URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS TO SEARCH IMPACTED NEIGHBORHOODS TODAY
Limited access to Metro Center for property and business owners from noon to 4 p.m. today
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 5, 2010
11:00 a.m.
EOC Media Desk
(615) 862-8540
More than 100 Metro firefighters and police officers will be on foot going door to door in flood ravaged neighborhoods today to check on the welfare of residents and provide offers of assistance. The Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams will visit neighborhoods in Bordeaux, Bellevue, the Neelys Bend area, Pennington Bend area, and Antioch. This effort will be led by emergency services personnel specially trained in Urban Search and Rescue procedures. They will be joined by additional firefighters, police officers and 33 police officer trainees. Once homes have been visited, yellow fire tape will be affixed to the front porches. The teams will not be making forced entry unless circumstances demonstrate a necessity to do so.
METRO CENTER UPDATE: Limited access between noon & 4 P.M. today
Properly credentialed owners and managers of businesses in Metro Center will be permitted to pass beyond police roadblocks, at their own risk, to make brief visits to their buildings between the hours of noon and 4 p.m. today. Due to standing water in several parts of Metro Center, passage will be granted only to persons in SUVs or trucks. No cars will be permitted to pass the roadblocks. Entry will be granted at the following intersections: 1) Rosa L. Parks Boulevard at Athens Way; 2) Freeland Station Road at Mainstream Drive; and 3) Rosa L. Parks Boulevard at Vantage Way. Metro Water Services continues to monitor the levees separating Metro Center from the Cumberland River.
FEMA
President Obama announced Tuesday afternoon that four counties in Tennessee, including Davidson County, will be receiving federal disaster relief funds to aid in rebuilding efforts from the area’s worst-ever flood.
Tennessee Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker joined Mayor Dean in Nashville for the announcement.
Governor Phil Bredesen asked President Obama Monday to declare 52 counties federal disaster areas following the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that struck the state beginning Friday, April 30. Tuesday’s action by the President will make federal funding available to individuals in Cheatham, Davidson, Hickman and Williamson Counties while declarations for additional Tennessee counties are expected in coming days.
Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the four designated counties are urged to begin immediately applying for assistance by registering online at www.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).
Bottled Water Distribution Centers
Bottled water will be distributed at the following locations from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. today:
Nashville Fairgrounds at 500 Wedgewood Avenue
Antioch Middle School at 5050 Blue Hole Road
Bellevue Middle School at 655 Colice Jeanne Road
Pearl Cohn High School at 904 26th Avenue North
Bailey Middle School 2000 Greenwood Avenue
*THERE WILL BE A LIMIT OF 1 CASE PER VEHICLE
Volunteer Reception Centers
Nashville volunteers working in teams of 100 will work four-hour shifts throughout the Nashville area. Their efforts include making door-to-door wellness checks, distributing public health and other relief and recovery information, and helping to clean up impacted areas. Persons interested in volunteering should register with Hands on Nashville via www.HON.org. Once registered, volunteers will be contacted with information regarding which of the 6 reception centers they should report to.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FOR RESIDENTS RETURNING TO FLOODED HOMES
Health Department Inspectors Visit Impacted Areas, Provide Guidance to Homeowners
Flood waters are receding and thousands of Davidson County residents are returning home. Homeowners should be aware of the possibility their home may be contaminated with mold and their food is likely contaminated. Health Department general sanitation inspectors are visiting impacted areas to offer guidance to reduce the dangers associated with flooded homes. These include the following:
Re-entering your home after flood waters recede:
- If a flooded house has been closed for several days, enter briefly to open doors and windows to air out for at least 30 minutes before you stay for any length of time.
- Wear a mask, gloves and boots if available as an added layer of protection.
Mold:
- Wet items such as furniture and rugs should be taken outside to dry out.
- A home that’s been flooded is likely contaminated with mold. Use fans and dehumidifiers to remove excess moisture. Fans should be placed at a window or door to blow the air outwards rather than inwards, so not to spread the mold.
