A news report from Sarah Ostman, AustinTalks.org
Rosemary Marsh was sure her home would withstand the heavy rains of July 23. The brick Keystone Avenue home she shares with her sister had never leaked before – and it had weathered many a storm over the past two decades.
But when the 73-year-old peered down her basement steps the morning after the rain, she was shocked to see several inches of water and sewage. Not a lot – for that, the sisters were grateful – but enough to damage their water heater, kill their dryer and bring harmful mold spores into their home.
With a health issue on their hands and boxes of water-logged clothes blocking their path, the elderly sisters called on a group of strangers to help them – the Flood Response Team of the Westside Health Authority.
Last Friday, a group of six men showed up at their door. They cleared out their water-damaged belongings, scrubbed the floors, cut out their mold-infested drywall and disinfected their basement. And they did it for free. There’s still work to be done – but the immediate problem is solved.
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Related ChicagoTalks coverage:
FEMA Grants Available for West Side Residents, But Red Tape May Await
West Side Residents ‘Hopeful’ That Help is on the Way After Recent Storms
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