water damage restoration contractor
water damage restoration contractor |
| Posted: 30 Mar 2019 06:02 PM PDT As the water from the catastrophic floods finally begins to recede, the financial, emotional and physical toll on impacted individuals and communities has revealed itself in a startling and heartbreaking way. We're blessed to live in a country where, without fail, these incidents bring out the best in people. We've seen and heard countless stories over the past weeks about people demonstrating incredible kindness and generosity — inspiring examples of what it means to be a good neighbor and to be our brother's keeper. Unfortunately, these events also bring out people who choose to take advantage of the survivors. Whether it's a hurricane, a flood, a hailstorm or a tornado, local BBBs across the country can count on receiving loads of complaints about contractors who have traveled from out of state to a disaster area in an attempt to take advantage of very vulnerable consumers. All too often, some of the first people on the scene are the last people you want around. Traveling contractors, sometimes referred to as "storm chasers," use high-pressure tactics and often require upfront payments. Although not all travelers are problematic, doing business with repair firms that are not from our area should be done cautiously. BBB certainly sees its fair share of really bad actors that request upfront payments and don't start or complete projects, but the lion's share of complaints related to these firms stem from issues that emerge after repairs have been made. Year after year, consumers report that the contractors they hired and who promised they would be available for warranty work are nowhere to be found. And why would they be? Sticking around to take care of customers just doesn't fit into their business model. That's why all of our alerts and warnings implore victims to use local, well-established firms for repairs if possible. There are legitimate and reputable repair and restoration firms that travel the country responding to disasters such as the one we are experiencing. As long as they are transparent about the nature of their business, and flood victims are able to determine the firm has a solid track record with BBB and is properly licensed and insured, they may be a viable option to consider. Sign up for the Building Omaha newsletterGet the latest development, jobs and retail news from the desk of business editor Brad Davis, delivered straight to your inbox every Monday morning. It's astonishing how quickly these itinerant repair contractors can mobilize once they've gotten wind of a disaster. This has always been a source of heartburn for our team at the BBB, and the ability to get our warnings about traveling repair firms into the hands of victims before they arrive has been on our wish list for years. Several years ago, we were having a discussion with our friends at the Red Cross about how their volunteers might be able to assist us in distributing BBB tips on managing repairs to disaster survivors, because their organization is often first on the scene. They graciously introduced us to a remarkable group called VOAD, which stands for Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. This group was founded more than 40 years ago in response to the challenges many disaster organizations experienced following Hurricane Camille, a Category 5 storm that hit the Gulf Coast in August 1969. Up until that time, numerous governmental, private-sector and nonprofit organizations served disaster survivors independently. As a result, help came to the survivors haphazardly. Unnecessary duplication of effort often occurred, and access to information on services available to survivors during disasters was woefully inadequate. Likewise, communication among voluntary disaster agencies and coordination of services were negligible. In fact, mechanisms for this were nonexistent. In 1970, seven national disaster response organizations convened for the first time to find a way to better coordinate responses and more effectively serve disaster survivors and their communities. As a result, National VOAD was formed as a forum for sharing knowledge and coordinating resources — money, materials and manpower. There are now VOADs in all 50 states, and I'm proud to say that our BBB is partnered with the Nebraska chapter. When we sat down to talk to the Nebraska VOAD group about our concerns regarding the predators that take advantage of home and business owners with damaged property, they had only one question for us: How can BBB help? With VOAD's assistance, the BBB has developed a booklet that VOAD volunteers have agreed to distribute that will help survivors of disasters rebuild their homes, businesses, towns and lives without the fear of being scammed. The booklet, "ReBUILD with TRUST," provides vital information about how to hire contractors, how to manage insurance claims and disputes and how to check on charitable organizations before accepting aid or making donations. It provides detailed warnings that should prevent victims from falling prey to disreputable contractors and specifies the qualities of trustworthy businesses by educating victims on BBB's Standards for Trust. Trust takes years to build and it can be lost in a minute. These standards summarize the important elements of a good business. Let me end with the largest possible shout out to everyone involved in the extraordinary response to this disaster. Thank you for all that you've done to render aid to those whose lives have been turned upside down without warning. You know who you are, and you are our heroes. Jim Hegarty is the president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Nebraska, South Dakota, the Kansas Plains and southwest Iowa. Floods devastate Nebraska, Iowa in March 2019 A list of ways to help in the aftermath of the widespread flooding in Nebraska and Iowa.  