This story has been updated with announcements of additional available resources.
Assistance for cleanup, shelter, disaster aid and other help for people affected by record flooding of the Mendenhall River earlier this week is being offered by a multitude of government, nonprofit and other entities.
More than 100 homes were damaged by the glacial outburst flood from Suicide Basin, with the damage occurring in a larger-than-expected area due to the river reaching a peak level early Tuesday morning that was more than a foot higher than the previous record level set last year. Hundreds of flooded vehicles, fuel and other hazardous material spills, and uprooted trees and other large objects are among some of the other damage, according to the city.
Resources announced include:
Waste and debris removal
Pickup of household garbage and furniture was offered Wednesday by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. In an online announcement, the department stated items should be sorted (see guidelines below) and “no construction materials, carpet, or hazardous waste will be collected today. We’ll get those items in the coming days.”
Guidelines for people cleaning up trash and debris for collection, according to the City and Borough of Juneau:
• Separating waste into residential, household hazardous, and construction/demolition categories,
• Bagging all waste when possible.
• Reducing the size of larger items when possible.
• Keeping waste within property boundaries until notified by CBJ to move it to a right-of-way location for collection.
• Free self-disposal of chemicals, paint and electronics is available at the CBJ Household Hazardous Waste facility at 5600 Tonsgard Court from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
• For people seeking to dispose of items before city pickups are arranged, contact Waste Management at (907) 780-7801 for landfill options and Alaska Waste at (907) 780-7800 for information about disposal of bulky items.
“In light of the recent glacial flood, the Waste Management (WM) Capitol Disposal Landfill will expand its hours for residential customers to self-haul to the landfill,” CBJ announced Wednesday.
Weekday hours are 7 a.m.–4 p.m. and Saturday hours 8 a.m. to noon until further notice. Documentation is required for all loads, including a non-asbestos certification form that must be completed before arriving at the landfill.
However, officials say long lines are being reported as residents impacted by flooding clean out their homes. People not disposing of flood debris are being asked not to visit the landfill.
For residents choosing to self-haul, it is a reimbursable expense from Alaska’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for up to $1,500 if individual state disaster assistance is approved. Residents will need to provide receipts of payment for reimbursement and apply online or via the hotline at (844) 445-7131 to utilize IA funding.
City authorizes emergency bank stabilization
Emergency bank stabilization along the Mendenhall River to address immediate threats to property and safety has been authorized by the City and Borough of Juneau.
“Making the property safe means action to protect property and structures from further damage from the flood,” a CBJ announcement states. “For example, property owners may immediately repair damage to existing bank stabilization, or place new bank stabilization.”
Local permits are necessary that must be applied for within one month of starting work, and additional state and federal permits may be necessary, according to CBJ. More information is available by contacting CBJ Senior Planner Teri Rehfeldt at (907) 586-0753 ext. 4129 or teri.rehfeldt@juneau.gov.
Volunteer coordination center, meal canteen at Melvin Park
United Way of Southeast Alaska is hosting a volunteer center at Melvin Park, at 4098 Riverside Drive, according to a CBJ announcement. It is scheduled to be staffed at least throughout the weekend fron 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Volunteers will be matched with a resident in need, or assigned to general cleanup work. People wanting to volunteer are asked to have sturdy shoes, work gloves, and any additional items that may be needed such as safety goggles or masks.
“You are also encouraged to bring any tools available to you, such as box knives and pry bars,” the announcement notes. “If you have box fans, dehumidifiers, pumps, or other large equipment you would like to lend to the clean-up effort, please clearly label them with your name and phone number before bringing them to the center.
For more information contact volunteer coordinator Ryan O’Shaughnessy at (907) 209-5069.
The Salvation Army is also offering food and drinks for residents impacted by the flood and for volunteers at Melvin Park. They expect to be set up for a maximum of 10 days from 12-6 p.m.
Hazardous spills
Hazardous material spills are being handled by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, according to the city.
“Residents who have loose or spilling fuel tanks and/or other hazardous spill situations should contact the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Spill Prevention and Response hotline at 1-800-478-9300, or report a spill via their website at ReportSpills.alaska.gov,” according to the CBJ resources list.
State disaster assistance
Dunleavy issued a state disaster declaration Tuesday morning. On Wednesday, the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management announced Juneau residents can apply for state disaster recovery assistance until Oct. 9 online at www.ready.alaska.gov/Recovery/IA and by telephone at (844) 445-7131 weekdays from 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
”The current maximum grant to an individual or family is $21,250 for housing repair and an additional $21,250 for personal property damages per disaster when other resources are not adequate, including insurance and Small Business Administration (SBA) or other loans,” a letter from the division notes. Assistance can include housing personal property, transportation, medical and dental costs related to the disaster, and funeral expenses.
The state’s Temporary Housing Program also offers short-term shelter options, plus rental assistance for up to 18 months and repair options for damaged residences.
Tlingit and Haida seek federal assistance
A disaster declaration was announced Wednesday by the executive council for the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, which is seeking federal and state assistance.
“A preliminary report from Tlingit & Haida’s Everbridge emergency communication system indicates over 500 tribal citizens in the Mendenhall Valley may be impacted by the flooding,” an announcement published by the tribe states.
On Tuesday the tribe activated a Tribal Emergency Operations Center on behalf of tribal members. Offered support includes emergency shelter at the Sandpiper Café, crisis support and help removing standing water from homes.
The shelter opens at 3 p.m., with check-in required at the Driftwood Lodge main lobby. People needing transportation can call (907) 463-7171.
Crowdsourcing and other fundraising/assistance efforts
At least seven GoFundMe campaigns in Juneau have been established for people affected by the floods, with a total of more than $15,000 raised as of Wednesday morning, according to press release issued by the crowdsourcing platform.
GCI announced Wednesday it is hosting an in-store food drive at its retail location at 8390 Airport Blvd., with items received being donated to the Southeast Alaska Food Bank.
The American Red Cross is providing free comfort and cleanup kits, available by calling (800) 733-2767.
Pumping out and safety in flooded spaces
People should not go into a basement with standing water unless it is certain the electricity is off, according to CBJ. A FEMA guide for self-repairs after a flood is available at bit.ly/4fCAdJd, and people needing assistance pumping out a house can fill out a CBJ form at bit.ly/juneau-flood to be connected with volunteers and equipment.
Food safety advice
DEC has published a list of food safety guidelines. Among the advice is not eating any food that may have come into contact with flood water, assuming food in freezers covered with flood water was damaged via seepage, discarding food in damaged cans, and washing all pans, dishes, countertops and other items used in food preparation/serving.
Flood Insurance
An FAQ has been published by the CBJ Community Development. The FAQ and other CBJ flood information is available online at juneau.org.
Recovery Checklist
CBJ has published a checklist of items to inspect, documents to review and other practical matters.
General questions
Non-emergency questions can be directed to floodresponse@juneau.gov or the city manager’s office at (907) 586-5240.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com or (907) 957-2306.
