"- A letter from President Magrath
As I’m sure you know by now, tragic flooding has once again struck the Southern Tier as it did just five years ago. This time, the floods affected a much broader geographical region and displaced even more families than it did in 2006. As the flood waters begin to recede, we are left once again with the devastating aftermath and the opportunity to reflect upon how Binghamton University and the Southern Tier have become partners, in both good times and bad.
This morning, I had the opportunity to tour the emergency operations centers at the Events Center and West Gym. Of all the lessons learned on a university campus, none has quite the impact of the one playing out there right now. What I observed impressed me so deeply that I wanted to take a moment to share what I saw there today. Faculty, staff and students were filling plates for the evacuees and setting up cots for their temporary residence on the gym floor. Community members — some of whom were displaced from the flood themselves — worked diligently to maintain a clean, organized facility and provide toiletries for people who no longer have the luxury of showering in their own homes. Volunteers from the American Red Cross and state and federal agencies worked in unison to provide essential services to more than 1,800 individuals. Meanwhile, supplies arrived by truck and by car, some of which were then quickly reloaded onto two Blackhawk helicopters, which thundered away to deliver them to another nearby shelter that had become a virtual island, inaccessible by other means.
Looking over rows and rows of families lying on cots, some thoughts came to mind. While no one is happy by any means, they are all content that their essential needs are being met. Evacuees flash a friendly smile as a volunteer delivers diapers or a blanket. A dozen kids romp on each other with swords made of tied balloons, while a physics professor performs magic tricks. The Harpur Jazz Ensemble played from above to lighten the mood across the Events Center and finished to earnest applause from the audience. There were, indeed, many bright spots like this among the darkened skies.
Although Binghamton’s main campus was largely spared in the flooding, the University Downtown Center suffered significant damage and will be out of commission for an unknown amount of time. Classes have already been cancelled for two days as well as through the weekend, and there will be countless inconveniences as students, faculty and administration recalibrate their course schedules, classrooms are moved and facilities are occupied by evacuees or re-purposed to support the recovery efforts.
With that in mind, I ask for your continued patience as we continue meeting the needs of our community. Though the timeline and challenges before us may be somewhat opaque, we expect to begin tracking back toward our primary academic mission early next week. I’d also like to extend my gratitude and admiration to those folks — you know who you are — who have contributed to this colossal endeavor in ways for which I cannot compensate. It is at these moments that I am both humbled and proud to serve as president here. And I am proud of the individuals — from both campus and community — who work tirelessly to support the needs of the Southern Tier. It is at these moments when the proof is truly in the pudding.
Cordially,
C. Peter Magrath"
Update: A few fires have broken out across the Triple Cities area as well. The good news is that the flood waters isolate them somewhat so hopefully they have not been spreading. The bad news is that the fire department can't reach the houses due to the water so there is not much that can be done right now. If anyone has any information about more current developments, contact me and I will post them.
Road closings for saturday
A boil water advisory is in affect until further notice.
A conserve water order has been issued for Broome County until further notice.
10 am-Johnson City residents are asked to refrain from using water the next few hours as firefighters respond to a fire on Crocker Ave.
County Updates
3pm -A lot of people are asking about the "PetCo incident" so here is the link.
Here are some really comprehensive aerial photos of the whole region, along with some cool shots of the helicopters used. Link to facebook album
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