After the Flood

[Ash]

The water receded days ago and my city is in the process of a massive cleanup effort.
I have to hand it to the people who live here.  They all came together and got through this flood with flying colors.  
I don't think I've seen a more organized effort to use the talents and resources of the people to get this gargantuan mess cleaned up.
Rather than sit and wait for help...("cough" Katrina) The people here worked together to deal with it.  We got organized, we formulated plans, we stuck to our guns and we got through it.     

I finally went into my building the other day and took my video camera along.
Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to upload the video to Youtube yet because this laptop is only available to me on weekends.  I'm staying with my friend Jill and she takes it to work with her during the week but she brings it here for me to use on Sat. & Sun.
I'd go to the public library and use their computers, but the library was totally flooded.

I did a walkthrough of the first floor of my building.
Amazingly, the water only reached a height of 1 1/2 to 2 feet inside on the 1st floor but that was enough to do some serious damage.
The basement, which contains the maintenence and laundry areas (and Pepsi & Coke machines) was completely flooded.

The water on the first floor peeled paint off the walls, warped anything made of wood, and generally left a layer of muck and scum on everything.
The smell of mold is horrible.
Imagine the dankest, nastiest cellar/basement you've ever walked into and then increase the stench tenfold.  That's how bad it smells.
Fortunately, I live on the 4th floor and none of my property was damaged.
There is however, a strong moldy smell in my apt.  I don't know how that smell managed to make it all the way up to the upper floors, but it did.

Everything in my refrigerator went bad and had to be tossed.  The milk was the worst.     I about gagged dumping it out.

There are cleanup trucks everywhere downtown.
At least 2-3 on every single block.  You know they're making a killing in earnings off of this disaster.
It was just as surreal seeing the downtown area after the flood as it was during it.
Garbage and debris everywhere.  Sandbags coated with a layer of black muck thrown in huge piles.
Lines on buildings where the water level rose to.  Everything above the line is clean.  Everything below it isn't.


I finally got ahold of the maintenence guy who works in my building.  The managers have been MIA this past week and whenever you call them, it goes right to voicemail.
The maintenence guy informed me that there still is no electricity or water.
They've hired electricians and plumbers to come in but the city keeps telling them to wait.
Apparently the city hasn't fully deemed my building %100 safe.
So it could be up to 2 more weeks until my building is habitable again.  

I did apply for FEMA assistance because I was displaced from my home and cannot go back for a while...so that should help. (assuming I get approved for it which I don't think will be a problem)


On a side note, the police caught three guys red-handed looting abandoned apartments in my building the other day.
They were taking the doors off the hinges to get in.  Luckily, a woman happened to be at her apt. gathering some things when she opened the door a crack and saw them.  She called the police and the guys were all busted in the attached parkade loading plasma TV's and high end electronics into the trunk of their car.  (nothing was taken from my apt.)


This was my first major flood and I can say that I have learned a few things from it.
I've learned that when they tell you to evacuate...get off your butt and evacuate!
I was lucky I was able to make it out when I did.  One or two more hours would've made the difference between taking my car out or having to go out totally on foot and leave my vehicle.

Experiencing a flood of this magnitude was quite a stressful thing to go through.
Everyday we would all be glued to our TV screens and wondering and worrying.
Wondering when you'll get to go back to your residence and if there was any damage done to it.  If there was damage, how bad will it be?
Those questions and many more will run through your mind when experiencing a massive flood.

I consider myself lucky.
My apartment was high enough that the water did not reach it.
Others weren't so lucky.  They lost everything.
I cannot imagine what that must be like.

[Patient7]

I sure hope everything gets back to normal soon, Ash.  Those poor poor Pepsi machines.

[indianasmith]

Glad you came thru OK and your stuff is undamaged.  Hope you are back home soon!

[Derf]

Glad to hear you're safe, Ash. You've been in my thoughts quite a bit lately. Karma for you for keeping a stiff upper lip. 

