Community Corner

Two Schools Flooded During Tropical Storm Lee

Lee flooded two area elementary schools

  • From Prince William County Schools:

Flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee was widespread across the Washington metropolitan region Sept. 8, prompting frequent announcements of flood watches and flood warnings on the NOAA weather alert system, television and radio stations, and social media. In Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS), administrators were on the alert for any possible effects of the drenching rain.

As the rain bands moved across the area, some schools reported minor leaks. However, two schools, Potomac View Elementary and Kilby Elementary, not only saw flooding in and around their buildings, but were witness to the determination and dedication of school and facilities staff that go unnoticed until times of crisis. We salute and thank one and all for their oftentimes heroic efforts. In both schools, the safety of children was forefront; to this end, children were safely dismissed on schedule because of actions taken by PWCS staff.

“At both schools, there were people who went above and beyond. The principals at both schools, the custodial staff, facilities staff, everyone…doing whatever they could,” said Associate Superintendent for Eastern Elementary Schools Rita E. Goss.

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The first bad cell of the storm hit Prince William County about 12:30 p.m. on Thursday. As John Windley, supervisor of Facilities Management recounts, “The storm sewer system around Potomac View Elementary was overwhelmed and could not handle the volume of water. That school is very low in the area with houses surrounding it. A lot of water collects at the school, at the front door,” Windley said.

Potomac View Principal Susan Porter began to think that something serious might be happening when she looked out her office window at maintenance trucks parked in front of the school. (As it turned out, some plumbers and electricians were already on site for minor issues in the building unrelated to the storm.) The rain was coming down hard, and water was up to the curb. She made her first call to the office of her Associate Superintendent, Rita Goss. Jan Marshall, Goss’ executivesecretary, remembers that call, then another, followed by another. Each time Porter was reporting that the water was rising. Help was on the way after the first call, Marshall said, as she had reported Porter’s concerns immediately.

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Porter saw the water rising above the tires on the county trucks. “I was amazed that it was rising so high so quickly,” Porter said. “I have never seen anything like that. It happened in an instant, it was so fast. I still never thought it was going to come into the building,” she said.

With water now coming under all three sets of front doors, she put out an “all call” to staff, for everyone not in a classroom to come help. Facilities staff on site was also quick to respond, opening floor drains in the hallway and in bathrooms. “We found brooms and mops and pushed the water down the hallway. We just kept sweeping and pushing,” Porter said.

Once the water was cleared from the hallway, “We made a human chain to help children out of the cafeteria and got them safely back into the classroom,” Porter continued. Earlier, food services staff had carried lunch to the children who had been unable to get to the cafeteria. In the end, “we had a normal dismissal,” said Porter. She sent a letter home to inform parents.

“I can’t say enough words of appreciation for what everyone did to help us to ensure student safety. Everyone put the children first; we focused on getting cleaned up by 3:30 p.m. and we did it,” Porter added.

Facilities staff was at the school until 4 p.m., Windley said. The water had receded. Thinking the worst was over, crews left. However, no one had any idea the worst was yet to come.

About 6 p.m., it started raining again. Windley got a call soon after that water was three feet from the front door of Potomac View. He arrived at the school at 6:15 p.m. , assessed the situation, and called for a sewer pumping truck. These trucks can pump 3500 gallons in about 10 minutes, go dump their load, and pump again. Windley thought this would take care of the excess water, but more effort was required. He had 12-15 people from the plumbing section and roads and grounds who pitched in, but it seemed a losing battle. Waging war against the rain for six hours called for some creativity and some dirty work.

“This was a full court press on how are we going to save Potomac View,” said Goss. “Those who helped are the behind-the-scenes folks who make everything work in the School Division. They really should be honored in some way," Goss said.

“We weren’t going to lose this battle,” said Windley. “We opened the front doors and channeled the water down the hallway and out the door on the other side of the building,” he said. This went on for the duration of the storm. Men were dispatched to Lowes and Home Depot to get mops, brooms, and squeegees. Several locations of the two stores graciously stayed open past their usual closing time to assist in this cause. Meanwhile, outside, men were working in water up to their chests. The storm drainage system could not handle the volume. "Our plumber was in the parking lot wrestling with the hose from the pumper truck to keep the hose in the water. The force of the water was powerful," said Windley.

Plumber Randy Jenkins and Randy Wolfe from the Structure and Grounds Shop were the heroes of the night, if anyone is singled out and deservedly so, according to Goss. Jenkins dove into the water and cleared brush away from the storm drain and by feel and instinct, also managed to get a manhole cover opened as well. “Water was 4-5 feet at the curb where Randy dove in,” said Windley. “A lot of debris was washing into the storm drain. Randy made sure the drain was clear.” 

Goss said she watched anxiously as she waited for Jenkins to emerge from the water. “I was afraid he would be swept away,” she said.
Finally, about midnight, all crews left Potomac View, their work done and the storm over.

Windley said that Kilby Elementary School was affected by the second rain band. Water from a hill behind the school hit the back of the building and came in through the air conditioning units. The crews there filled about 400 sandbags by hand and placed them around the air conditioning units to divert the water. 

“The sandbags stopped the flow of water,” said Kilby Principal Jenny Enriquez De Bermant. “By 10 p.m. we were able to clean up. We thank the team that came here from Facilities Services. It took them one hour to do what would have taken us eight hours. It was an easy fix but it just took manpower,” said De Bermant. One teacher, Maria Torres Jacobs, even called in her husband and son to assist. Others, including Goss, helped. Goss’ husband and son moved carpets and other items that might have gotten wet, De Bermant said.  

“Nothing got ruined,” De Bermant added. “By midnight we were finished and ready to open in the morning.”With school canceled, custodial staff in both Kilby and Potomac View were able to disinfect surfaces and floors on Friday, September 9.

“This was the most amazing amount of teamwork that I have witnessed,” said Goss. “It didn’t matter what anyone’s job title was; everyone pitched in.

“I witnessed Randy Jenkins going into the water in that dangerous situation. Those men were not thinking of themselves. They put aside their own safety to save that school,” Goss said, summing up the events of the day as "certainly a profile of courage" of the employees involved. Thanks and gratitude is expressed to these and countless others, most especially the staff in each school, although individual names are not listed below.

"I can't tell you how lucky I am to have the group of dedicated professional people that I work with. I mean that so sincerely,” said Windley. “It seems almost every day someone is sending a compliment on Facilities Services and that makes this job so rewarding."


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