Valley starts flood recovery

August 25, 2006

By Michael Rovito

Frontiersman

Recovery efforts are slowly replacing emergency response in the Mat-Su Valley as rivers and creeks begin to recede and weather forecasts point to relief on the horizon.

In Wasilla, the temporary emergency operations center at the Central Mat-Su Fire Station has shifted gears to become an incident recovery center, and relocated to the Cottonwood Public Safety Building.

The change was prompted by improving weather conditions that pointed toward a halt in disaster-related responses, said Dennis Brodigan, director

of emergency services for

the borough.

Starting Sunday, Brodigan said, planning for the switch from emergency response to recovery already was taking place. At 8 p.m. Wednesday, the borough swung its attention full-time to recovery.

The borough will concentrate on fixing critical infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, while assisting homeowners with the cleanup of their property and houses.

The borough is working with a private company, HDR Alaska, to determine the structural safety of bridges and roads most affected by floodwaters.

A list of bridges provided Wednesday shows some spans with major structural damage, including the Little Su bridge on Moose Meadows Road, the Deneki Meadows bridge and the Anaconda bridge over Montana Creek. The bridge at Deneki Meadows was washed downstream in the flood.

&#8220There are 13 borough bridges we have concerns about,” Director of Public Works Keith Rountree said Wednesday.

Valley roads also have been affected severely, with about 38 roads under repair or scheduled for repair, according to borough documents.

The latest figures from the borough at noon Thursday show nearly 10 roads, including the Denali Highway at Mile 132, closed.

Rountree said standing well drinking water probably is not safe to drink after being inundated by dirty floodwaters. Testing kits for residents in the affected areas are available at no charge.

In a news release from the borough, homeowners also are urged not to use their septic

systems because of possible damage.

Sewage may surface or back up into homes if damage does exist, borough officials said, although they did not provide a clear alternative for disposing of human waste.

The Red Cross of Alaska also activated, and is in the first stage of an operation to provide as much assistance as possible to flood victims, said Kelly Hurd, director of marketing and development with the Red Cross.

Hurd said the Red Cross has about 50 volunteers in the field assessing damage in flooded areas to help fulfill national guidelines on how much assistance each family gets.

Houston and Talkeetna were the main focus of the organization's attention Thursday.

Two service centers are available in Willow and Talkeetna, with borough officials and representatives from the State of Alaska Emergency Coordination Center on hand.

State officials will operate disaster assistance centers where victims can go to submit an application for up to $5,000 per household to replace property.

Representatives from the state will be available for one week, according to a state news release. After the week is over, a disaster assistance number will be established.

While not shelters, the centers are intended for families seeking help with recovering from the floods.

The Red Cross will open a shelter if the demand for one arises, Hurd said.

There are three ways the Red Cross plans to spread word of

its involvement with flood recovery.

Volunteers will go door-to-door, service centers are open, and flood victims can call 1-866-438-4357, Hurd said.

The Red Cross also will help with needs such as food, clothing, bed linens and emergency health, but its main resource is client assistance cards, which work like a credit card at retail stores.

&#8220We give direct financial assistance to victims,” Hurd said, referring to a main priority of the Red Cross these days.

Because of this kind of assistance, monetary donations is what the organization seeks most.

&#8220This gift is made possible by fellow Alaskans,” Hurd said.

About 100 families were affected by last week's floods, the Red Cross said in a news release.

Donations can be made at www.alaska.redcross.org.

Contact Michael Rovito at 352-2252 or michael.rovito@

frontiersman.com.