On August 29, 2005 at ten o’clock in the morning, Hurricane Katrina made its final landfall near Bay St. Louis, at the mouth of the Pearl River. At twelve feet above sea level, the town is the highest point on the entire Gulf of Mexico coastline, but when Katrina hit land with a 28-foot storm surge, Bay St Louis was devastated. Only the western edge of the city didn’t see the huge surge from Katrina, and were somewhat spared from the flood waters. The gorgeous row of historic houses along the pristine beach, however, were destroyed; after the flood waters receded, only pieces were left of the fine architecture.
Before Katrina, Bay St Louis had pristine beaches, a healthy tourist economy, and lots of restaurants and shops. Afterward, the entire city nearly wiped out, the tourist industry was dead, and there were hardly any restaurants to go to. The Bay St. Louis Bridge was also damaged, with many bridge sections missing or fallen. The destroyed bridge was replaced, and the new bridge was awarded America’s Transportation Award. The new bridge features a pedestrian bridge alongside, with an art walk featuring the works of local artists. And currently the damaged underground utility structure in Bay St. Louis is receiving a total modernization and replacement.
When Bay St Louis began the long, hard work of replacing and re-building new homes, storm shutters were almost always added for hurricane protection. When you want to defend your home against a storm, more than anything, shutters are essential; whether you choose Colonial shutters, accordion shutters, roll-down shutters, or Bahama shutters, they keep the storm out of your house. The shutters are made from metals like aluminum, as well as from wood materials. When shutters are installed, the glass is covered so that it will not break or shatter during the storm, either from the wind, wind-borne debris, or pressure changes of the storm.
Hurricane shutters are well-known as a home protection, but if you own a business and install roll-down shutters, they can actually serve the purpose of security, as well. Roll-down shutters not only defend your home or business from a tropical storm, they can also keep unwanted intruders out as well. Just roll your shutters down at night, and your home or business is secure and protected. The glass can’t be broken, and intruders can’t enter.
Hurricane shutters are essential for your home or business if you live somewhere like Bay St. Louis. Storms hit the shore on a regular basis, and no matter what kind you choose, make sure that you protect your home today.