[Rev. Powell]

Glad to hear you survived unscathed, and I'm sure everything will be back to normal before you realize it.  Spend your FEMA money on gin & hookers! 

[CheezeFlixz]

The thing you need to be concerned about is Black Mold, which the aftermath of a flood is perfect breeding ground for it, don't confuse it with Mildew which is nasty but it won't kill you. Black Mold will and wet drywall, carpet, flooring etc it were it love to grow if you happen to breath in the spores it will grow in your lungs, lovely thought huh? Takes a few years for it hurt you, but it will.
Bleach will kill it dead, most building are condemned that have black mold in them because it's a bio-hazard and difficult to get rid of.

Rather than sit and wait for help...("cough" Katrina) The people here worked together to deal with it.  We got organized, we formulated plans, we stuck to our guns and we got through it.   Smile   Thumbup

Well for pete sake they only had 3 weeks warning in NOLA what'd you expect them to do? Plan?

I think a lot of people noticed that, but that's a topic for another day.

Glad it's over, the bitter irony is that all these levies breaking up stream are saving our butts down stream. We were under s flood watch until a bunch of IL and MO levies broke and crest levels were dropped. I grew up on the river so I learned long ago, if you can ... live on a hill.

Glad you made it through ok.

[Allhallowsday]

... I think a lot of people noticed that, but that's a topic for another day.

Glad it's over, the bitter irony is that all these levies breaking up stream are saving our butts down stream. We were under s flood watch until a bunch of IL and MO levies broke and crest levels were dropped. I grew up on the river so I learned long ago, if you can ... live on a hill.

Glad you made it through ok.

CHEEZ: G'boy! 
ASH, I emailed you at ashthecat3, I don't know if you got it, but I was thinking about you.  Who here hasn't been thinking about you?  The floods have dominated the news.  Glad to hear you came thru in good shape. 

[Trevor]

The water receded days ago and my city is in the process of a massive cleanup effort.
I have to hand it to the people who live here.  They all came together and got through this flood with flying colors.  
I don't think I've seen a more organized effort to use the talents and resources of the people to get this gargantuan mess cleaned up.
Rather than sit and wait for help...("cough" Katrina) The people here worked together to deal with it.  We got organized, we formulated plans, we stuck to our guns and we got through it.     

I finally went into my building the other day and took my video camera along.
Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to upload the video to Youtube yet because this laptop is only available to me on weekends.  I'm staying with my friend Jill and she takes it to work with her during the week but she brings it here for me to use on Sat. & Sun.
I'd go to the public library and use their computers, but the library was totally flooded.

I did a walkthrough of the first floor of my building.
Amazingly, the water only reached a height of 1 1/2 to 2 feet inside on the 1st floor but that was enough to do some serious damage.
The basement, which contains the maintenence and laundry areas (and Pepsi & Coke machines) was completely flooded.

The water on the first floor peeled paint off the walls, warped anything made of wood, and generally left a layer of muck and scum on everything.
The smell of mold is horrible.
Imagine the dankest, nastiest cellar/basement you've ever walked into and then increase the stench tenfold.  That's how bad it smells.
Fortunately, I live on the 4th floor and none of my property was damaged.
There is however, a strong moldy smell in my apt.  I don't know how that smell managed to make it all the way up to the upper floors, but it did.

Everything in my refrigerator went bad and had to be tossed.  The milk was the worst.     I about gagged dumping it out.

There are cleanup trucks everywhere downtown.
At least 2-3 on every single block.  You know they're making a killing in earnings off of this disaster.
It was just as surreal seeing the downtown area after the flood as it was during it.
Garbage and debris everywhere.  Sandbags coated with a layer of black muck thrown in huge piles.
Lines on buildings where the water level rose to.  Everything above the line is clean.  Everything below it isn't.


I finally got ahold of the maintenence guy who works in my building.  The managers have been MIA this past week and whenever you call them, it goes right to voicemail.
The maintenence guy informed me that there still is no electricity or water.
They've hired electricians and plumbers to come in but the city keeps telling them to wait.
Apparently the city hasn't fully deemed my building %100 safe.
So it could be up to 2 more weeks until my building is habitable again.  