By itself, the 'bombogenesis' would not have dealt Nebraska such a crippling blow. Our harsh winter set the stage. When the two combined, they produced Nebraska's worst flooding in 50 years and worst blizzard in nearly as many years.  After a Facebook plea for help, volunteers show up to save rare San Clemente Island goats from a farm near Gretna.  Nebraskans in nine counties who have been impacted by the recent flooding can now apply for assistance from the state and federal government.  The first Sunday after the flood, with the basement still stinking and roads outside submerged, Pastor Carl Ratcliff preached from a couch, streaming it to church members via Facebook Live. Last Sunday, after the basement had been scrubbed and sanitized by volunteers, he knew it was time to return.  Vehicles from across the United States are converging on Nebraska, filled with hay, livestock feed, food and household goods.  The refuge will remain closed until engineers are able to assess the damage. "We have not had to evacuate the visitor center or our headquarters building. The only significant damage has been to our roads," says Tom Cox, director of the refuge.  We compiled stories about some unsung heroes who helped out in the aftermath of the recent flooding.  The #NebraskaStrong drive was hosted by the Nebraska Broadcasters in partnership with the American Red Cross.  Some homeowners may have to wait weeks or months for help.  Just over 8,500 Nebraskans, and a similar number of Iowans, have flood insurance policies. That's a fraction of the people whose property the flooding has struck. And more could be damaged still as the flood threat lingers.  Conditions continue to indicate Nebraska has not seen the last of flooding, starting with forecasts for this weekend calling for up to an inch of rain Friday into Saturday across portions of Nebraska.  The fridge was packed full of Bud Light and Busch Light, and even the ice maker was still full.  It's not that the Omaha area didn't see its share of the record-setting floodwater that turned neighboring towns to islands and caused, so far, hundreds of millions in damage. It's that Omaha was able to withstand it.  In the before-and-after visuals below, using imagery from the EU's Sentinel-2 satellite, you can see whole Nebraska towns fall victim to the floods.  Beer giant Anheuser-Busch is sending more than 100,000 cans of emergency drinking water to Nebraska communities affected by the historic flooding.  Larry the Cable Guy is helping out those affected by the recent floods. All of his proceeds from his concert Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena will be donated to the Red Cross for disaster relief in Nebraska, he said on Twitter.  From the banks of the Platte River, the Otoe Indians gave the wide, meandering waterway a name: Nebrathka. Roughly translated: flat water.  People who populate the towns and small lake communities along the Platte River west and south of Omaha were taking stock of their homes and futures this week. Some of the properties are second homes or summer getaways, but just as many are full-time residences, from small mobile homes to comfortable villas.  "I think farmers are putting their best foot forward even though damage is probably worse than they're saying," one industry source said.  The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency has posted estimates of monetary damages from flooding and recent storms across the state.  Steve Nelson, president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau, estimated that there will be $400 million to $500 million in livestock losses and about $400 million in crop losses because spring planting will be delayed or canceled.  Levees along some 210 miles of the Missouri River from Bellevue, Nebraska, to Leavenworth, Kansas, have failed or are at risk of failing, according to the Army Corps of Engineers.  "People leave their dogs in my care and I give them my word that these dogs are going to be safe," said the owner of a pet motel. On Thursday, two boats had capsized in the high winds and raging waters east of Fremont during an attempted rescue of a family that had called for help.  After drenching rains Tuesday and heavy snow on Wednesday, Gibbon's low spots became apparent, first as water filled streets to the curb, and later on Thursday and Friday as the water spilled into lawns and driveways before lapping at foundations. "I've never seen so much water, or the force and damage it can do in a short time," firefighter Jamey Rome said.  As floodwaters in some areas began to level out or slowly recede, the reality set in that cleanup and reconstruction efforts would stretch months — or longer.  Thirty buildings, including the 55th Wing headquarters and the two major aircraft maintenance facilities, had been flooded with up to 8 feet of water, and 30 more structures damaged. About 3,000 feet of the base's 11,700-foot runway was submerged. No one, though, had been injured.  In areas like Boyd County and Glenwood, water shortages and boil-water orders could last for weeks as critical water and sewer infrastructure is repaired.  