Mar. 30, 2010: State of emergency

>> Rooney: TONIGHT ON
"GREATER BOSTON," COPING
WITH THE RECORD RAINFALL
THAT FORCED MASSACHUSETTS
INTO A STATE OF EMERGENCY.
PLUS THE BULLYING THAT LED
TO PHOEBE PRINCE'S
SUICIDE.
FOCUS NOW SHIFTS TO HER
HIGH SCHOOL'S FACULTY AND
ADMINISTRATORS.
AND REVISITING BILLIE
HOLIDAY.
A NEW PRODUCTION HONORS
THE LEGENDARY BLUES
SINGER.

>> GOOD EVENING, I'M JARED
BOWEN IN FOR EMILY ROONEY.
ANOTHER MONSTER RAINFALL
HAS PUSHED THIS MONTH'S
RAINFALL TO RECORD LEVELS.
EVACUATIONS ARE UNDER WAY,
AND IT IS ALL LEAVING
EXHAUSTED EMERGENCY CREWS
AND WATER-LOGGED RESIDENTS
WONDERING WHEN IT WILL ALL
END.
TWO RAIN-DRIVEN FLOODS IN
TWO WEEKS IS TOO MUCH FOR
WAYLAND RESIDENTS LIKE
EVELYN.

>> WHEN I FIRST MOVED
HERE, IT WAS EVERY 11 11
YEARS, AND RECENTLY IT
STEPPED UP AND UP AND UP.

>> THAT IS ALSO THE
DIRECTION THE SUDBURY
RIVER HAS BEEN GOING SINCE
YESTERDAY.
WITH ONLY A BRIEF RESPITE
AFTER THE PREVIOUS STORM,
RISING WATERS HAVE CUT OFF
HER AND HER NEIGHBORS.
TOWN OFFICIALS ARE
TRANSPORTING THEM TO AND
FROM THE AREA WITH SCHOOL
BUSES TODAY.
TOMORROW THEY MAY NEED
BOATS.

>> I'M REALLY TIRED OF IT
NOW.
SUNDAY WAS THE ONLY DAY
THE ROAD WAS CLEAR.
WE DROVE HOME SUNDAY, AND
MONDAY HERE WE ARE AGAIN.

>> THE SUDBURY COULD REACH
14 FEET WHEN IT CRESTS
TOMORROW, MEANING IT WOULD
RISE OVER THE WHITE PAINT
ON THIS UTILITY POLE,
MARKING THE HIGHEST LEVEL
ON RECORD.
IT ALSO MEANS DEBBIE
O'BRIEN IS TAKING NO
CHANCES WITH HER ELDERLY
MOTHER.

>> I'M EVACUATING HER TO
MY HOUSE BECAUSE WE'RE
EXPECTING THE RIVER TO
REALLY FLOOD.
SHE IS WORRIED ABOUT THE
WATER.
SHE HAS SOME HEALTH
ISSUES.
SO WE DEFINITELY NEED TO
GET HER TO SAFETY.

>> ACROSS TOWN, WAYLAND
POLICE CHIEF ROBERT
ERLLING WAS DEALING WITH
ANOTHER SITUATION.

>> THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
HAS BROUGHT OVER A NUMBER
OF SANDBAGS THAT HAVE BEEN
PROVIDED BY THE
MASSACHUSETTS EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AGENCY, AND
WE'RE JUST SETTING PALLETS
OF SANDBAGS ALONG THE ROAD
SO PEOPLE CAN PLACE THEM
IN STRATEGIC SPOTS TO BEST
PROTECT THEIR HOMES.

>> THE STATE HAS OFFERED
PUMPS FOR THE AREA, BUT
THERE IS HARDLY ANY PLACE
FOR THE WATER TO GO.
AS FOR SANDBAGS --

>> IF THE RIVER COMES UP
TO WHAT IT IS EXPECTED TO
BE, THE SANDBAGS MAY
PROVIDE TEMPORARY RELIEF.
BUT IF IT GETS OVER THAT,
WE'LL HAVE A REAL PROBLEM
FOR THESE HOMES HERE.

