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Friday, April 02, 2010
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Westport safety officials praised; National Guard slammed.
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Packed into a meeting room filled with TV cameras and
area officials, Fall River and Westport residents gathered to express their
anxiety in talk laced with rancor, frustration, anger, and praise. For three
and one half hours residents stood up and grilled FEMA, MEMA, Fall River
Water officials and the Massachusetts Secretary of Public Safety and
Security. The
Quequechan River fights back. Flooding issues varied greatly between the two
communities, but they had one shared cause - the overflowing of South Watuppa
Pond and the Quequechan River. Quequechan is the Wampanoag Indian word for
‘falling river’, a characteristic which spawned the textile industry in this
area because of the abundance of water power due to the river’s steep drop on
its way to the Taunton River. The river, abused and polluted for almost two centuries
by mills and misuse, was eventually covered to quell the stench and unsightly
sludge where it flowed into the mill area of the city. The 19th century
waterworks were never designed to handle the more than 100 million gallons
per day needed to manage the flood levels that South Watuppa experienced at
the beginning of this April. Fall
River’s Administrator of
Community Utilities and Director of the Water Department under fire. “We’re controlled by federal mandate on how we handle
discharge levels,” said Terry Sullivan, Fall River’s Administrator of
Community Utilities. “Because we were in a state of emergency we pushed those
limits. At the same time the Quequechan River unexpectedly overflowed its
banks, adding more drainage into an already overloaded system. This
unfortunate combination resulted in the severe flooding and destruction of
city roadways.”
Left: Terry Sullivan (seated to the left of Captain Roberts
of the Environmental Police), Fall River’s Administrator of Community
Utilities, was on the defensive much of the afternoon, but handled himself
well. Right: Local insurance agent Jim Coyne defended practices of
insurance companies. “If you have flood insurance, they will pay,” he said. Residents barraged Sullivan with questions and
accusations when he tried to explain the complex waterworks system that
exists between Devol and Sawdy Ponds, South and North Watuppa, and the
Quequechan River. “The fact of the matter is we can effectively lower South
Watuppa only about one inch per day, and that’s if there is no additional
precipitation falling,” Sullivan said. “Every one inch of rain that falls
adds three inches to the level of South Watuppa.” “It’s not like a bathtub,” Sullivan said. “You just
can’t raise or lower levels at will.” We’re pumping between 50 and 100 million gallons per
day; we’re trying to pump as much as possible,” Sullivan said. “We did all we can do. We added an eight inch board at
the Sawdy Pond dam to stop drainage into South Watuppa, and we had our crews
out twice a day to clear debris from the gates and culverts. The Quequechan
gate has been open since before Christmas.” “We handled the first five inch storm without flooding.
We couldn’t anticipate a month of record rainfall and the seven and one half
inches we got over the last couple of days; and even if we did there are very
few options open to us,” Sullivan said. “We have had 22 inches of rain since
February 24.” “It’s extremely difficult to manage the levels from
season to season; if the water level is too low we get complaints from the
boaters. If it’s too high we have the danger of flooding,” he said. South Watuppa is primarily a recreational pond, and
North Watuppa is the city’s water supply. “We haven’t pumped water from North Watuppa to South
Watuppa for over 30 years,’ Sullivan said in response to a question from the
audience. “We try to maintain South Watuppa’s level at between 18 and 24
inches below maximum level.” “We have no estimate on how fast South Watuppa waters
will recede,” Sullivan said. “We just don’t know. We’re doing everything
possible. It’s going to take time.” “Current conditions are at historic levels. South
Watuppa is above any level we have seen,” Sullivan said. “FEMA will
reevaluate this disastrous situation and make recommendations.” Exploding
toilets and houses. One Fall River homeowner told of her downstairs toilet
exploding, filling her newly-renovated lower level with 30 inches of raw
sewage. “What do I do now,” she said. “Will FEMA take care of this?”
Left: FEMA Deputy Director G. Fred Vanderschmidt handled the
bulk of the residents’ concerns. “Call us now. Get in the queue as quickly as
possible,” he advised. Right: South
Watuppa resident Ron Assad, who lost his home to flooding, spoke his mind and
asked the tough questions. A Westport resident who lives on South Watuppa said
their dock was destroyed by the flooding. “Does FEMA reimburse us for this
damage?” “Unique circumstances make each home owner’s situation different,”
FEMA’s Vanderschmidt said. “If you need assistance call 1 (800) 621-FEMA, or
dial 211 for the state hotline. Get us involved in your application process as
quickly as possible.” Unfortunately, only some of the flood victims carried
flood insurance. Residents without flood insurance were asking what was going
to be done for them. Area officials were critical of the
insurance companies. “Insurance companies are doing less
than they can and less than they should to help people slammed by the storm,”
Mayor William Flanagan said. Westport insurance agency owner Jim Coyne took exception
to the remark saying “If you have flood insurance the companies will pay; if
you don’t they don’t pay. It’s that simple.” FEMA Deputy Director Fred Vanderschmidt explained that
FEMA’s role is first to get flood victims “safe, warm and dry” in response to
many questions on reimbursement and housing. “Unique circumstances make each home owner’s situation
different,” Vanderschmidt said. “If you need assistance call 1 (800) 621-FEMA, or dial 211 for the
state hotline. Get us involved in your application process as quickly as
possible.” The FEMA Web address is www.disasterassistance.gov. “Most people will be eligible for reimbursement because of
the disaster declaration,” said Rodrigues. “But what FEMA tells us is that
people need to document, document, document everything, right now. Take
pictures.” “Calling and registering with FEMA is the most important thing you can
do,” Vanderschmidt said. Call 1 (800) 621-FEMA. Flood insurance doesn’t cover living expenses.
