News

Flash Flooding Results In Mass Evacuations
Tuesday, June 27, 2006

On the early morning hours of June 25, 2006 heavy precipitation moved across western Sussex county dropping over a foot of rain causing flash flooding, road closures, and evacuations. The Seaford and Blades Delaware area got the blunt of the rainfall and the most severe damage, with Laurel and Georgetown receiving moderate damage mainly to roadways. Numerous Fire Departments assisted Seaford and Blades with evacuations, water rescues, gas leaks, and traffic hazards. The most concentrated areas being Lofland Care, Mobile Gardens and Holly View mobile home Park. Rescue Personnel evacuated approx. 110 patients from the rehabilitation facility, fearing the adjacent spillway and dam would fail and flood the building. Rescue workers evacuated or rescued over 100 more families from two mobile home parks that were extremely flooded and inaccessible with cars or standard trucks. Crews utilized boats and 6x6 military vehicles to remove the stranded families to safety. This took approx. 5 hours to complete. This was a joint effort by numerous agencies to complete these tasks listing some below. The pictures contain damage around the Seaford and Blades areas that were taken by Paramedic Steve Bradley.

Responding Delaware Departments: 87,71,81,72,77,73,74,78,79,83,85.
Maryland Departments: 3,14,16,26,100.
Agencies: DNREC, DEMA, DSP, SCEMS, SCEMS HAZ-MAT, DSFP, DEL-DOT.