'We can always get better:' Mayor of Richmond Hill talks response to Tropical Storm Debby
As flooding from Tropical Storm Debby began to fill Russ Carpenter’s neighborhood, the mayor of Richmond Hill went to bed thinking the water would recede overnight.
But on the morning of Aug. 10, he awoke to see the floodwaters had only continued to rise in his Mulberry neighborhood. Carpenter said his house is "built up", making it difficult for water to enter his home. Still, he could tell that things may not be going well for others as floodwaters continued to fill his street.
“It just kept on flooding,” said Carpenter. “It just kept rising and when we woke up the next morning, it had risen even more. It was a surreal experience, no doubt. I had received updates of the situation in our neighborhood, and how others were flooding, but seeing it firsthand was altogether different. We had set up a command center at First Baptist, and volunteers were pouring in to help. They made a difference that night and continue to do so."
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The next couple of weeks turned into a nightmare for residents who experienced just how gruesome a tropical storm can be.
One resident, who lives in the White Oak community, spoke to the hazardous conditions in her area during the city council meeting Aug. 20.
“Our retaining ponds were not releasing water and they now have a toxic soup, which includes fecal matter from the Hinesville sewage, a bunch of dead wildlife as nothing can survive in that area and it is a hazard for our residents as it seeps into our soil and air,” she said. “It smells like vomit and the people that are removing waste from their house have vomited in their masks trying to deal with the smell from the sewage water that got into their residence.”
Carpenter estimates around 200 households were impacted by the storm.
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“It’s almost depressing just to see how everything's gone,” said Carpenter. “These houses are gutted out.”
Martine Marcelin, who spoke during the city council meeting Aug. 20, has started a GoFundMe account, hoping to raise $30,000 to purchase another vehicle and repair damages to her home.
“We lost everything,” said Marcelin. “We lost cars. I lost everything out of my house. Some people do not have a place to live.”
Carpenter said the city is continuing its efforts with debris cleanup and said he is sensitive to the fact that it may not be going as fast as anyone would like.
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“We anticipate that all impacted homes will have been collected at least once by the end of day on Saturday, August 31, 2024,” said City Clerk Dawnne Greene. “The process for ensuring all of the necessary data is collected and reported to the appropriate agencies is time consuming. This data is very important for potential FEMA reimbursement for our community. This funding is critical to avoid placing an undue financial burden on our community. Without reimbursement from FEMA, the expense from the debris collection will have to come from other sources.”
Collection crews are working around the clock, pulling 12-hour shifts Monday through Saturday. Green said they do not know how much debris is left as debris trucks will need to come through impacted areas again to “continue the recovery process.”
“Each truck holds approximately 150 cubic yards of debris,” said Greene. “Once a truck has reached load capacity, drivers must then travel approximately 20 minutes to the checkpoint for inspection and ticketing in Chatham County. Finally, trucks visit the transfer station for dumping. It then takes approximately another 20 minutes to return to Richmond Hill and continue collecting debris."
The National Guard was called in to assist and countless volunteers have played a role in helping neighbors in need. But the city’s handling of rescue efforts have come under fire by many residents, who sound off regularly on social media.
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When asked if he would do anything differently, Carpenter said, “We can always get better. When everything is said and done, there will be recommendations. I'd really like to address the drainage - a lot of people said our poor drainage brought this on. There was absolutely no way a drainage system could have handled this. It was a flood, it was an act of nature. And does that make people that were flooded out feel any better? Probably not. We understand what they're going through. We feel what they're going through. In fact, we're fighting for them and still are.”
Carpenter said he is in regular communication with FEMA but is unsure as to where things stand as far as residents receiving aid for their damaged homes and that the city is working diligently to clean up debris.
Carpenter said the trials and tribulations the community has faced has only made them stronger.
“It has improved our unity and our faith,” said Carpenter. “Our churches have come together like nothing I've ever seen. We had one church that got flooded out, First Baptist Church and they are a predominantly white church. They had their church that Sunday with a predominantly African-American church, which was awesome. We've been trying for years to get some kind of unity like that.”
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Richmond Hill Mayor talks city clean up efforts from tropical storm
