, engineers, builders and individuals have worked together to look at the problem and create a solution that can be duplicated in almost any other locale that could be hit by a strong hurricane. This is the Creativity.
Perhaps this could become a “cottage industry” for the manufacturer of these manufactured homes; as was the Quonset Hut when the George Fuller Construction Company built over 150,000 of them for the US Navy in 1941. In that instance, the Navy needed an all purpose, lightweight building, that could be shipped anywhere and be assembled with unskilled labor; the first units were produced within 60 days of contract. While the Float House that resulted from Hurricane Katrina disaster took longer than 60 days to design and build, its level of finish, materials list, and utility are “light-years” ahead of the Quonset Hut. This design will reduce the number of displaced families after a storm, and could possibly save lives. This is the Opportunity.
This was largely done with private citizens, enterprising individuals who remained focused on a goal. It was not run by the Government; if it had been, it could still be awaiting approval. This demonstrates how many can work together to attain a synergistic result and is a testimony to the resourcefulness and ingenuity of Americans. In true American fashion, the result is a new profit center for some entrepreneurs – budding capitalists. Unfortunately, it took a disaster for it to happen.
Thanks for stopping by.
May You Be Healthy, Wealthy, & Wise