I did apply for FEMA assistance because I was displaced from my home and cannot go back for a while...so that should help. (assuming I get approved for it which I don't think will be a problem)


On a side note, the police caught three guys red-handed looting abandoned apartments in my building the other day.
They were taking the doors off the hinges to get in.  Luckily, a woman happened to be at her apt. gathering some things when she opened the door a crack and saw them.  She called the police and the guys were all busted in the attached parkade loading plasma TV's and high end electronics into the trunk of their car.  (nothing was taken from my apt.)


This was my first major flood and I can say that I have learned a few things from it.
I've learned that when they tell you to evacuate...get off your butt and evacuate!
I was lucky I was able to make it out when I did.  One or two more hours would've made the difference between taking my car out or having to go out totally on foot and leave my vehicle.

Experiencing a flood of this magnitude was quite a stressful thing to go through.
Everyday we would all be glued to our TV screens and wondering and worrying.
Wondering when you'll get to go back to your residence and if there was any damage done to it.  If there was damage, how bad will it be?
Those questions and many more will run through your mind when experiencing a massive flood.

I consider myself lucky.
My apartment was high enough that the water did not reach it.
Others weren't so lucky.  They lost everything.
I cannot imagine what that must be like.

 

Thanks Ash: I'm glad you're OK.

I was in Bloemfontein the other day to award pioneers in our film industry and some people were complaining about the unseasonable heavy rain and cold wind. I told them that I had a friend in the USA who was in the midst of a flood, so a little rain and cold was nothing much to worry about.

[Andrew]

A group of people who are motivated and ready to get the job done is an awesome force.  Sometimes, after a huge disaster, everybody moans about how massive the cleanup or fix is going to be.  If you need to fill a large hole, and only have a shovel (when you should have a couple of backhoes) - well, it is time to put that shovel to work.  You do it a little bit at a time, but the job will get done if you keep at it.

I am glad you were keeping an eye on what was going on and made a decision when you should leave, and you obviously did it early enough.

Something everyone should have is a "bug-out kit."  Just a decent backpack with the essentials:  a good medical kit, rope, water purification, some emergency food, flashlight, compass, rope, twine, duct tape, ponchos, sunscreen, multi-tool, whistle, weather radio or FRS radio with weather capability, firestarter or reliable lighter, sleeping bag, etc.  If you have to abandon your home, having that can make a world of difference.

[Scott]

Yep, it was something watching it on the news knowing that Ash was in the midst of it and providing us with some of the best footage of the flood. Better than the news covered it. 

Glad to hear your ok Ash. 

[dean]

I saw this on the news the other day and first thought was of you Ash.  Wasn't sure whether you were affected at the time, but now I'm just glad that your apartment, so far at least, has survived relatively unscathed.  You're right, it was lucky

But they got the Coke AND Pepsi machines??  Bastards...

Floods are something I doubt I'm going to have to deal with at this moment in time.  Our state is in heavy drought, so any rain is welcome.  It'll be the one time flooding is welcome as good news.

Hope everything continues to run smoothly and all the best mate!   

[Ash]

Checked my bank balance today and saw that I was 962 dollars richer.
Thanks FEMA!
It was WAY more than I thought they were going to give me.
Still can't go back to my building yet.,no power or water.

[Patient7]

Checked my bank balance today and saw that I was 962 dollars richer.
Thanks FEMA!
It was WAY more than I thought they were going to give me.
Still can't go back to my building yet.,no power or water.

Just a karma update for you, it's now 256.

[Ash]

Thanks for the karma update.
I can't give karma from my phone so I'll hook everybody up with free karma when I get on a regular computer.

[RCMerchant]

Cripes....and I thought jail was bad. At least my I knew the what to expect (sort of) when I got out.  I hope all the best for you,man.