As we remember and reflect on 20 years since Hurricane Katrina made landfall, forever changing our way of life and culture, WDSU is featuring stories on the people who played key roles before, during and after the deadly storm — which made landfall in late August 2005.
The project is called “Faces of Katrina.”
Part 2: The Politician
The video and images, inescapable.
What happened to New Orleans in the days following Hurricane Katrina, when three levees broke and the city flooded, is unfathomable.
But it wasn’t just New Orleans that dealt with catastrophic damage.
Parts of neighboring Jefferson Parish flooded.
People were stuck and destruction was evident in so many neighborhoods.
“I’m Aaron Broussard, former Jefferson Parish President during the time of Katrina,” Broussard said.
He’s now 76 years old and still lives and works in Jefferson Parish.
“Twenty years since Hurricane Katrina, does it seem like it’s been that long?” WDSU’s Travers Mackel asked.
“It does, because it was such a horrific experience. I don’t really reflect on Katrina except when they start talking about another major storm — there’s an uncomfortable tingling in my stomach, like, ‘Oh my goodness. I hope this is not nearly as bad as that,'” Broussard said.
And a move by Broussard as the monster storm neared – still draws the ire of thousands in Jefferson Parish.
Just before Katrina made landfall, Broussard evacuated the parish pump operators.
Homes across Metairie and Kenner took on water – leading to over $3 billion in insurance claims filed.
“There are people watching this right now that still say 20 years later — ‘Oh, Aaron Broussard, he should have never evacuated the pump stations’ — you have been on record saying you did that to preserve life?” Mackel said.
“Yeah, look, there are people who said we were really vulnerable during a Cat 3 hurricane — with a Cat 4 or 5 coming in, they definitely were not safe,” Broussard said.
It’s a decision Broussard still owns, as it led to safe houses at pump stations and a better evacuation plan, which are still in place today.
“Every major tragedy and you look at the aftermath — there is a human inclination to blame — not God, but human frailty or blame it on a mistake — I became that face, I accepted that as leadership. I didn’t scapegoat anymore or point the finger or blame the person who wrote the plan, took all the arrows in the chest — because that was leadership,” Broussard said.
And the lifelong conservative Democrat knows a thing or two about leadership.
Elected to a seat on the school board at the young age of 23 — Broussard’s rise through Jefferson Parish politics was legendary.
From school boards to the parish council, Kenner mayor, back to the JP council and then in 2003 — winning the race for parish president.
Elected 12 separate times, he never lost a race for a public office.
“I’m very happy for the opportunities I had to serve the public for about 40 years, I was very proud of the thing I was able to do,” Broussard said.
But in 2010, it all came crashing down.
Broussard abruptly resigned from office, was later indicted on federal charges related to payroll fraud, and in 2013 pleaded guilty and went to jail for over three years.
An experience that changed him.
“Not proud that I went to prison and apologized to the people of Jefferson Parish and everyone that I harmed, but I learned from that, and that’s back to Katrina; lessons learned, whenever you take a fall in life, don’t stay at that spot, don’t linger too– get up and get back in the race. I think that God has a plan for all of us and it’s to keep on moving forward in positive ways,” Broussard said.
Which is what he’s doing now.
Broussard ministers to inmates and participates in church-related activities — and he’s battling cancer.
Still witty, jovial and chatty, Broussard has very few regrets.
“How do you want the public to remember Aaron Broussard?” Mackel asked.
“Any way they want, you said it earlier, some will always see me as the face they will be angry at because they believe I did something to them, some harm to them — and I understand that. But there are others that will say, ‘Hey, I know Aaron and he did the things he did because he thought it was in the best interest as Katrina was approaching,'” Broussard said.
Aaron Broussard — one of the many faces of Katrina.
READ MORE:FACES OF KATRINA: 20 years later, former Parish President Aaron Broussard reflects on storm
