In this episode, “Local Leaders” Host Jim Chapman sits down with City of Denham Springs Mayor Gerard Landry as he reflects on the 2016 flood in Denham Springs, describing the scale of the rainfall, the widespread damage, and the difficulty of recovery in the weeks that followed. He says the city had prepared for severe weather and had financial reserves in place, but the disaster still exceeded expectations and left many residents confused about rebuilding and insurance.
Mayor Landry shares stories about the human toll, rescue efforts, cleanup, and residents trying to return home, and he describes how the city used a community planning process to guide rebuilding and preserve historic places while becoming better prepared for future emergencies.
In 2016 an unpredictable storm caused unprecedented flooding in Livingston Parish Louisiana and surrounding areas like Baton Rouge. A decade later, Livingston Parish has come back stronger than ever. In this special presentation by Local Leaders the Podcast, you will hear not only hear the personal stories during that flood, but the comebacks that followed.
Timestamps:
04:47 The Day Before The Rain Came
06:58 FEMA Frustrations
09:56 Graves Steps In
13:28 Rescue on the Water
16:04 Donald Trump Visits Denham Springs
19:24 Cleanup and Rebuilding
22:09 Denham Strong Begins
23:48 Business Bounces Back
27:04 Still Rebuilding Homes
29:16 Looking Ahead Again
31:51 Preserving Local History
35:42 No Regrets
39:09 Aging Out Gracefully