Rescuers were unable to get to Betty Hamernik because of the fast current, high waves and wind gusts of 60 mph, according to the Platte County Sheriff's Office.  The devastation in this recreation-based community of 370 was a testament to the pummeling power of Mother Nature when huge chunks of winter ice are propelled by an estimated 11-foot wall of water. In that way, it was a different scene than many others across flood-ravaged Nebraska.  Work to improve the levee system has been in the planning or construction stages almost from the time the Missouri River dropped below flood stage in the fall of 2011.  When Lisa Lemus was about to close the door to her house in the Paradise Lakes neighborhood, the "backyard of Offutt Air Force Base," she knew that everything she was leaving behind would be destroyed.  A pickup driver drove around a barricade at Skyline Drive and West Dodge Road about 10:45 p.m. into high floodwaters and stalled, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said.  When the Elkhorn River marooned the city on one side and the Platte cut off access, the people of Fremont were all in the same position of being stuck. And they were of a united spirit in wanting to do something about that.  Both Ricketts and U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, whose own Fremont-area home was taking in water, said they had been in contact with President Donald Trump in the past 24 hours. Sasse said he had also spoken to Vice President Mike Pence.  On Saturday, high-rail vehicles provided by Union Pacific Railroad, which traveled along U.P. tracks, transported evacuees to a shelter at Elkhorn Middle School.  Gov. Pete Ricketts toured the Platte and Loup Rivers by helicopter with the Nebraska National Guard and after a short stop in Norfolk, planned to survey the Elkhorn River.  That reality hit home here on Friday as Fremont residents and visitors alike became stranded. In every direction, roads out of town were blocked by floodwaters. Fremont, a town of 26,000, was surrounded.  CJ Cunningham knew things were getting bad when the water was about ankle or knee deep around 1 a.m. Friday, so he took his family as high as he could get them. "We got up on that roof," Cunningham said. Then he called for help.  Rescuers worked through life-threatening conditions overnight to pull hundreds of people from homes encircled by floodwaters — and more work lies ahead.  Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and Nebraska Speaker Jim Scheer, while surveying storm damage in the state, stopped at the Norfolk airport Friday …  Historic flooding in Nebraska and Iowa has claimed at least one life, flooded an unknown number of towns and cut off communities — and the worst could still be ahead.  Seven people were taken to the hospital apparently suffering from hypothermia, at least one in critical condition, according to 911 dispatch reports.  Late Thursday afternoon, the searchers were still finding people holed up in homes surrounded by at least a couple of feet of brown water.  After the Spencer Dam on the Niobrara River was compromised, water washed out a road, a tavern and more, and inundated pastures and livestock pens.  Flooding is causing extensive damage across Nebraska and Iowa on Thursday.  Nebraskans are nervously scanning the skies and checking their basements for water creeping in as forecasters and home contractors warn of flooding that could do some damage.  Hay is going out to help farmers and ranchers as quickly as people donate it.  An official with the state office of the Farm Services Agency said Monday that because of earlier livestock losses from below-zero temperatures and wet animals, the agency has asked the federal government to add another 30 days to the period in which livestock deaths can be covered by federal aid.  The 2 inches of rain that fell on the frozen Niobrara earlier this month sparked more than just flooding. On a long stretch of the river, chunks of ice had nowhere to go but up and across land.  In the 47 years that Mike Kaminski's dad, Darrell, has lived on the family's farm along the west side of the Middle Loup River south of Loup City, an area of sandy hills 6 to 8 feet high along the river never had flooded. Not when heavy, wet snow melted. Not when 5 to 6 inches of rain fell. Not until this month.  The two, ages 27 and 59, were found dragging 40-foot roofing trusses from a wooded area near 252nd and State Streets.  What is perhaps Omaha's greatest vulnerability lies in a potential flash flooding event caused by widespread, heavy rain in the Papillion Creek Basin, according to officials with the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District.  The Salvation Army, American Red Cross, United Way and more all have ways in which you can help those affected by the flooding.  Sherman County farmer-cattleman Richard Panowicz knows nothing will ever be the same after this month's winter cyclone triggered a flood on the Middle Loup River less than a half-mile from his back door.  The National Weather Service says rain storms expected later this week could lead to another crest along the Missouri River and its tributaries  Tax relief is available to some of those affected by the historic storm and flooding that occurred this month.  The State of Nebraska released some numbers Sunday to help quantify the recent flooding and blizzard in the state.  "They come in overwhelmed by what they have lost at home, and some of them begin to cry," said volunteer Sabrina Ayala. "Then they see all the volunteers and the support. They are amazed. I've heard 'Thank you' so many times this week."  |