Vanderschmidt recommended living with family or relatives, or friends who are
sympathetic. “You are responsible for your own trailers and rental
resources,” he said. “Please be sure to review your community’s water,
electrical and sewerage requirements before moving a trailer onto your
property.” Vanderschmidt encouraged residents to
call the Small Business Administration (SBA) as they may be able to offer
low-interest loans to property owners to repair damage. “This may be the only
recourse for those of you with no flood insurance,” he said. Ron Assad has lived on Borden
Street on the shore of South Watuppa Pond for 60 years. He is angry over what
he perceives to be a lack of effort on Fall River’s part to fix the out-dated
and partially sediment-blocked culverts he’s been complaining about for
years. “It’s all about the money,” he said. He feels if this problem was
taken care of, the flooding that destroyed his property wouldn’t have
occurred. Sullivan acknowledged the clogged conduits. “It’s between
$500,000 to $600,000 to remove that sediment,” he said. “We don’t have the
money. However, if those pipes were clear it would only contribute only about
an inch a day additional relief to the pond’s level,” he added. Assad had watched his family slosh through the 18 inches
of water in the flooded house. “My wife got out of bed Tuesday morning and
stepped into knee-deep water” he said.
Left: Massachusetts’s Secretary of Public Safety and Security, Mary
Heffernan, was dismayed about the National Guard’s performance. Right:
the panel of 12 federal, state and local officials listened to the distressed
residents’ voice their concerns. National Guard slammed. Area residents and local safety
officials slammed the National Guard for a lack of preparedness and minimal
assistance, despite 15 guardsmen and six vehicles on-site in Westport. Massachusetts’s Secretary of Public Safety
and Security, Mary Heffernan of Governor Patrick Devol’s office, after saying
“we’re here to help” was surprised by the complaints. The Westport Fire Department was
great said one resident whose house literally exploded due to the water’s
hydraulic pressure, and immediately condemned. “But the guardsmen had no
boots, few sandbags, and watched us struggle to save our house.” “The Guard was pulled out after three
hours and redeployed to Freetown where apparently they were needed,” said
Westport Fire Chief Legendre. Heffernan, was dismayed about the
Guard’s performance, and promised to look into it upon her return to Boston.
“I can promise you this is not how they usually operate.” Environmental Police to patrol South Watuppa. Captain Roberts of the Massachusetts
Environmental Police promised day-time patrolling of South Watuppa to curb
vandalism and looting. Several kayakers were reported in the area taking
their boats right up to flooded houses. “We’re very concerned,” said one
Westport resident. “We can’t protect our property if we’re not there.” State Rep. Rodrigues said “that we’ll
keep motor-powered craft of the water to avoid further property damage due to
wakes. As of today no craft will be allowed on South Watuppa for the near
future.” “Westport police will patrol unsafe
areas and uninhabited homes,” Rodrigues said. STRANDED:
Westport officials frustrated by lack of communication. Click
here to read more. Westport officials said they were not invited to a meeting
on Thursday, and that the town was left out when U.S. Reps. Barney Frank and
James McGovern toured the area. “They deserved to see the full picture,”
Westport town administrator Michael Coughlin said. Coughlin said he was disappointed that Fall River
officials didn’t contact Westport about flooding on the banks of the two
ponds the town’s share (far more Westport residents live on South Watuppa
than North). “To this date,” the administrator said Friday, “we’ve had no
formal communication from the Fall River Water Department.” “It’s all about the city,” said Brian Legendre, the town’s
fire chief and emergency management director. Click
here to read more.
Left: Westport Town Administrator Michael Coughlin (second
from left) promises to rein in Westport Conservation Commission requirements
for property repairs “since we are in a state of emergency.” He encouraged affected Westport residents
to attend this coming Monday night’s selectmen’s meeting. Right:
State Rep. Rodrigues (second from left) did a yeoman’s job hastily organizing
and chairing the meeting, and getting all the right officials to be there. Sullivan said there are no guarantees that future flooding
wouldn’t occur. “We’re at the mercy of the weather,” he said. “Another severe
storm and we’re back in the same situation.” Mayor Flannigan of Fall River said “we’re not here to
finger point and cast blame” to the uneasy property owners and renters. “We
have had other disasters; we’ll overcome this disaster too.” Perry Long, the Mayor’s Neighborhood Outreach
Coordinator, was on hand to work with Fall River residents in need. “Water control issues will go forward,” State Rep
Rodrigues said. “Today we need to help people and get them assistance. We
will work together. Let’s fix the problem and then fix the blame,” he said.
Aerial photograph highlighting the Quequechan River’s
course to the Taunton River. Attending Friday’s meeting with area residents were:
Fall River Mayor Will Flannigan; state representatives Michael Rodrigues and
David Sullivan; FEMA Deputy Director, G. Fred Vanderschmidt; MEMA Region II
Manager, James Mannion; Massachusetts’s
Secretary of Public Safety and Security, Mary Heffernan; Fall
River’s Administrator of Community Utilities, Terry Sullivan; Director of the Water Department of Fall
River, John Friar; Captain Roberts of the Massachusetts Environmental Police;
Westport Town Administrator Michael Coughlin; Westport Fire
Chief / Emergency Management Director Brian Legendre, Westport
Selectmen Steven Ouellette and Brian Valcourt; and the Fall River
Mayor’s Neighborhood Outreach Coordinator, Perry Long. - - - - - End - - - - - © 2010 Community Events
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