Jarvis Property Restoration first responders played a pivotal role in helping to assist with flood cleanup in the New England area following devastating flooding to Rhode Island and Boston in early March of this year. Jarvis presently has fourteen work crews and several semi-trucks of equipment in the Nashville area and has additional work crew’s en-route to assist with cleanup efforts. Jarvis water damage technicians are certified through the IICRC and utilize state of the art restoration equipment to extract flood waters and begin the process of drying out a property.

Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen called for a state of emergency over the weekend in order to pull in resources from the National Guard. The severe rain caused flash flooding, forcing hundreds of people to need emergency evacuation from homes and vehicles. Rain storms pounded the state with as much as fourteen inches of rain in certain areas washing away numerous roads throughout Tennessee. The governor has closed all government offices and schools on Monday, and has urged for businesses and municipalities to close to help ensure public safety. Many rivers were not expected to crest until late on Monday and the potential for rain later in the week will make cleanup efforts more challenging.

Jarvis Property Restoration has worked extensively in disaster relief, specifically in FEMA declared emergency zones. In the summer of 2008, Jarvis managed 1600 workers to clean and repair over thirty government buildings in Cedar Rapids, Iowa following a devastating flood from the Cedar River. Jarvis Property Restoration was founded in 1979 by Sheryl and Bill Jarvis in Detroit, Michigan. Jarvis presently has offices in Michigan, Iowa and Florida and maintains numerous response hubs across the United States to respond to unexpected disasters. Jarvis has set up a local relief number (615) 301-1077 for Tennessee area homeowners, businesses and government agencies that are in need of water damage restoration services.

The local shopping center – the Warwick Mall that consists of over 100 stores is surrounded by fast moving water. A fire boat had to be called in to pluck a security guard from the complex. There is no word when the mall will be able to re-open. Residents in Warwidk were told not to use the water because it may very well have been contaminated due to sewage backups. People are also being told that if they flush their toilets, they may end up with sewage water in their homes.

In one neighborhood, hundreds of people were forced to leave their homes because it was feared that a Pawtuxet River bridge was on the verge of collapse. Amtrak cut off service throughout the state of Rhode Island as long stretches of interstate 95 were shut down due to water standing on the roadway.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will be taking a tour of the flood ravaged state on Friday. The flooding in this tiny northeastern state isolated entire communities and crippled sewage treatment plants as it tore away bridges and sent many people rushing for the safety of higher ground. On Tuesday, President Obama issued an emergency declaration for Rhode Island which will bring much needed federal assistance to home and business owners who were hit hard by this disaster. FEMA officials are on hand opening disaster response centers in affected areas.

Even though the rain has stopped, the misery continues. Thousands of people are without power in Rhode Island as a result of this huge storm. Those without power may not see it back on for several days. Customers all across the state are being urged to conserve energy so as not to strain the already stressed power grid.

With Easter weekend approaching, it is safe to say that the holiday will be anything but enjoyable for the good people of the Ocean State. With any luck at all, the most they can hope for now is an end to the torrential downpours and some much need sunshine to help dry things out and lift downtrodden spirits.