Disaster Recovery News

The Rockingham Free Public Library (FRPL) on Westminster Street in Bellows Falls, Vermont suffered major flood damage on Sunday night after a pipe burst in the older sections of the building. The flood was not discovered until the following day. Fortunately, the library has flood insurance, but the total cost of the damage is still unknown.

Carnegie History

Built in 1909, the RFPL is one of four Vermont libraries built with Andrew Carnegie’s funds. Additions were added to the original building in 1929 and 1968. The library as a whole, however, has not had any renovations completed due to a lack of funds. Consequently, some of the pipes and electrical wires are more than 100 years old. The burst pipe is a testament to the need of building updates.

Water Damage

The section of the RFPL that experienced the most damage was the Local History Room, located in the middle of the building. This room included historical books from Rockingham and the state of Vermont, as well as research materials, framed prints, historical photographs and genealogy books. A library representative told “The Commons,” “The entire collection was damaged. Pretty much everything got soaked… It is the heart of our library. I hope we can save it.”

Restoration

A restoration team arrived within hours to begin the flood remediation process, which involved freeze-drying the wet books, water-damaged documents and wet photographs. A vacuum freeze dryer, similar to the one Rapid Refile uses, is most likely being used to help remediate the waterlogged items.

Rapid Refile’s Advanced Capabilities

Rapid Refile has the most sophisticated vacuum freeze dryer in the U.S, as it has the capacity for large or multiple projects. In addition to a four- to eight-day drying cycle, the chamber’s technology has special programs that preserve rare and fragile material with the use of low operating temperatures. The moisture probes and weight scale show the progress of the items drying to prevent over-drying, which can seriously threaten the longevity of paper files and library books. Moreover, the flush tank within the chamber reduces waste by 90 percent.

Learn more about document recovery from water damage.

[photo: Rapid Refile]

The Pacific Northwest has been drenched with rain since early Tuesday morning. Many areas in Washington State have been issued flood warning today with notices about where to find sandbags, mandatory evacuations, and where one can seek shelter.

The city of Snoqualmie and the counties of King, Snohomish and Pierce have all declared emergencies due to flooding, reports The Seattle Times. Those living in Orting and Pierce County have been ordered to evacuate their homes as the Carbon River continues to rise.

KIROTV.com has listed on it’s sight the following shelters in east Pierce County:

“The American Red Cross opened a shelter at Cedar Springs Community Church, 13314 224th Street East in Graham. The Red Cross said residents should bring toiletries, including toothpaste, blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, clothing, towels, and washcloths. Pets are not allowed at this shelter.

There is a pet-friendly shelter at Sunrise Baptist Church, 12115 Shaw Rd. East in Puyallup.

The Salvation Army is using Camp Arnold as an initial staging area for evacuees. It’s located at 33712 Webster Rd. E, off of Highway 161 between Graham and Eatonville.”

The Skykomish and Snoqualmie rivers have also been rising. The AP reports: “The mayor of Snoqualmie has declared a flood emergency. Flooding from the Snoqualmie River has reached downtown neighborhoods, and the city recommends evacuations. Shelter is available at the Snoqualmie Fire Station. Sandbags are available at a downtown parking lot.”

More on the flooding.

Residents in these areas who have not yet evacuated should prepare their emergency kits and review evacuation plans with their family members. One should not enter their home or business, if they had been evacuated, unless they know it is 100% safe to enter the building.

For aid in recovering, residents and business owners should call restoration specialists. Restoration specialists can help dry out your home and business, aid with business continuity, and prevent mold damage. They can also recover documents damaged by water, along with pictures and books.

More on flood restoration.