Here's the story- compliments of Sunday's The COFFEYVILLE JOURNAL.
Thousands Displaced, East Coffeyville Submerged
Joseph Thomas
COFFEYVILLE, Kan. — Between 2,500 and 3,000 Coffeyville residents are now displaced. Some have found homes with family members, others are residing in temporary shelters, and more are searching for answers or are deep in prayer. Over 50 rescues have occurred, and many more public service calls were handled to ensure people were evacuated safely. Aaron Phillips of the American Red Cross reported 141 individuals sheltered in the Coffeyville area, and numerous others in the county and surrounding counties. “Everything went really well with the shelters,” he said.
It’s not over yet. The river crested at 30.2 feet as of 2:30 p.m. Sunday, 3.7 feet above the levee’s level at 26.5 feet. It is projected to continue rising.
“The water levels in town will continue to rise,” said Jeff Morris, Cty Manager. This is the factor affecting Coffeyville residents, and the water will be here for a few days. The water flowing over the levee is pouring into Coffeyville, and until the river drops below 26.5 feet, the water within the city cannot be pumped out.
Residents are not permitted into homes west of Patterson Boulevard. Police are stationed at intersections and can ticket individuals who attempt to avoid the barricades or officers. “The city of Coffeyville has been conducting evacuation and rescue operations since approximately 2100 hours,” or 11 p.m. Saturday, the city Emergency Operations Center reported in a release Sunday.
The river level is not the only concern. The standing and flowing water is dangerous. Fire Department Captain James Grimmett reported the Corps of Engineers reported the levees were strong and the water was overtopping the levees, not flowing through a weakened or broken levee.
Polluted water is also a significant issue. “The flood water is polluted and children should not be allowed to play in the flood water,” the EOC said. Coffeyville Fire Chief Greg Allen confirmed a hydrocarbon release into the flood waters. “We don’t know the quantity or the source,” he said. The pollutants as well as potential disease were both causes for concern for those that have been in the flood waters."
Coffeyville Resources reported they were the source of the hydrocarbon spill and the company has shut down operations at its refinery and nitrogen fertilizer plant in Coffeyville, stated Angie Dasbach, Director of Corporate Affairs for Coffeyville Resources. “The company is monitoring the situation and will resume operations only when it is safe to do so,” Dasbach said. “As part of its response to the flooding, Coffeyville Resources is working to contain what appears to be about 1,000 barrels of crude oil that overflowed from a storage tank on the north end of the property. The majority of the overflow is contained within the facility boundaries at the present time. The company is also reporting a small ammonia release to the atmosphere and believes there to be no threat to the immediate community,” Dasbach continued.
County Health Director Ruth Bardwell advised that people who had been in the water should seek out her office, at 908 Walnut, if they had not had a tetanus shot within the past five years. She warned that if a person had an open wound or cut, the booster needs to be administered within 72 hours if exposed to the water. Additionally, people who need medications should contact the Red Cross, not the hospital.
The city’s water supply is safe to drink. However, the city encourages everyone to conserve drinking water. The pumps at the Water Treatment Plant went offline Sunday afternoon, and can not be turned on again until the river level drops below the levee. “Citizens should also ensure they have an adequate supply of drinking water in reserve for all members of their family,” the city advised. There is a fresh water reservoir for the city which is estimated to be able to last three days, as long as people conserve water.
The Wastewater Treatment Plant went offline around 3 a.m., but does not affect Coffeyville’s drinking water supply.
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