The Katrina Files: The St. Bernard Parish Fire Department's Heroic Efforts

By Paul Maassen

Published August 26, 2015 at 5:00 AM CDT

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St. Bernard Parish was heavily inundated during Hurricane Katrina. Water rose to the second floor of the Frederick J. Sigur Civic Center in Chalmette.

St. Bernard Fire Department via The Historic New Orleans Collection

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Members of the SBFD used all forms of transportation to take people to safety.

St. Bernard Fire Department via The Historic New Orleans Collection.

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Floods damaged property throughout St. Bernard Parish.

St. Bernard Fire Department via The Historic New Orleans Collection

This month, as part of WWNO's ongoing Katrina 10 coverage, we bring you The Katrina Files: Reflections from First Responders. This series is based on oral histories conducted by The Historic New Orleans Collection and hosted by Paul Maassen.

In the spring of 2006, Mark Cave conducted interviews with members of the Saint Bernard Parish Fire Department to talk about their Katrina experiences. Members of the Fire Department were pre-positioned in sturdy buildings throughout St. Bernard Parish prior to the storm, including St. Bernard High School and the Frederick J. Sigur Civic Center in Chalmette.