by David Flint
In Berlin, according to Town Supervisor Rob Jaeger, it seemed the only way out of Town after 5 pm on Sunday was Bly Hollow and Taborton Roads. During the storm the Town took the initiative and notified the State that they were closing State Route 22 to the north because of water a foot and a half deep rushing over it at Goodell Road. They also notified the County that they were closing County Route 40, the Plank Road, because large sections of it were washed out.
Jaeger said the Town and the Fire Department had prepared well and were ready for most anything. A Command Post was set up at the Fire Hall and a State of Emergency was declared at 11:10 am on Sunday. Fortunately, the Fire Department got only two 911 calls, but many residents called the Fire Department directly or the Supervisor to report problems. A bridge on Watson Road near the CCC Dam Road was destroyed completely. At Walnut Lane near Maple Avenue another bridge was taken out along with much of the embankment alongside it. Jaeger said it was thanks to Marc Primeau and Walt Knightes and some others, who worked to divert the water flow, that severe damage did not occur to the Baptist Church and other buildings on North Main Street. Other roads flooded and damaged were Goodell Road, Fogg Lane, Cowdry Hollow Road, CCC Dam Road, Mattison Hollow Road and Green Hollow Road. The new culvert bridge on Southeast Hollow Road was also washed out, mostly on the north side, but the massive culvert itself remained intact. Jaeger said that, amazingly, Bly Hollow Road, thanks to a lot of work done earlier on this road by the Jim Winn and his Highway Department, held up well through the storm.
The Fire Department responded to pump out basements at two residences. They also worked to remove the water from Route 22 and divert the flow. The Fire Hall Command Center was used as a shelter for 17 people seeking refuge from Aqua Vista Campground in Petersburgh. Nine of them spent the night there thanks to bedding provided by staff from the Berlin Elementary School. The best thing about the experience, Jaeger said, was that no one was hurt and the Town never lost power.