Food Safety:
- Do not eat food that may have come into contact with flood water. Throw away perishable foods (including meat, poultry, fish, eggs and leftovers) that have been above 40°F for 2 hours or more.
- Wash all food contact surfaces, including countertops and refrigerators, with soap water and then sanitize using one tablespoon of bleach per one gallon of water.
- Wash metal pans, ceramic dishes, and utensils (including can openers) with soap detergent and hot water.
The impact of historic flooding has been very stressful for all of us, including our pets. Metro Animal Care and Control wants pet owners in flooded areas to consider the following guidance.
- Don’t allow your pets to roam loose. Familiar landmarks and smells might be gone, and your pet will probably be disoriented. Pets can easily get lost in such situations.
- For a few days, keep dogs on leashes and keep cats in carriers.
- If you have lost your pet during the recent storms contact Metro Animal Care and Control at 862-7928. Be ready to provide your pet's rabies tag number or other identification, along with an accurate description of the animal. You will need to visit the facility at 5125 Harding Place. You should also contact Nashville Humane Association at 352-1010.
- If you take in a lost pet and cannot find its owner then contact Metro Animal Care and Control or the Nashville Humane Association.
There is a sad possibility of finding dead animals as flood waters recede. If you find a dead animal on your property contact Metro Animal Care and Control for removal.
Metro Animal Care and Control officials have provided temporary shelter for 42 companion animals impacted by flooding even thought the facility is operating at full capacity.
More information about re-entering flooded homes safely, addressing mold, food safety, and animal care guidance can be found at the Metro Public Health Department’s website www.health.nashville.gov .
Police Officers Remaining Vigilant in Flood Impacted Neighborhoods
Metro police officers continue to provide enhanced security to flood damaged neighborhoods. Persons observed removing belongings may be approached by officers to ensure that the property being removed belongs to them. Residents who see an influx of strangers in their neighborhoods or who have safety/security concerns are urged to contact police at 862-8600.
State of Tennessee Issues Mandatory Water Conservation Order
To support water conservation efforts that Metro Water Services has announced to the public, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation issued a mandatory water conservation order. TDEC Commissioner James Fyke advised that water consumers “should follow the direction of the water utilities as they work to preserve water supplies.” It is the first time TDEC has used emergency authority to this scale for water conservation measures.
Irrigation at Two Rivers Golf Course
The Two Rivers golf course is continuing irrigation in certain areas of their 3 courses, where special types of grass may be affected by the current 80+ degree weather. The water used in these efforts is only water from private ponds located on site at the courses, not Metro water. Parks personnel maintain that they will only irrigate from private ponds. Officials at Water Services have been notified in anticipation of public response.
Cumberland River Water Level Slowly Dropping
As of 7 a.m. this morning, the Cumberland River was at 48.2 feet. Flows will remain high as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues to release water from Old Hickory and Percy Priest Dam to protect the integrity of the dams. However, these releases are not expected to lead to additional rises on the river. The goal is to get the river below flood stage of 40 feet (or 100,000 cubic feet per second) over the next couple of days.
The NWS and the Corps have been coordinating closely to provide the best possible forecasts and will continue to do so. The current forecast is for dry conditions until late Friday when some light rainfall amounts are possible.
Critical Update on Metro Water Services and Water Conservation Measures
The sandbagging operation was successful and the Omohundro Water Treatment Plant is in full operation. The K.R. Harrington Water Treatment Plant remains out of operation, but Metro Water personnel are currently working to de-water and assess the plant for damage. It is still imperative that citizens conserve water. While capacity recovery in the past 12 hrs has been greater than in the past 2 days our water reserves are currently at 51%.
Metro Water Services customers are asked to do their part to conserve by reducing their water use by half. Some simple ways to conserve are:
- put off washing clothes and dishes,
- turn off the tap while brushing teeth and washing hands,
- put off watering plants,
- turn off automatic sprinklers and water that leads to dripping faucets and limit toilet flushing
There are rumors that Metro Water Services has already or plans to cut off water service to its customers. THIS IS NOT TRUE. Citizens should not be filling bathtubs, buckets and other containers. This reaction is placing a significant strain on our water supply. We ask all citizens and businesses to stop using water for uses other than drinking, cooking, hand washing, and other critical uses.
