Improving the response to flooding

For those who aren’t replacing carpet or negotiating with an insurer, the record rainfall three weeks ago was likely a short-lived annoyance. But among the hundreds of suburban residents whose basements flooded when nearly 7 inches fell overnight, many still are asking “why?” Why weren’t municipalities able to handle the deluge? Why did calls to 911 go unanswered? Why is there so little help for homeowners?

Mount Prospect officials heard these questions loud and clear during a village board meeting last week. For three hours, frustrated residents told their stories and called for more response, communication and assistance. The answers they received were less than satisfying. While recognizing some policy changes may be in order, Mayor Irvana Wilks said that “basement flooding is a regular occurrence — it’s just the way it is.”

But it doesn’t have to be. They can do better. They can look to leaders in Carol Stream, who, after a similar downpour last summer, also faced an outcry from residents about the response to flooding. A sign posted on a street pole said, “What’s the village doing about this? Nothing.”

Village President Frank Saverino, taking the criticism to heart, fought for and won county money to improve a flood-prone area. In addition, through an intergovernmental agreement, new reservoirs and a pumping station will be built, and a buyout of flood-damaged homes is ongoing.

Saverino keeps that sign as a reminder that he cannot wait for others to get things done. Communities throughout the suburbs would do well to adopt his attitude and perseverance.

As “100-year storms” happen with frightening regularity, problems will persist without better preparation. So many calls went to Northwest Central Dispatch the morning of July 23 that more than 1,000 were left in limbo. Officials have acknowledged changes to the system are needed, but it’s obvious past improvements are simply not enough. They can do better.

Additionally, towns have the responsibility to educate citizens on how to prevent basement floods and what to do in a crisis. Some use auxiliaries such as Palatine’s Emergency Management Agency, which states on its website that informing residents is a key goal. But it too can do better. The site’s home-page update this week, its first since March, has nothing to do with flooding.

Homeowners, of course, can’t expect governments to (pardon the expression) bail them out completely, particularly if they haven’t budged on their own disaster preparedness. But when residents reach the limits of what they can do, government must step in. Mount Prospect officials have since asked residents to report flooding so they can explore the causes, and they’ve waived permit fees for repairs. Those are good first steps. Leaders of all communities must move swiftly and earnestly in their problem-solving role to ensure residents aren’t left up a river without a paddle.