ITT Industries has pledged $250,000 to the Red Cross to fund immediate hurricane relief, and has made available fluid technology equipment for delivery to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, including dewatering pumps and reverse osmosis systems which could be vital to relief efforts. Additionally, the company has sent night vision equipment and personnel to assist in round-the-clock search and rescue efforts in the affected areas.
"ITT Industries is ready to offer our technical experience and equipment to provide emergency relief to the areas most impacted by Hurricane Katrina," said Steve Loranger, Chairman, President and CEO of ITT Industries. "Removing the flood waters from New Orleans is a vital preliminary step to planning for recovery in that region. We’re prepared right now, to provide our equipment and expertise as well as water treatment equipment, wherever and whenever it is needed."
ITT has installed more than 70 large pumps in New Orleans over the years as part of the city’s flood control system. Together, these pumps are capable of pumping up to 2 billion gallons an hour. To supplement these in the hurricane’s aftermath, ITT has prepared a fleet of more than 100 large submersible pumps, routinely rented for dewatering projects, on standby to help remove the flood waters from New Orleans. Developed just prior to the "Great Midwest Flood of 1993," these engine-driven pumps can each remove 20,000 gallons of water per minute. The company has also readied numerous smaller units capable of pumping between 100 and 15,000 gallons of water per minute.
Additionally, ITT has prepared chlorination and UV disinfection equipment to help provide potable water to victims of Hurricane Katrina. This equipment can provide up to 250,000 gallons of water per day. The company provided similar systems to Iraq and following the tsunami in Sri Lanka to provide clean drinking water for thousands of people.
ITT night vision equipment and training personnel are already in Louisiana, enabling searches to continue around the clock. The company donated 22 night vision goggles to police agencies, and has offered training in mission applications. Further, ITT imagers are providing real time satellite imagery to rescue and relief operations.
Source: ITT
