FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Missouri Severe Weather Preparedness Week kicked off early in Springfield with Sunday night’s signature flash flooding event due to a convective thunderstorm. The National Weather Service issued a flash flooding warning for Springfield-Greene County just before 10 p.m. Sunday until 7 a.m. Monday. The Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) reported significant flash flooding over eastern and central Springfield, with the headwaters of Jordan Creek being impacted the most. OEM has received six damage reports to homes and businesses impacted by this flooding event as of 4 p.m. Monday. While damage costs are not projected to meet the qualifications for FEMA assistance, individuals who report flood damage to OEM at [email protected] can tap into OEM’s volunteer resources for clean-up assistance. Springfield-Greene County 911 Emergency Communications received nearly 70 flooding-related 911 calls from 5 p.m. Sunday until 1 a.m. Monday, according to Director Zim Schwartze. Citizen Resource Center operators had taken more than 50 calls related to the flooding event as of 4 p.m. Monday. The Springfield Fire Department and partner fire agencies performed 48 water rescues in the city limits at a total cost of just over $11,000 to the department in staff time and equipment costs. The Springfield Police Department received 176 calls for service between 6 p.m. Sunday until 2 a.m. Monday. Seventy-eight of those calls were for stalled vehicles, traffic control, assistance requested from other agencies, well-being checks and vehicle accidents related to the flooding. Many roads throughout the metro area became impassable due to the flooding. The intersection of Chestnut Expressway and U.S. 65 saw the highest rainfall amount in the city limits at 6.42 inches. A Public Works crew comprised of about a dozen members began responding to the flood event at 8 p.m. Sunday, working alongside rescue agencies to barricade flooded roads and removing barricades once the water receded. Public Works is working today to clean grates, remove gravel from the roadways that washed up from driveways and shoulders. Several roadways remain closed in Springfield: • Rockaway Street from Cherry Street to Old Orchard Avenue
• Belcrest Avenue from Grand Street to Loren Street
• Villa Rose Avenue from Cherry Street to just north of the S curve
• Glendale Avenue from Seminole Street to Kirkwood Street
• Manchester Street from Glendale Avenue to just west of Clayton Avenue
• Catalpa Street from Marlan Avenue to Barnes Avenue
• Monroe Terrace from Oak Grove Avenue to Old Orchard Avenue
• Cavalier Avenue from Cherry Street to 530 S. Cavalier Avenue. The Cleanwater Services division of the Environmental Services Department received a handful of calls regarding sanitary sewer overflows on streets or on private property. While the City is not able to mitigate overflows as they occur, accurate tracking of the overflows helps the City determine and prioritize locations for sewer system improvements. If you have an overflow to report, please call the Citizen Resource Center at 417-864-1010, visit springfieldmo.gov and click on “Report a Concern” or email [email protected] CLEANING UP The Springfield-Greene County Health Department urges residents to use caution when cleaning up the mess left behind from another bout of local flooding. Floodwater can contain contaminants and unseen hazards. Caution should be exercised with anything touched by floodwater. Below are more specific tips for dealing with food items, furniture and cleaning. Items to toss
• If food items have been in contact with floodwater, discard fresh meat and poultry, prepared and processed foods, home canned foods, packages that are not airtight and foods in paper containers. • Wooden kitchen items.
• Leather or paper products.
• Medicines and cosmetics.
Items that can be saved
• Bedding and other soft items should be washed in hot water with bleach.
• Items that cannot be washed or dry cleaned, such as mattresses and upholstered furniture, should be air dried--ideally in the sun—and then sprayed thoroughly with a disinfectant.
• Take special care with children’s toys, utensils, dishware and other small items.
• Wash with soap and water and then disinfect by immersing for one minute in a solution of four tablespoons of bleach to two gallons of water.
• Pots and pans can be sterilized by boiling them for at least 10 minutes.
• Items that are too large to immerse, or surfaces like walls, decking and doors should be washed with soap and water and then wiped down with a solution of one cup of bleach to one gallon of water. Safety tips
• Wear rubber gloves and rubber boots.
• Use eye protection and a mask while cleaning with bleach solutions.
• Be sure your home or business is well ventilated.
• Never mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaning solutions, as it may create toxic fumes.
• Make sure your tetanus vaccine is up to date. The bacteria that cause tetanus can get into the body through a puncture, cut, or sore of the skin via soil or muddy water. If you need your tetanus shot – it should be updated every 10 years – contact your primary care physician or SGCHD’s Westside Public Health Center at 417-874-1220.
• To avoid electrical shock and damage to items, be sure any electrical appliances that have been in contact with floodwater are thoroughly cleaned, reconditioned and dry before operating them. ### For more information, contact: Cora Scott, Director of Public Information & Civic Engagement, 417-864-1009 (office) | 417-380-3352 (cell), [email protected]