LAWN WATERING, WATERING OF PLANTS, CAR WASHING, CLEANING SIDEWALKS AND PARKING LOTS, AND SIMILAR USES ARE NOT ESSENTIAL AND NEED TO STOP UNTIL THE WATER SHORTAGES ARE RESOLVED.
MWS is continuing to survey the distribution system 24 hours a day for potential leaks or breaks. We ask residents to report suspected main breaks to (615) 862-4600.
Nashville Electric Service Update
Crews continue working on outages, and total number of customers without power has dropped to 3,500. No main circuits (distribution and transmission lines) have been affected. Metro Center has re-gained power; access to this area will continue to be controlled by police. Crews are currently working on James Robertson Pkwy with plans to begin work on Demonbreun as the Cumberland river continues to recede. NES is beginning to transition to the assessment stage, by assigning assessment teams to begin work in the field. As this occurs, citizens should keep remain aware that NES personnel will always have Metro Identification, and will typically travel in marked vehicles.
Disaster Information Centers
Community-based response for social and human services has begun in coordination with the Metro EOC and Nashville Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD). The Centers will provide general information on utilities, social service assistance, and legal and insurance information. Centers will be staffed by volunteers, Parks Department and other Metro employees. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bellevue Community Center
656 Colice Jeanne Rd. 37221
East Community Center
700 Woodland Street, 37206
Hermitage Community Center
3720 James Kay Lane, 37076
Hadley Community Center
1037 28th Avenue North, 37208
Coleman Community Center
384 Thompson Lane 37211
We will have Salvation Army mobile feeding stations available nearby at St. Edwards Church and Bellevue Baptist Church to provide lunch and dinner for individuals and families who need information support. These centers will not be equipped for medical assistance. Citizens who need emergency assistance are urged to call 911. Metro continues to coordinate volunteers through Hands On Nashville www.hon.org. The most urgent need continues to be cash donations, which can be made to the Metro Disaster Fund at www.cfmt.org.
Limited Bus Service Resumes on Thursday with Free Fares on Most Routes
Metropolitan Transit Authority and Regional Transportation Authority plan to resume bus services on Thursday with a Sunday/Holiday schedule. Routes and frequencies will be increased in subsequent days as maintenance and support facilities are established and equipped. During this transition period fares will be free on all Nashville MTA buses.
Also, customers eligible for MTA’s AccessRide van services may begin rescheduling or booking new reservations for medical trips such as dialysis for emergency trips only. The fare also will be free.
Most of the regional bus services from outlying areas will resume on Thursday as well. The routes operated by Gray Line that include service from Franklin, Brentwood, Thompson’s Station, Spring Hill, Gallatin and Hendersonville will be operating. However, this service will not be free. Fares will be collected as usual.
The RTA’s Music City Star train will not resume service on Thursday. Officials are waiting on floodwaters to recede at the Riverfront Station and want to make a full assessment of the track and station.
MTA Customer Call Center employees are available to handle inquiries at (615) 862-5950. AccessRide customers may call 880-3970, while RTA customers should call 862-8833.
Flood related fatalities
The count of flood related fatalities in Davidson County remains at 9 persons as of Wednesday morning.
Donations
Cash and monetary gifts are still preferred; however, specific item donation requests include large quantities of the following: diapers, formula, cleaning supplies and rubber gloves, wet vacs, brooms, mops, and generators. If citizens have large quantities, they should contact the Community Foundation by calling 1-888-540-5200, or via their www.cfmt.org. Citizens with small quantities or single items to donate should call 2-1-1.
Metro Schools
Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools will be closed to students Thursday, May 6. The majority of school district employees should report as scheduled to prepare for the return of students to class as soon as flooding conditions improve enough to allow for transportation to resume. School bus drivers and monitors do not report May 6.
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