Spraggins lending hand in Haiti

The man who managed Harrison County’s emergency operations for Hurricane Katrina is now in Haiti, where he says the struggle is “heartbreaking.”

In a telephone interview with The Sun-Herald, Joe Spraggins says earthquake survivors are making a tent out of just about anything, or sleeping on the streets.

Spraggins is working for DRC Haiti, a private company vying for recovery contracts and providing assistance. He’s been there since Jan. 31.

Recalling Katrina, he said Haitians would consider the federal trailers used after Katrina to be mansions. Spraggins said cleanup has been difficult because most buildings were concrete and sat on hillsides.

Spraggins said the country faces years of rebuilding.