Persistent Rainfall Brings Flooding to Basements, Roadways
DSCN8392 Kittanning volunteer firefighters (pictured here along 5th Avenue) were just some of the many local companies that assisted Ford City firefighters pump out flooded basements Tuesday evening.
by Jonathan Weaver
For most of Tuesday evening, local police and fire crews raced from basement to basement in an attempt to rid homes of rising flood waters.
County Public Safety Director Randy Brozenick (and also South Buffalo Township Fire Chief) estimated that most flooding calls Tuesday night were in the Ford City/Manorville area. With the rain coincidentally occurring during South Buffalo’s work night, firefighters prepped all of their water pumps.
Kittanning, Ford Cliff and South Buffalo firefighters were among those that assisted with Ford City firefighters to pump water out of basements.
South Buffalo’s first call for assistance was in Cadogan.
“As soon as this rain diminishes a little bit, (the water) will start going down on its own,” Brozenick said. “We pumped out as much as we could, but some (houses) still have water coming in through the walls.
“Until this rain stops, it’s going to continue. Hopefully (Wednesday) we’ll get some relief.”
While Brozenick said most homeowners were safe, the Cadogan homeowner was rumored to have suffered a heart attack while trying to clear out water and had to be transported to the hospital.
Ford Cliff Fire Chief Bill Goodman said his volunteers responded to calls for about four hours.
“We were real busy probably from 6 o’clock until probably about (10:10PM),” Chief Goodman said. “We pumped out several houses in Ford Cliff and then we assisted Ford City Borough.
“We had one (house) in Ford Cliff Borough that had about six feet of water in it.”
After electric and gas officials also responded, those residents went to stay with family overnight. Fire fighters left the pump on-scene in case the water rose.
Brozenick praised all of Tuesday’s volunteers.
“All the volunteers do a good job in getting out there and doing what they can,” Brozenick said.
Notably, Rayburn Township crews also responded to reports of severe flooding at the Orphans of the Storm animal shelter along Route 85 - less than a mile after debris scattered along Clearfield Pike.
Dayton firefighters also responded this morning to flooding at the local water treatment plant.
Local News | jweaver September 30, 2015
By Just sayin, September 30, 2015 @ 7:55 PM
Thanks to all the firefighters. It takes a special kind of person to become a firefighter, especially a volunteer firefighter!
God bless you all.