By: Jennifer Warren, Regional Communications Director
It’s been a little over a month since a record-breaking amount of rain inundated southeast Wisconsin, causing life-threatening flash flooding and catastrophic property damage across multiple communities. From August 9-10, some areas of Milwaukee County saw more than 14 inches of rain in less than 24 hours, while other areas of Waukesha, Washington, and Milwaukee counties received 5 to 10 inches or more. The rain caused the Kinnickinnic, Milwaukee, Menominee, and Root rivers to flood at record-high levels. The intense flooding destroyed homes, submerged vehicles, and resulted in widespread power outages.
In response, the Red Cross opened two shelters, one at Holler Park on Milwaukee’s south side and another at Washington Senior Center on the north side, to assist residents who were impacted by the flooding. Residents of both shelters later moved to Milwaukee Marshall High School and then to Milwaukee Environmental Science Academy, both on Milwaukee’s north side.
That first night, a total of 40 people found refuge at the Red Cross shelter, with the number fluctuating between 40-50 shelter residents every night for the next few weeks. Ricardo Pruett and his one-year-old son Martrix were among those who found shelter. “We lost everything,” said Ricardo.
Close to 500 homes sustained major damage or were destroyed by the flooding. After touring some of the damage, the Governor declared a state of emergency. In response to the disaster, more than 280 Red Cross volunteers have worked around the clock to provide safe shelter, food and water, critical supplies, health and mental health services, financial assistance, and more.
In the aftermath, the Red Cross went door to door in the hardest hit neighborhoods distributing “clean up kits,” including shovels, rakes, gloves, and tarps. Teams of staff and volunteers also conducted damage assessments to determine the impact of flooding and which residents will need additional support moving forward.
With the help of our partners, the Red Cross has provided critical relief and recovery services across southeast Wisconsin since the flooding hit. We have:
The Red Cross also collaborated with community partners to open four Multi-Agency Resource Centers (MARCs) located in Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties. These resource centers allowed those affected by flooding to have a one-stop shop for assistance. Trained disaster relief workers and numerous community resources were on hand to streamline assistance and help residents access essential resources, including counseling, support services, and housing resources from numerous partner agencies.
Maureen Herzog attended the MARC held at the McCarty Park Pavilion in West Allis. She was dealing with a flooded basement and a collapsed ceiling in her bedroom, on top of knee replacement surgery. Maureen spent an hour gathering resources from the different community partners that were on hand. She finished her visit at the Red Cross table. “I am happy to know that someone cares, and the Red Cross has been a great support system,” she said.
As southeast Wisconsin recovers, we are deeply grateful for the tireless dedication of our volunteers, the generosity of our donors, and the strength of our communities. The floodwaters may have receded, but the work of restoring homes, lives, and hope is far from over. You can help people affected by disasters big and small — whenever and wherever they occur across the country — by making a donation to Red Cross Disaster Relief at redcross.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
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