| BBB: Beware of 'storm chasers' when contracting for flood repairs - Omaha World-Herald Posted: 26 Mar 2019 10:50 AM PDT As the water from the catastrophic floods finally begins to recede, the financial, emotional and physical toll on impacted individuals and communities has revealed itself in a startling and heartbreaking way. We're blessed to live in a country where, without fail, these incidents bring out the best in people. We've seen and heard countless stories over the past weeks about people demonstrating incredible kindness and generosity — inspiring examples of what it means to be a good neighbor and to be our brother's keeper. Unfortunately, these events also bring out people who choose to take advantage of the survivors. Whether it's a hurricane, a flood, a hailstorm or a tornado, local BBBs across the country can count on receiving loads of complaints about contractors who have traveled from out of state to a disaster area in an attempt to take advantage of very vulnerable consumers. All too often, some of the first people on the scene are the last people you want around. Traveling contractors, sometimes referred to as "storm chasers," use high-pressure tactics and often require upfront payments. Although not all travelers are problematic, doing business with repair firms that are not from our area should be done cautiously. BBB certainly sees its fair share of really bad actors that request upfront payments and don't start or complete projects, but the lion's share of complaints related to these firms stem from issues that emerge after repairs have been made. Year after year, consumers report that the contractors they hired and who promised they would be available for warranty work are nowhere to be found. And why would they be? Sticking around to take care of customers just doesn't fit into their business model. That's why all of our alerts and warnings implore victims to use local, well-established firms for repairs if possible. There are legitimate and reputable repair and restoration firms that travel the country responding to disasters such as the one we are experiencing. As long as they are transparent about the nature of their business, and flood victims are able to determine the firm has a solid track record with BBB and is properly licensed and insured, they may be a viable option to consider. Sign up for the Building Omaha newsletterGet the latest development, jobs and retail news from the desk of business editor Brad Davis, delivered straight to your inbox every Monday morning. It's astonishing how quickly these itinerant repair contractors can mobilize once they've gotten wind of a disaster. This has always been a source of heartburn for our team at the BBB, and the ability to get our warnings about traveling repair firms into the hands of victims before they arrive has been on our wish list for years. Several years ago, we were having a discussion with our friends at the Red Cross about how their volunteers might be able to assist us in distributing BBB tips on managing repairs to disaster survivors, because their organization is often first on the scene. They graciously introduced us to a remarkable group called VOAD, which stands for Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. This group was founded more than 40 years ago in response to the challenges many disaster organizations experienced following Hurricane Camille, a Category 5 storm that hit the Gulf Coast in August 1969. Up until that time, numerous governmental, private-sector and nonprofit organizations served disaster survivors independently. As a result, help came to the survivors haphazardly. Unnecessary duplication of effort often occurred, and access to information on services available to survivors during disasters was woefully inadequate. Likewise, communication among voluntary disaster agencies and coordination of services were negligible. In fact, mechanisms for this were nonexistent. In 1970, seven national disaster response organizations convened for the first time to find a way to better coordinate responses and more effectively serve disaster survivors and their communities. As a result, National VOAD was formed as a forum for sharing knowledge and coordinating resources — money, materials and manpower. There are now VOADs in all 50 states, and I'm proud to say that our BBB is partnered with the Nebraska chapter. When we sat down to talk to the Nebraska VOAD group about our concerns regarding the predators that take advantage of home and business owners with damaged property, they had only one question for us: How can BBB help? With VOAD's assistance, the BBB has developed a booklet that VOAD volunteers have agreed to distribute that will help survivors of disasters rebuild their homes, businesses, towns and lives without the fear of being scammed. The booklet, "ReBUILD with TRUST," provides vital information about how to hire contractors, how to manage insurance claims and disputes and how to check on charitable organizations before accepting aid or making donations. It provides detailed warnings that should prevent victims from falling prey to disreputable contractors and specifies the qualities of trustworthy businesses by educating victims on BBB's Standards for Trust. Trust takes years to build and it can be lost in a minute. These standards summarize the important elements of a good business. Let me end with the largest possible shout out to everyone involved in the extraordinary response to this disaster. Thank you for all that you've done to render aid to those whose