METRO CODES & BUILDING SAFETY, METRO WATER SERVICES PERMIT OFFICES OPEN SATURDAY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 14, 2010
4 p.m.
EOC Media Desk
(615) 862-8540
NASHVILLE, Tenn. –The Department of Codes & Building Safety will be open this Saturday, May 15 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. to issue Flood Damage Repair Permits and conduct inspections.
The Department of Codes & Building Safety has complied a set of guidelines to assist property owners in their recovery efforts. These guidelines provide helpful information for obtaining permits associated with the repair of flood damaged homes and buildings. The guidelines are available on the Codes website at www.nashville.gov/codes or www.nashville.gov/flood.
METRO WATER SERVICES UPDATE
The MWS Permits Office and Stormwater Office at the Metro Office Building will be open this Saturday from 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. (the last application will be taken at 3:15 p.m.) to sign off on required Codes permits.
With rain in the forecast, Metro Water Services encourages all property owners and businesses to check the metal storm drain grates near their property and clear them of debris. Debris should be removed from the surface, NOT swept or pushed into the storm drain. Keeping the stormwater infrastructure such as ditches and storm drains clear will help keep prevent flooding of roadways and yards.
Water conservation levels will remain at the current level through the weekend. The essential use of water for drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene as well as washing of essential loads of laundry and dishes is allowed. Laundry mats and nurseries can also use water for necessary operating purposes. Car washing is not permitted at this time. We urge customers to remain vigilant about continued conservation until the second water treatment plant is back in operation. We have nationally recognized engineering firms assisting MWS in necessary repairs and anticipate completion the end of May.
DISASTER DEBRIS CLEAN-UP CONTINUES THROUGH WEEKEND
More than 100 debris collection trucks will continue working in all 12 Metro brush zones on Saturday and Sunday. Residents who have flood debris need to put it at the curb or street side, so it will not be missed. Also, parked vehicles need to be moved off the street so the trucks can reach the debris piles.
Earlier today, trucks began removing materials from Metro's temporary debris staging site at Edwin Warner Park. The items are being sorted at each temporary site, in preparation for being transported to an appropriate landfill for permanent disposal. Materials being hauled away from Edwin Warner are being taken to C&D (construction and demolition) landfill sites operated by Southern Services, Inc.
Several blocks of 1st, 2nd and 3rd Avenues downtown remain closed to traffic while businesses continue their cleanups. Public Works crews continue work to repair a culvert damaged by flooding on Hobbs Road in the Green Hills area.
RED CROSS AND SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK CONTINUE TO ASSIST NASHVILLE RESIDENTS
Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee has its 17 Emergency Food Box (EFB) locations in Davidson County ready to distribute disaster relief boxes. For information on locations and hours, call 211 or visit www.secondharvestmidtn.org.
The Red Cross shelter located at the Al Menah Shrine center will close Saturday, May 15, with residents moving to Cornerstone Church in Madison. The Lipscomb University shelter remains open with 143 residents. Red Cross Assistance is available by calling toll-free 1-866-GET- INFO (1-866-438-4636). The Red Cross will continue to operate fixed feeding sites at local shelters, Sawyer Brown Community Center located at 1417 Murfreesboro Road, Riverwalk Community Pool at Riverwalk Road, as well as 13 mobile feeding routes. Residents in need should look for ARC Emergency Response Vehicles in their neighborhoods.
Total of seven Bottled Water Distribution Centers REMAIN OPEN through the weekend
Bottled water distribution continues this weekend at the following locations from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Use of bottled water for drinking and cooking greatly assists with conservation of the city’s water supply.
- 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
- Two Rivers Baptist Church at 2800 McGavock Pike
- Metro Southeast, 1417 Murfreesboro Pike (7 a.m. – 7 p.m.)
AMERICORPS VOLUNTEERS ASSIST WITH FLOOD RELIEF EFFORTS
Approximately 150 AmeriCorps members from Tennessee will converge in Nashville this Saturday to assist with clean-up after the recent flood. Members will begin service at 7:45 a.m. at the Martha O'Bryan Center, 711 South 7th Street in East Nashville.
VOLUNTEER AND FUND-RAISING EFFORTS CONTINUE
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has raised and is processing approximately 1.5 million dollars in non-designated cash donations for Nashville flood victim relief to date.
United Way 211 call takers have taken and referred more than 10,000 flood victim phone calls to available services.
Nashville’s Community Hotline, based out of the Metro Nashville Emergency Operations Center, processed over 22,000 calls for assistance since activated at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 1.
Nearly eleven-thousand Hands On Nashville volunteers spent over 50,000 hours participating in flood recovery efforts between May 2 and Thursday, May 14. The projected economic impact of Hands on Nashville volunteerism is $1,046,879.