Hope After Disaster
Flood Victims Sheltered at RVCC
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After rains and flood drove 1,000 people from Bound Brook, disaster workers set up a shelter for nearly 300 people at the RVCC gym. As the city dried out and government agencies evaluated the safety of individual homes at the end of April, nearly 100 victims were still living in the shelter.
They wonder if Bound Brook will ever be a safe place to live.
“I was afraid of losing everything,” said Maria Vazquez, remembering the night of April 16. Her family, including her mother on holiday from Mexico, was evacuated when the water reached about three feet below the second floor of her Talmadge Avenue house. “It happened so quickly,” she said. “We couldn’t even take anything with us.”
Settled in the RVCC gym, Vazquez, the manager of a cleaning company, just wanted to return to her house, fix the damage and move to another place. “It’s really sad, but we don’t want to go through the same situation again.”|
There was an outpouring of support for the victims. Realizing that the families were living a nightmare, the community helped them with food, clothes, counseling, first aid and child care. About 40 American Red Cross workers addressed the demands of the situation, and dozens of RVCC teachers and students got involved as the needs of the victims became clearer.
“It has been a true team effort and we feel privileged for the ability to help our neighbors,” said Susan Williams, who supervised some of the volunteers. “We all are dedicated to helping ensure the best possible outcomes for the shelter residents.”
For some volunteers, the families were “truly inspirational,” she said. “Their lack of privacy, the waiting for showers, and their inability to have quiet time has been met with grace and patience.”
A Family Pet Saved
Not everything has been gloomy for the families. A parakeet named Frankie saved during the flood found a happy temporary home in the science department. Professor Sarah Imbriglio said the bird was very upset when he first moved in to her office, but settled down after she began to play music. He even started dancing, she said. His favorite artists are Van Morrison and Grateful Dead.
RVCC Community Pitches In
Families and volunteers alike have acknowledged the role played by the college. According to Mary Sullivan, RVCC director of student activities, “We have been far more generous than they expected.” One volunteer told her that RVCC was the kindest site they had ever been to.
“We can make a difference,” said secretary of RVCC Student Government Lindsay Troyer, who volunteered in the shelter everyday.|
The first time she went to the gym and saw the families, Troyer was shocked. “I was heartbroken,” she said. She immediately went out and bought underwear and flip-flops. “I spent a lot of money because those people didn’t have anything. I can’t imagine being in that situation.”
As an early childcare student who is also fluent in Spanish, Troyer helped with the children, sometimes just doing little things, like taking care of a small baby while the mother took a shower. Even to walk around was a way to help, she said. “The families just wanted someone to talk with.”
Families Demand Information
Assistance was only one aspect of the situation. The flood victims needed to know when they were going back to their houses and what kind of economical support they’d receive from the insurance companies and the various government agencies when they got there.
“They have to pay us money,” said Manuel Malpartida. “Life goes on, but bills don’t wait, especially in a state with such high property taxes,” he said. “We need information, we want to know.”
Unfortunately, said Red Cross worker Tara Doran, “Our hands are tied until FEMA declares it (a disaster area).” The Federal Emergency Management Agency is the government entity responsible for evaluating disasters and managing resources needed to respond to them. The agency has opened several offices in the state to assist with relocation and re-occupation efforts.
Spanish is the first language of many of the families and volunteer translators were a big help.
“The Red Cross asked us to be there with open minds so that we could contribute in the best way depending on the needs of the people there,” said Ashlee Pieris, who coordinated RVCC faculty efforts. “Everything is going great,” he said at the time.
Addressing the transportation needs of the displaced community was important, too. Many in the RVCC community shuttled children to school. In addition, there were several buses for adults who lost their cars and needed to get to work. According to John Trojan, RVCC vice president for finance and facilities, a third of the people were able to go back to work the first week.
No Future Guarantees
Flood victims want the authorities to make Bound Brook a safe place to live.
“A deeper drain is needed,” said Italo Sipiran, who was evacuated from his home by boat before moving to the RVCC shelter.
After the floods that followed Hurricane Floyd in 1999, he said, “the repair work Bound Brook authorities made was just poor. Now we are paying the consequences.” A life-long resident of the city, he believes he is not alone in hoping a solution to the problem will be found.
“We want to live in Bound Brook,” he said.|
The Red Cross workers understand the victims’ desire to return home.
“When you open a shelter,” said Doran, “your goal is closing the shelter.”
The shelter finally closed on May 4. The remaining families made homeless by the flood were moved to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Bound Brook.
People can still help. Visit Somerset County United Way at scuw.org or the American Red Cross at
redcross.org.