NYPD Saves The Day In Far Rockaway After High Tide Flooding Threatens To Keep Kids From School
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Queens neighbors were stranded on their street Monday after flooding from high tide. That meant kids who normally walk to school were in danger of missing the first day back after holiday break.
But as CBS2's Jenna DeAngelis reported, the NYPD saved the day in Far Rockaway.
What looked like a lake was actually Danielle Smith's front yard. It's what she woke up to on Beach 84th Street, making it impossible to get her daughter to school.
"I said, 'No, Kimora, let's turn around and let's just say no school today,'" Smith said.
Her neighbor, whose four children also walk to school, was facing the same problem, so she called 911 for help. The NYPD responded with a high-water SUV and carried the children from their home to the car without getting wet and made sure the five kids got to school on time.
"It was like a lifesaver. There's been a lot going on with the pandemic. Why subject them to, you know, more absence of school due to something that the city either can control or maybe it's something deeper that they need to find out what's going on," Smith said.
Smith has only lived in the area for four months, but as other neighbors pointed out, flooding has been an ongoing problem, specifically on days it storms.
"We in between two bodies of water -- the bay and the beach -- so the tide rise. When the tide get high, our block floods," Kimberly Labad said.
Labad pointed out that lingering garbage perpetuated the problem. The Department of Sanitation said there were delays with pickup citywide due to the holiday and threat of snow.
"Because we flooded this morning, knocked down all the garbage, and now all the garbage floated out and went everywhere," Labad said.
The NYPD contacted the Department of Transportation about a clogged storm drain on the street. CBS2 reached out to the agency, but didn't immediately hear back. The DOT and Department of Environmental Protection, however, is looking into it.
There's a costal flood advisory in effect for Tuesday morning in Queens, which could mean another day of issues for the families.
Smith said she is keeping a close eye on an app on her phone to be prepared if this happens again, adding she's just grateful, this time, cops came to the rescue.
"I thank them so much and my daughter enjoyed the ride," Smith said.