Cleanup From Flash Flooding Continues

The cleanup from last Monday’s devastating flash flooding continues across Lower Bucks County.

The work was underway at Patti Nickels’ home on Prospect Avenue in Bristol Township’s Croydon section.

For Nickels, the storm flooded her basement and first-flood bedroom. Despite carpets being ripped up and fans running, a musty smell could be detected and black mold had already started growing along the bedroom wall.

“We have never had flooding before,” she said.

And Nickels knows that as a fact. She grew up in the home and has lived there for most of her life, with the exception of a few years. The residence has been in her family since the 1940s.

Due to the lack of history of flooding and the fact the home doesn’t sit in a flood plain, Nickels’ didn’t have flood insurance and her home insurance won’t cover the damage.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” she said, noting the financial burden of fixing the damage. “This is a killer.”

Nickels, who is disabled from medical conditions, said she hopes there is help from the government on the way, but for now, she’s working to rip up her carpeting and dry out the damaged furniture and other items.

On Snowden Avenue in Bristol Township’s West Bristol section, residents had dumpsters outside as they worked throw away damaged items at their homes.

Residents in the section were visited by Gov. Tom Wolf and other local government officials in the wake of the flooding.

They asked for assistance in cleaning up from the flash floods and help getting things back to how they were before.

Resident Trudy Clark said the rented dumpster in her driveway was filled with 27 years worth of items that were destroyed by the water that overtook her home during the storm that dumped 8 to 10 inches of rain over the area in only a few hours.

At Creekside Apartments along the Poquessing Creek in Bensalem Township, 31 apartments of the more than 1,000 were totally destroyed and many others damage.

Edwin Nieves, the longtime property manager, said many residents were displaced and others were trying to get things sorted through and cleaned up.

“I had a river going through the building,” Nieves said.

Nieves’ son, Luis, is the complex’s maintenance manager and has been aiding in recovery.

In addition to the complex getting storage containers for residents and providing gift cards for groceries, Luis Nieves said crews have been working nearly nonstop to get apartments cleaned up.

The complex has been also speaking with area officials to attempt to get aid for impacted residents.

“At this point, my priority is trying to accommodate them,” Edwin Nieves said.

A multi-agency resource center with local, county, state, and nonprofit resources will be set up where victims can get assistance this week. The center will be open Tuesday, July 20, and Wednesday, July 21 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Keystone Elementary School in Bristol Township’s Croydon section.

In addition to municipal and legislative officials at the center, the following agencies are set to participate:

• American Red Cross
• Bucks County Animal Response Team
• Bucks County Area Agency on Aging
• Bucks County Children and Youth Social Services Agency
• Bucks County Emergency Management Agency
• Bucks County Health Department
• Bucks County Intermediate Unit Head Start Program
• Bucks County Office of Military Affairs
• Bucks County Opportunity Council
• City of Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management
• Legal Aid of Southeastern PA
• PA Department of Environmental Protection
• PA Department of Transportation
• PA Office of Attorney General
• PA Emergency Management Agency
• PA Housing Finance Agency
• PA Insurance Commission
• PA Labor and Industry
• Salvation Army
• Southeast Volunteers Organization Active in Disaster (VOAD) 

Residents and business owners can report storm damage to municipal officials using the phone numbers below:

• Bensalem Township – 215-633-3741
• Bristol Borough – 215-788-3828, ext. 12
• Bristol Township – 267-812-2938

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