Update On Potential For Flash Flooding

Louisville Metro Emergency Services provided this update today on the heavy rains and potential for flash flooding in Louisville:

• MSD, our city’s Public Works and first responders remain in communication about the potential for flash flooding.
• The EOC was activated this morning to Level 1, which involves personnel monitoring the situation, and assisting with potential needs of agencies involved in the event. Key city officials are alerted to Level 1 status by text, which initiates a chain of communication among senior leadership, including the Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
• With the National Weather Service predicting more heavy rain over the next two days, MetroSafe will continue to monitor conditions and activate the EOC as appropriate.
• Louisville Fire had only one rescue call today. A motorist attempted to drive through standing water, and their car stalled at Frankfort Avenue and Cable Street. The motorist was rescued.
• Since 6 a.m. Saturday through 4 p.m. today, MSD’s Call Center answered 437 customer calls.
• MSD has crews out in the community throughout any weather event, monitoring stormwater drainage channels and pipes, catch basins.
• Public Works also is patrolling roads to clear any clogged catch basins and reduce flooding. Public Works received two calls today; both related to clogged catch basins. Both were cleared.
• Public Works has crews on standby to place barricades if streets must be closed, and have ordered additional barricades to be used if needed.
• We encourage the media to continue to share our reminders to the public to stay away from pooling water and to “Turn Around. Don’t Drown.”

Next Steps

• The city’s Public Works’ Road division has inspected the city’s 32 viaducts and found that 17 of them are marked with signs advising motorists, “Do Not Enter When Flooded.” In other areas, those signs have been removed; the city is taking steps to replace those.
• Public Works also is working with MSD to identify the potential standing water depth in each of 32 viaducts in our community and then paint visible marks on each, as an additional warning to keep people from driving through during a heavy rain event.
• The city will use data from MSD, the National Weather Service, Louisville Fire and MetroSafe to project potential dangerous water conditions in the steepest and deepest viaducts and establish a mechanism to trigger visible warning lights to avoid entering flooded areas.

“Public safety is our No. 1 priority, and I am extremely confident in the commitment in the work of our police, fire and emergency management teams,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “It’s important that citizens be our partner in this mission, taking the steps they can to keep themselves and their families safe.”