A second line of defense

Before katrina, John Knost hadn’t really invented anything -- unless you count the foam insulation he stuck on the edges of his apartment’s metal spiral stairs. They keep visitors from bruising their heads.

But last year, he grew frustrated with the federal government’s plans to make New Orleans safer. Raising houses, raising levees -- it seemed like the same old, same old, he said.

Knost, 61, (above) is no engineer, but he had worked on the business side of the construction industry. For years, he marketed a waterproofing sealant, Bituthene, for basements and tunnels. He knew it was dependable. So, Knost thought: Why not coat a flood wall with the stuff, and have it serve as a backup system if the levees fail again?

In the den of his French Quarter apartment, he drew up a concrete flood wall system that would be at least a few yards back from the levees. The walls would be buried deep and rise 4 to 10 feet above ground. They could be hidden in small earthen hills that would completely surround a vulnerable neighborhood.

Knost discovered that no one, as far as anyone can tell, ever thought about coating a flood wall with Bituthene. The project has received patent-pending status from the Commerce Department.

Amateurs have come up with all sorts of inventions since Katrina, but Knost’s is one of the few that has been given a serious hearing by local officials.

For now, the idea exists only on paper. Knost said federal engineers have reviewed his idea and sent notes to help him refine it. To win the government over, he’ll need luck and a penchant for navigating bureaucracy. But Knost is optimistic that his walls will go up.

“It’s too simple!” he said. “It’s a Hula Hoop.”