So this was an emergency after all....

June 30, 2015:  I was just contacted by an EMT and a volunteer firefighter and they beg to differ with the mayor’s statement that widespread basement flooding “was not a potentially life threatening event”. They brought to my attention the hazards posed by flooded basements. Recently 2 people were electrocuted in a flooded basement. High water can extinguish pilot lights and result in toxic/explosive gas levels in basements. Seniors can be at high risk in such situations. The long term effects from exposure to toxic sewage water are real. Maybe a less likely danger – but, given one doesn’t need much water to drown in, what if a child had taken to the basement to play before parents realized the basement was flooded. Just a few things for our safety director and mayor to consider when wondering what constitutes an emergency situation.

Here is just one resident's story: We have never flooded in the 15 years we have been on Huntington Woods Pkwy, and had no reason to check our basement last week. I returned home from running errands at 2PM to find a parade of flood cleanup vehicles in neighboring driveways. Our finished basement had flooded with 8-10" of storm water, and we had 12" of smoke on the basement ceiling due to a waterlogged surge protector. Our AC was still running through flood soaked air filters and the pilot to our water heater was out. An emergency message or phone call from the city was definitely called for in this situation. I had one item in my car that needed refrigeration, otherwise I had planned to stop for an oil change next and could have easily come home to a full blown electrical fire instead of a melted power supply.