>> CHIEF ERLING SAYS THE
ONLY RELIEF IS THE
FORECASTERS WHO ARE
PREDICTING SUNNY WEATHER
OVER THE WEEKEND.
JOINING ME IS MAJOR
CARTER, AND COMMISSIONER
RICK SULLIVAN FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
AND RECREATION, AND
FREDERICK LASKI FROM THE
N.W.R.A..
WE BASICALLY ASKED YOU ALL
TO COME BECAUSE WE WANT TO
GET A SENSE OF WHAT IS
HAPPENING AROUND THE
STATE.
GENERAL, WITH THE NATIONAL
GUARD, MOST OF YOUR
EFFORTS ARE CONCENTRATED
IN FALL RIVER.
BUT AS WE SAW IN THIS
PIECE, WITH THE WATER
LEVELS CONTINUING TO RISE,
ARE YOU FINDING THERE ARE
LIMITS TO WHAT YOU CAN DO?

>> RIGHT NOW WE HAVEN'T
ENCOUNTERED ANY
LIMITATIONS.
OUR PERSONNEL ARE INVOLVED
HELPING THE LOCAL
COMMUNITY WITH EVACUATION
OF APPROXIMATELY 200
RESIDENTS THAT WERE
CRITICALLY IMPACTED BY THE
FLOODING OF THE WATUPA
POND AND FALL RIVER.
OUR PERSONNEL ARE NOT JUST
IN FALL RIVER.
THEY'RE STRATEGICALLY
LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE
STATE, AT OF COURSE
LOCATIONS THAT HAVE WATER
PROBLEMS, PONDS, LAKES,
RIVERS THAT ARE
THREATENING LOCAL
COMMUNITIES.

>> CRITICALLY IMPACTED --
DOES THAT MEAN THE WATER
LEVEL ROSE SO QUICKLY THAT
PEOPLE NEEDED TO CALL ON
YOU FOR SUPPORT?
HOW DOES IT GET TO THAT
POINT?

>> I THINK IT WAS A SUDDEN
SURGE OF WATER THAT
ACTUALLY ENTERED THE
HOMES.
AND AT THAT POINT, THEY
ORDERED AN EVACUATION OF
THAT COMMUNITY.

>> RICK, YOU GUYS ARE
LOOKING AT DAMS AT THIS
POINT.
ONE OF THE MANY THINGS
THAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU'RE FINDING A LITTLE
OVER 300 ARE HIGH HAZARD.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> HIGH HAZARD IS A CAT
GORIZATION THAT MEANS
IF -- AND I STRESS IF --
THERE WAS A CATASTROPHIC
EVENT AND THE DAM BROKE,
WOULD THERE BE LOSS OF
LIFE OR LOSS OF PERSONAL
PROPERTY, AND THAT'S THE
CLASSIFICATION OF THE
RIVER AND THE DAM.
BUT THERE ARE 308 ACROSS
THE COMMONWEALTH OF
MASSACHUSETTS.
WE'RE FOCUSED AT D.C. R.
ON 39 THAT WE THINK ARE
THE ONES THAT NEED
CONSTANT MONITORING.
SO WE ARE DOING THAT.

>> HOW DO YOU KEEP ON TOP
OF THAT.
39 WITH RESOURCES AND
PERSONNEL ALREADY
STRETCHED --

>> ONE THING THAT HAS BEEN
CLEAR IS THE GOVERNOR --
AND HE'S ASKED ON EVERY
SINGLE CONFERENCE CALL, DO
WE HAVE THE RESOURCES WE
NEED.
ON THIS PARTICULAR MATTER,
WE ABSOLUTELY DO.
WE HAVE OUR OWN STAFF ON
THE GROUND AND OUTSIDE
CONSULTANTS WHO ARE
HELPING US.
SO WE HAVE OVER 30 PEOPLE
IN THE FIELD DOING REGULAR
INSPECTIONS OF THOSE DAMS.
WE'RE CONFIDENT WE KNOW
EXACTLY WHERE THOSE DAMS
SIT RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF
THE INTEGRITY.
THERE TRNL CERTAINLY ARE A
COUPLE WE ARE WATCHING
VERY CLOSELY, PARTICULARLY
FORAGE POND AND MONUMENT
DAM, WHICH IS DOWN IN THE
SOUTHEAST PART OF THE
STATE.

>> FRED, OF COURSE, PART
OF YOUR TASK IS TO GET THE
WATER SOME PLACE.
WHERE ARE YOU AT THIS
POINT IN BEING ABLE TO
MANAGE THAT?