lives have been turned upside down without warning. You know who you are, and you are our heroes. Jim Hegarty is the president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Nebraska, South Dakota, the Kansas Plains and southwest Iowa. Floods devastate Nebraska, Iowa in March 2019A list of ways to help in the aftermath of the widespread flooding in Nebraska and Iowa. By itself, the 'bombogenesis' would not have dealt Nebraska such a crippling blow. Our harsh winter set the stage. When the two combined, they produced Nebraska's worst flooding in 50 years and worst blizzard in nearly as many years. After a Facebook plea for help, volunteers show up to save rare San Clemente Island goats from a farm near Gretna. Nebraskans in nine counties who have been impacted by the recent flooding can now apply for assistance from the state and federal government. The first Sunday after the flood, with the basement still stinking and roads outside submerged, Pastor Carl Ratcliff preached from a couch, streaming it to church members via Facebook Live. Last Sunday, after the basement had been scrubbed and sanitized by volunteers, he knew it was time to return. Vehicles from across the United States are converging on Nebraska, filled with hay, livestock feed, food and household goods. The refuge will remain closed until engineers are able to assess the damage. "We have not had to evacuate the visitor center or our headquarters building. The only significant damage has been to our roads," says Tom Cox, director of the refuge. We compiled stories about some unsung heroes who helped out in the aftermath of the recent flooding. The #NebraskaStrong drive was hosted by the Nebraska Broadcasters in partnership with the American Red Cross. Some homeowners may have to wait weeks or months for help. Just over 8,500 Nebraskans, and a similar number of Iowans, have flood insurance policies. That's a fraction of the people whose property the flooding has struck. And more could be damaged still as the flood threat lingers. Conditions continue to indicate Nebraska has not seen the last of flooding, starting with forecasts for this weekend calling for up to an inch of rain Friday into Saturday across portions of Nebraska. The fridge was packed full of Bud Light and Busch Light, and even the ice maker was still full. It's not that the Omaha area didn't see its share of the record-setting floodwater that turned neighboring towns to islands and caused, so far, hundreds of millions in damage. It's that Omaha was able to withstand it. In the before-and-after visuals below, using imagery from the EU's Sentinel-2 satellite, you can see whole Nebraska towns fall victim to the floods. Beer giant Anheuser-Busch is sending more than 100,000 cans of emergency drinking water to Nebraska communities affected by the historic flooding. Larry the Cable Guy is helping out those affected by the recent floods. All of his proceeds from his concert Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena will be donated to the Red Cross for disaster relief in Nebraska, he said on Twitter. From the banks of the Platte River, the Otoe Indians gave the wide, meandering waterway a name: Nebrathka. Roughly translated: flat water. People who populate the towns and small lake communities along the Platte River west and south of Omaha were taking stock of their homes and futures this week. Some of the properties are second homes or summer getaways, but just as many are full-time residences, from small mobile homes to comfortable villas. "I think farmers are putting their best foot forward even though damage is probably worse than they're saying," one industry source said. The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency has posted estimates of monetary damages from flooding and recent storms across the state. Steve Nelson, president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau, estimated that there will be $400 million to $500 million in livestock losses and about $400 million in crop losses because spring planting will be delayed or canceled. Levees along some 210 miles of the Missouri River from Bellevue, Nebraska, to Leavenworth, Kansas, have failed or are at risk of failing, according to the Army Corps of Engineers. "People leave their dogs in my care and I give them my word that these dogs are going to be safe," said the owner of a pet motel. On Thursday, two boats had capsized in the high winds and raging waters east of Fremont during an attempted rescue of a family that had called for help. After drenching rains Tuesday and heavy snow on Wednesday, Gibbon's low spots became apparent, first as water filled streets to the curb, and later on Thursday and Friday as the water spilled into lawns and driveways before lapping at foundations. "I've never seen so much water, or the force and damage it can do in a short time," firefighter Jamey Rome said. As floodwaters in some areas began to level out or slowly recede, the reality set in that cleanup and reconstruction efforts would stretch months — or longer. Thirty buildings, including the 55th Wing headquarters and the two major aircraft maintenance facilities, had been flooded with up to 8 feet of water, and 30 more structures damaged. About 3,000 feet of the base's 11,700-foot runway was submerged. No one, though, had been injured. In areas like Boyd County and Glenwood, water shortages and boil-water orders could last for weeks as critical water and sewer infrastructure is repaired. Rescuers were unable to get to Betty Hamernik because of the fast current, high waves