With heavy rain from the landfall of Hurricane Ike a possibility later this week, the Iberia Parish Public Works Department is speeding up its post-Hurricane Gustav recovery efforts.

Iberia Parish Public Works Director Kevin Hagerich said the parish, working in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has completed a storm debris assessment for the parish. This includes debris not only on roadways but on individual properties.

“We took them to several high-concentration areas, then went over most parish roads,” Hagerich said of the debris assessment team, which consisted of a two FEMA employees, two representatives of the Louisiana Governors Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, an engineer contracted through the parish, and a public works employee.

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Now that the assessment is complete, the parish will work in conjunction with Mobile, Ala.-based D.R.C. Emergency Services LLC, a private contractor, to have cleanup crews work around Iberia Parish in conjunction with public works crews.

Hagerich said a 60,000 cubic yards of waste debris from Gustav was identified in the parish, in addition to some 58,000 cubic yards identified in the city of New Iberia, and that this gives the parish a rating of “qualified.”

“The faster you get these figures, the faster you realize you are qualified for certain things, such as federal FEMA assistance,” Hagerich said, although he was uncertain as to what form this assistance might take.

If each cubic yard of the 60,000 yards of debris estimated for Iberia Parish were lined up side by side, this line of debris would extend for more than an estimated 34 miles.

Hagerich said his department hopes to expedite the cleanup process with possible landfall from Hurricane Ike only days away.

“The D.R.C. crews, nine in total, will pick up vegetation from around the parish, while our public works crews will come along behind them and pick up construction and debris waste, such as plywood and roofing shingles and ’white goods,’ such as appliances damaged by the storm,” Hagerich said. “

With both of our efforts we hope we’ll be able to get a lot more done.”

Hagerich said vegetation, construction and debris and white goods should be left on the roadside in separate piles for pickup.

Parish residents who have questions about the waste pickup process are encouraged to contact the Iberia Parish Public Works Department at 364-8474.