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Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:13:59 -0600

Photos on Facebook Here are some photos of the flooding on St. Louis Ave. Once the sandbags finally arrived (Monday morning around 2 a.m.), they got dumped in the street, right in front of my property, in effect keeping water from the street in and letting water from the river flow freely back into the street, making things worse for our street. The sandbags obviously needed to be moved. I called the city many times (one helpful 311-employee gave me the number for the Red Cross's HR department...), but to no avail. Many city workers were standing around, while we were asking them for help. Finally some neighbors and I decided to take matters into our own hands and move the sandbags. The street was clear within an hour. First of all, why did it take until Monday 2 a.m. for sandbags to arrive, while other streets were already sandbagged (they took them away yesterday in a matter of minutes, to keep up appearances, maybe?) Second, why did neither 311 nor 911 know anything (the alderman's office was closed on the weekend, after the weekend they were pretty responsive)? Third, why was there was a complete lack of proper communication to the neighborhood and direction to the many city workers? I don't want to diminish the hard work of countless city workers and volunteers (a certain Mark from Evanston came down on his bike to help us on Monday, for example). But there are some big questions to be answered.

Dig

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:28:23 -0600

That's interesting re flood insurance. I know that flood insurance is underwritten by the state based on whether you live in a flood zone, but it's unenforceable unless you have a mortgage on your home. If these folks were not in a flood zone and the damage was not from water backup (assuming they have that coverage) they would totally be screwed. On that note, why don't national or local animal welfare socieities organize themselves to set up foster situations? I would totally sign up, but I don't know anyone who was flooded who also happens to have cats. Do your jobs, people!

Chicagoist: Flood Victims Seek Help As Counties Declared Disaster Areas

1905B

Dig