>> THE SEWER SYSTEM -- OUR
SEWER SYSTEM, THE REGIONAL
SYSTEM AND THE LOCAL
SYSTEMS IN EASTERN MASS
ARE BASICALLY TAXED BEYOND
CAPACITY.
THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN
DESIGN A SEWER SYSTEM THAT
CAN FUNCTION AND OPERATE
IN A 50-YEAR STORM LIKE
THIS, WITH INCHES AND
INCHES OF RAIN ON TOP OF
INCHES OF RAIN.
WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE
CAN TO PREVENT FLOODING IN
BASEMENTS, AND ALSO TO
SAVE OUR STATIONS, OUR
PUMP STATIONS AND
TREATMENT FACILITIES SO
THEY CAN CONTINUE TO
FUNCTION.
IT IS A FIRE DRILL OF
EXTRAORDINARY PROPORTIONS.
AND I SHOULD ALSO POINT
OUT THAT THE STORM DRAIN
SYSTEMS IN EASTERN MASS
ARE TAXED BEYOND CAPACITY.
AND THAT CAUSES THE ROADS
TO FLOOD OUT.
THAT GOES DOWN INTO THE
SEWERS, AND THE SEWERS
COME UP.
IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT
TASK TO TRY TO MAINTAIN
SOME WATER IN THIS CHAOS.

>> YOU'RE SAYING THAT ON
TUESDAY NIGHT, AND WE'RE
STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF
THIS STORM.
WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS
GOING TO END, HOW MANY
MORE INCHES ARE COMING.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT IF
YOU'RE AT THIS POINT
ALREADY?

>> ONE OF THE THINGS
PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE, THEY
THINK THE MINUTE IT STOPS
RAINING AND THE SUN COMES
OUT THIS GOES AWAY.
THIS WILL BE WEEKS AND
MONTHS FOR US TO, ONE,
CONTINUE TO MANAGE THE
FLOWS, DOWN THROUGH THE
SEWER SYSTEM, AND THEN THE
CLEANUP BEGINS AND THE
REBUILDING BECAUSE YOU'VE
USED A LOT OF ASSETS AND
STRESSED AND TAXED YOUR
CAPABILITIES, SO YOU HAVE
TO GO OUT AND MAINTAIN
THEM AND REFURBISH THEM.
THE IMPACT OF THIS WILL BE
GOING ON FOR WEEKS AND
MONTHS.
THANKFULLY IT LOOKS LIKE
WE'LL GET SOME MONEY FROM
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO
HELP US PAY FOR THIS.

>> PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS
ALREADY DECLARED THIS A
MAJOR DISASTER.
HOW DOES THAT HELP YOUR
EFFORTS?

>> WELL, PARTICULARLY ON
THE GUARD SIDE, WE HAVE
NEARLY 1,000 AIRMEN AND
SOLDIERS THAT HAVE BEEN
ACTIVATED ON STATE ACTIVE
DUTY.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET
FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT SO
IT WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM
ON THE STATE BUDGET.
WITH AN EMERGENCY, IT
WOULD NOT ONLY PAY FOR THE
SALARIES OF THE TROOPS,
BUT ALSO FOR THE EQUIPMENT
THAT WE UTILIZE, THE
SANDBAGS ARE THAT BEING
DELIVERED -- ALL OF THAT
WOULD BE REIMBURSEABLE.

>> AND THE SAME WITH YOUR
AGENCY?

>> IT IS.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN SEE THE
REEMBURSMENTS COMING DOWN
THE ROAD.
IN THE SHORT RUN, IT MAKES
MORE RESOURCES AVAILABLE.
THE GUARD HAS BEEN GREAT.
IT ALLOWS FOR QUICKER
PURCHASING AND
PROCUREMENT.
WE'RE ABLE TO DO THINGS
OBVIOUSLY IN AN EMERGENCY
SETTING.
IT HAS BEEN -- THE
GOVERNOR HAS COORDINATED
ALL OF THAT AND DONE A
GREAT JOB ON THAT.

>> HOW MUCH OF YOU GUYS
HAVING TO SORT OF MAKE
THIS UP AS YOU GO ALONG.
I KNOW YOU PLAN FOR THESE
EVENTS, BUT YOU DON'T
NECESSARILY PLAN TO HAVE,
AS THE GOVERNOR SAID, TO
HAVE TWO 50-YEAR STORMS
BACK-TO-BACK.
IS THIS A LOT OF IM PRO
VISING GOING ON?
HOW DO YOU KEEP UP?