and wind gusts of 60 mph, according to the Platte County Sheriff's Office. The devastation in this recreation-based community of 370 was a testament to the pummeling power of Mother Nature when huge chunks of winter ice are propelled by an estimated 11-foot wall of water. In that way, it was a different scene than many others across flood-ravaged Nebraska. Work to improve the levee system has been in the planning or construction stages almost from the time the Missouri River dropped below flood stage in the fall of 2011. When Lisa Lemus was about to close the door to her house in the Paradise Lakes neighborhood, the "backyard of Offutt Air Force Base," she knew that everything she was leaving behind would be destroyed. A pickup driver drove around a barricade at Skyline Drive and West Dodge Road about 10:45 p.m. into high floodwaters and stalled, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said. When the Elkhorn River marooned the city on one side and the Platte cut off access, the people of Fremont were all in the same position of being stuck. And they were of a united spirit in wanting to do something about that. Both Ricketts and U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, whose own Fremont-area home was taking in water, said they had been in contact with President Donald Trump in the past 24 hours. Sasse said he had also spoken to Vice President Mike Pence. On Saturday, high-rail vehicles provided by Union Pacific Railroad, which traveled along U.P. tracks, transported evacuees to a shelter at Elkhorn Middle School. Gov. Pete Ricketts toured the Platte and Loup Rivers by helicopter with the Nebraska National Guard and after a short stop in Norfolk, planned to survey the Elkhorn River. That reality hit home here on Friday as Fremont residents and visitors alike became stranded. In every direction, roads out of town were blocked by floodwaters. Fremont, a town of 26,000, was surrounded. CJ Cunningham knew things were getting bad when the water was about ankle or knee deep around 1 a.m. Friday, so he took his family as high as he could get them. "We got up on that roof," Cunningham said. Then he called for help. Rescuers worked through life-threatening conditions overnight to pull hundreds of people from homes encircled by floodwaters — and more work lies ahead. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and Nebraska Speaker Jim Scheer, while surveying storm damage in the state, stopped at the Norfolk airport Friday … Historic flooding in Nebraska and Iowa has claimed at least one life, flooded an unknown number of towns and cut off communities — and the worst could still be ahead. Seven people were taken to the hospital apparently suffering from hypothermia, at least one in critical condition, according to 911 dispatch reports. Late Thursday afternoon, the searchers were still finding people holed up in homes surrounded by at least a couple of feet of brown water. After the Spencer Dam on the Niobrara River was compromised, water washed out a road, a tavern and more, and inundated pastures and livestock pens. Flooding is causing extensive damage across Nebraska and Iowa on Thursday. Nebraskans are nervously scanning the skies and checking their basements for water creeping in as forecasters and home contractors warn of flooding that could do some damage. Hay is going out to help farmers and ranchers as quickly as people donate it. An official with the state office of the Farm Services Agency said Monday that because of earlier livestock losses from below-zero temperatures and wet animals, the agency has asked the federal government to add another 30 days to the period in which livestock deaths can be covered by federal aid. The 2 inches of rain that fell on the frozen Niobrara earlier this month sparked more than just flooding. On a long stretch of the river, chunks of ice had nowhere to go but up and across land. In the 47 years that Mike Kaminski's dad, Darrell, has lived on the family's farm along the west side of the Middle Loup River south of Loup City, an area of sandy hills 6 to 8 feet high along the river never had flooded. Not when heavy, wet snow melted. Not when 5 to 6 inches of rain fell. Not until this month. The two, ages 27 and 59, were found dragging 40-foot roofing trusses from a wooded area near 252nd and State Streets. What is perhaps Omaha's greatest vulnerability lies in a potential flash flooding event caused by widespread, heavy rain in the Papillion Creek Basin, according to officials with the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District. The Salvation Army, American Red Cross, United Way and more all have ways in which you can help those affected by the flooding. Sherman County farmer-cattleman Richard Panowicz knows nothing will ever be the same after this month's winter cyclone triggered a flood on the Middle Loup River less than a half-mile from his back door. The National Weather Service says rain storms expected later this week could lead to another crest along the Missouri River and its tributaries Tax relief is available to some of those affected by the historic storm and flooding that occurred this month. The State of Nebraska released some numbers Sunday to help quantify the recent flooding and blizzard in the state. "They come in overwhelmed by what they have lost at home, and some of them begin to cry," said volunteer Sabrina Ayala. "Then they see all the volunteers and the support. They are amazed. I've heard 'Thank you' so many times this week."  |
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