The following is a flood update sent an hour ago (on Saturday, Jan. 2) by the city of Arnold to the Leader:
■ The city of Arnold Emergency Operations Center (EOC) continues to be staffed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
■ The Meramec River floodwater is receding and is currently at 43.7 feet.
■ Operations to give access to displaced residents began today. Community Development staff are conducting preliminary damage assessment inspections to record residences with floodwater damage ranging from light to severe.
■ Inspectors are handing out forms and handouts detailing information for affected residents. They have also generated an entry form to be filled out by residents to gain access into the disaster area.
■ Ameren has been working to restore power to residences showing no visible signs of water damage. Electricity has been restored to approximately 80 percent of the non-affected residences. Residents who request to keep sandbags will be allowed to keep them throughout the wet season. Public Works is requesting that, if possible, homeowners should bring sandbags up to the street/curb so that it will be easier for loading equipment to scoop them up.
■ Command staff, city departments, and all outside agencies/groups have been advised to funnel all flood-related calls to the EOC. This will minimize any duplication in workload or request for service.
■ The Humane Society took in three more animals: one dog and two cats, raising the total to 63 animals sheltered with two being returned to their owners. The Humane Society conducted a water rescue on Babbs Lane, rescuing four cats using two boat teams. The Humane Society is providing an after-hours, on-call service should it be needed. These service calls should go through the EOC.
■ Inspectors will be pairing with U.S. Coast Guard boat crews to check on residences that are currently inaccessible. Rock Community Fire Protection District will have support available nearby should the operation run into issues.
■ Many local companies have reached out to assist flood victims by donating supplies. The Parks and Recreation Department is coordinating bulk distribution. It is expected that these supplies will be ready for handout starting at 8 a.m. Monday morning and will continue to be handed out until 5 p.m. Convoy of e out of Springfield will assist in bulk distribution.
Rick Skinner from United Way will have a reception center open to help displaced and affected residents. Crews will be on standby who are ready to enter the flood areas once it is deemed safe. The National Guard liaison officer informed staff that there are more soldiers on standby who are ready to assist. Soldiers have been dispatched into the various disaster areas and are tasked with vetting residents who are entering and exiting the area.
■ Sixteen dumpsters are ready to be dropped tomorrow. These dumpsters will be replaced on an as-needed basis throughout recovery.
Early indicators are that the once-submerged streets are not very bad, so the cleanup of the streets should go quickly. However, there is the potential for ice, which could cause issues.
■ EMS calls have returned to normal with a slight increase in vehicle accidents that are being attributed to drivers driving on unfamiliar roads while being rerouted around flooded streets in the area.
EMS has received an overwhelming amount of citizen support during this time, which they appreciate greatly. Staff reports that they have enough extra help and have been receiving many calls from supporters offering assistance to everyone affected.
EMS has thanked Arnold EOC for its efforts during this disaster.
■ Ameren reports that it has many handouts for disaster victims covering topics such as generator safety and financial help related to insurance issues. Ameren asked for security to keep people away from their trucks – the press also – as workers restore power to residences in the disaster area.