>> WE'RE FORTUNE TO HAVE
GREAT TRAINED
PROFESSIONALS, AND ALSO
THE ONES THAT WORK IN
FLOOD CONTROL.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE
M.W.R.A. AT ALL TIMES.
THIS IS KIND OF THE THIRD
EVENT WE'VE HAD IN THREE
WEEKS.
SO THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO
THE DRILL WE DID JUST TWO
WEEKS AGO.
THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS
THAT THE GROUND IS NOW
TOTALLY SATURATED, SO
THERE IS NO PLACE FOR THIS
WATER TO GO, BUT
IMMEDIATELY INTO THE
RIVERS AND STREAMS.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE
DEALING, LAST NIGHT AND
AGAIN IN THE NEXT COUPLE
OF DAYS, JUST BECAUSE OF
THE TIDE CYCLES, WE'LL
HAVE ASTRONOMICALLY HIGH
TIDE CYCLES, AND WE'LL
HAVE STORM SURGE ON THE
COAST AND BEACH EROSION,
AND WE'LL BE DEALING WITH
ROAD CLOSURES TONIGHT
DURING THE COMMUTE.
IT WILL ALL BE COMPOUNDED.
BUT THE PROFESSIONALS AT
D.M. SAFETY AND THE FLOOD
CONTROLS HAVE STEPPED UP
AND DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB.

>> FRED, YOU'RE IN THE
UNENVIABLE POSITION OF
DEALING WITH SEWAGE.
WHEN DO YOU EXPECT HAVING
TO DO THAT AGAIN?
WHEN DO YOU MAKE THAT
CALL?

>> WITH THIS KIND OF RAIN,
WE'RE HOPING WE DON'T HAVE
TO --

>> WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY
THIS KIND OF RAIN?

>> THIS LEVEL OF RAIN ON
TOP OF THE RAIN THAT HAS
OCCURRED.
IT IS IMMENSE.
WE'RE TRACKING VERY
CLOSELY DOWN AT NUT
ISLAND.
BUT IT IS THE LESSER OF
TWO EVILS.
WE HAVE THE ALTERNATIVE TO
FLOOD OUT NEIGHBORHOODS,
FLOOD OUT BASEMENTS, AND
CREATE HUNDREDS OF
THOUSAND, IF NOT MILLIONS,
OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE TO
HOMES AND COMMUNITIES, AS
WELL AS THE PUBLIC HEALTH
RISK OF HAVING THIS IN
YOUR HOME.
THE ALTERNATIVE IS TO IN A
CONTROLLED WAY, RELEASE IN
AN AREA THAT IS GOING TO
FLUSH ITSELF OUT WITH THE
TIDES, MIN MAM -- MINIMAL
IN VIRAL -- ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT.
AND THE DAY AFTER IT WAS
BACK TO NORMAL.
TO ME, THE CHOICE IS
CLEAR.
YOU SAVE THE HOMES.
YOU SAVE OR STATIONS, AND
PREVENT THAT HEARTACHE AND
DAMAGE TO MINOR
ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE.
THIS IS A 50-YEAR STORM,
THE SECOND ONE IN TWO
WEEKS.
BUT WE MAY NOT HAVE
ANOTHER ONE IN 50 YEARS.
THIS STORM TWO WEEKS AGO
WAS THE BIGGEST STORM
SINCE HURRICANE DIANE IN
1955.
WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THE
NEXT ONE WILL COME, BUT I
THINK IT IS THE RIGHT
CALL.
IT IS INTERESTING AFTER
THAT EVENT, WE HAVE
RECEIVED ENCOURAGEMENT
FROM MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS
WHO SAY PLEASE, PROVIDE
RELIEF TO OUR SEWER
SYSTEM.
WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO DO TO
KEEP IT OUT OF THE HOMES.
PLEASE HELP US OUT HERE.
I THINK THAT IS A GOOD
POLICY DECISION FROM AN
ENVIRONMENTAL POINT OF
VIEW AND A PUBLIC HEALTH
POINT OF VIEW.

>> WE THANK YOU ALL FOR
COMING IN TO BRIEF US.
WE'LL GET YOU BACK ON THE
JOB.