Residents still recovering a week after historic flooding
Milwaukee residents work to clean and recover one week after historic flooding devastated the area.
By Duke Carter
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MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (WISN) — Debris continues to pile up near 19th and Fairmount in Milwaukee, as residents work to clean and recover one week after historic flooding devastated the area.
“We just trying to get it together, man, that’s the only thing we can do is clean out and restart,” said Christopher Phiniesee, one of the many whose basements were flooded. He is still removing destroyed items, including brand-new appliances.
“We lost a lot of stuff. Brand-new washer, brand-new dryer, refrigerator downstairs. Like I said, all this stuff was downstairs. Like, we lost everything, man,” he said. “I got a pressure, pressure washer where I’m cleaning out the basement, getting all the stuff from off the floor and everything.”
Others, like Carol Toris, are waiting for help.
“We haven’t been able to get our stuff out yet because we can’t physically do it. And so I’m waiting to see if I can get help bringing this stuff up,” she said. “I don’t wish this on anybody. And it’s just so long of a recovery.”
While residents work to remove items from their basements, including games, toys, blankets, pictures and mementos, county and city leaders are urging people to call 211 for federal assistance.
“I’ve seen, you know, folks who have completely lost their foundation and businesses who have completely lost their product. And we know even if they have insurance coverage, it’s not going to replace all that is damaged. And so getting the critical help from FEMA is what’s needed the most,” said a local leader.
Leaders are also advising residents to remove water-damaged items from their basements as quickly as possible to prevent mildew and mold, which could cause long-term health effects.
“The best thing that you could do right now is get all of that, all of that materials out as quickly as possible. We don’t need any mildew or any mold growing to create either long-term health effects,” they said.
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