Ingalls Shipbuilding, Miss. coast preps for Isaac

PASCAGOULA, Miss. (WALA) - Some people in Jackson County, Mississippi, prepared for a potential hurricane on Monday.

While two of the areas production plants took different approaches.

Monday afternoon presented itself with a sunny and breezy day along Mississippi’s coastline.

“It's nice and peaceful. It's a nice day today,” said Den Knecht

Knecht was relaxing on his front porch Monday at his waterfront house in south Pascagoula. 

News of Tropical Storm Isaac shifting west and potentially skirting this region reminded him of Hurricane Katrina.

“I think it was about 18 feet tidal surge. I had about 30 inches in my house; although with the wave action, it splashed on everything.  We wound up tearing out all the sheetrock, even the ceilings,” said Knecht.

Knecht was preparing to move in to his beachside home, seven years ago, when Katrina struck south Mississippi.  It strained him, but he moved in anyway.

“So we decided to rebuild with the idea that maybe it will be another 32 years as it was between Camille and Katrina,” said Knecht.

Several mature oaks shade Knecht’s front lawn, he said he’s not concerned with the wind and rain that a hurricane may produce.

“We had no problem with these trees during Katrina.  You'd go further down the street and large oaks just like this were uprooted,” said Knecht.

Signs of Katrina's wrath remain along Beach Boulevard; crumbled driveways lead to overgrown empty lots.

“A house used to sit on every one of those empty lots,” said Knecht.

So, here we are again watching and second guessing another storm , this time its name is Isaac.

“My concern always is that the forecasts keep moving West and West and at some point they overestimate and then when it actually comes North it comes further East than they predicted,” said Knecht.

Another concern in this area is two large industrial plants: Ingalls Ship Building and Chevron.

Ingalls Ship Building sent out a press release stating it would close down, beginning with second shift Monday night and will remain closed through Wednesday, August 29.

A Chevron spokesperson said they will closely monitor Isaac's path.

They've started evacuating people from offshore oil rigs, but the Pascagoula refinery remains in operation.

Knecht, plans to stay with family, outside of harm’s way.

Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant said the state learned many lessons from hurricane Katrina, and is now better prepared to respond to the next disaster.

Company information is also available at http://ingalls.huntingtoningalls.com as well as the Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Facebook page and Twitter page @HIIndustries .