Mont Clare Still A Mess After Ida Flooding, Neighbors Show Care

MONT CLARE, PA — Phoenixville and Mont Clare are separated only by the Schuylkill River and when the river overflowed early in September it didn't care who lived where. Residents of the two towns became real neighbors in recent weeks as flooding cleanup dragged on.

Over a month after Hurricane Ida passed through southeastern PA flooding towns along the Schuylkill, many are still without power, porta-potties remain in use, vehicles are unusable — and don't even ask about insurance claims. Water and ice have been available sometimes and not findable other days, residents told Patch.

Nearly six weeks post-Ida, FEMA announced two mobile recovery centers were deploying this week in Montco, one to Collegeville, and another to King of Prussia.

But that and FEMA's earlier response have been at best inadequate for residents of Mont Clare who are displaced while demolishing their homes, filing claims and seeking assistance, and looking for personal belongings that floated away in early September's deluge.

Food, Water, And Where's My Stuff?

It's hard to imagine what a flood disaster looks like unless you've been in one. No one thinks of bloated adult diapers floating away along with trash cans and their contents and valued personal items. After the fact, FEMA can bring the basics of living, but it's your neighbors who are likely to find your waterlogged stuff.

The Mont Clare neighborhood hit worst has combined official assistance with old school neighborliness, setting up exchange sites where you can bring what you found and find what you lost, and get a meal if you need it, too. Otterbein Church has been at the center of neighborhood connection, as has a Facebook group that grabbed over 1,000 members in its first days set up, as people tried to find help and give it.

Jesse Fischer, of Phoenixville, didn't wait for an official response but began organizing right after the disaster. She and Mont Clare resident and former social worker Mary DiMatteo co-coordinated neighborhood efforts. Fischer said that as Phoenixville managed its own cleanup, it became clear that Mont Clare was still in need of help. She knew people were not necessarily online to report they had no power or water, so she organized volunteers on the FB page and went out to the neighborhood to find out who needed what.

Fischer said, "I was seeing all the homes in pictures online. I set something up so people could help each other and it turned into something larger than I expected."

DiMatteo was fortunate to be on the side of the canal where the flooding was not as bad, and only had her basement flooded, so she wanted to help those who were hit hard. "She stepped up, along with a lot of other volunteers," Fischer said. All the first floors are being demolished.

Fischer found every house is in a different state as she and volunteers made their way through the Port Providence neighborhood, where a cluster of about 12 homes was hit especially hard. "Water was up to the second floor for some in Port Providence," she told Patch.

Otterbein United Methodist Church is situated in the midst of homes on the Walnut Street side of the canal where many of the homes are so bad they're being gutted. Some homes have no water because they were served by private wells, and a few are still waiting for power, though Fisher's canvass found most had the electricity back on.

Otterbein UMC is mostly in ruins, said Betsy Allen Ettinger. "Our members have been doing what we can to help residents. Their needs are so much more important than our building. It has been wonderful to see the community come together but there is much more needed," Ettinger said.

Residents get caught in insurance claims waiting as assessors are overwhelmed and repairs await the assessors' reports. Each resident has a unique story of loss and struggle to rebuild.

Aimee Bailey said her mom's home at 304 Hollow Road was left unlivable. "All of my mom's medical equipment was destroyed. Even her boxes of Depends blew up and floated around the house. Everyone ended up with other people's things. People were posting items in the Clean Up Mont Clare group trying to find the owners. It is crazy."

She said on the day after the flood her mom's stuff was all over the lawn. "We pulled it all out to try to save things."

Bailey said, "My mom was diagnosed with cancer in August, on top of her MS. So we are really struggling to stay on top of everything. Right now we have hardly been able to get anything done besides some demolition."

Official Help Was Spotty, Township Worked On Home Buyout Program

Mont Clare is in Upper Providence Township where after President Joe Biden approved Gov. Tom Wolf's disaster declaration for the area on Sept. 13, officials notified residents that recovery specialists from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration would be coming to the area. Rep. Melissa Shusterman's office sent out informational pamphlets on Sept. 15 to help residents navigate FEMA assistance.

A Montgomery County Disaster Recovery Center opened at Montgomery County Community College Health Sciences Center Gymnasium in Blue Bell. Basic supplies like water, food, and ice were distributed and porta-potties were set up around Mont Clare after the disaster declaration.

An official announcement said the ice trailer and porta-potties would be removed on Sept. 20.

Two weeks later, on Sept. 29, Upper Providence Township notified residents that Oct. 1 would be the last day for supply and food distribution that had been going on for weeks at the Mont Clare Fire House on Bridge Street.

It wasn't a popular move, and residents said it was way too soon. One resident told Patch people were using their back yards as bathrooms when the potties disappeared. Fisher said the ice trailer likely wasn't being used because it was set up at the end of an alleyway and people either didn't see it or those who needed it couldn't get to it.

Upper Providence Township Manager Tim Tieperman said, "A lot of people are frustrated. This is going to be a long clean-up, there's going to be construction debris. Public works crews are down there. We've put out a special request for a street sweeper to go through that area."

Tieperman said, "Our main focus at the Township has been to work with FEMA hazard mitigation."

The Township and County are holding two public information meetings in the next week that will explain a homeowners buyout program, Tieperman explained.

The first meeting is Saturday, Oct. 16 at 8:30 a.m. at the Upper Providence Township Administrative Building at 1286 Black Rock Road. A second meeting is the following Tuesday, Oct. 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the same place.

"We've been working behind the scenes with FEMA, contracted with structural engineering firms," said Tieperman. "We'll be going out in the next two weeks to get detailed flood damage estimates. What we're finding is we're transitioning into the part of the relief efforts that takes more time."

And meanwhile, the wife of a candidate for Upper Providence Township Supervisor took it upon herself to get a porta-potty set up again in Port Providence. Christina Yeager said she was out placing political signs and that's how she realized there was a pressing need. "The devastation is unbelievable, I had to just stop to get myself together."

Yeager said she called Alpine Portable Toilets and asked why the potties were removed. She said she was told it was because the funding for them had ended, so she asked what would be the cost of two units. She said the owner of Alpine Sanitation agreed to split the cost with her if the need for the potties extended beyond one month.

"They're in survival mode," Yeager told Patch. "This community is like one big family. They really do take care of each other."

Food and supplies left at the firehouse were taken to Otterbein Church on Walnut Street and some will be moved to St. Andrew’s Church in Audubon to combine Upper and Lower Providence Townships, residents reported on the Facebook page.

Volunteers like Alicia Eggers Saladino stepped up to get meals out. "Planning to have a soup bar and BBQ Saturday afternoon at the Otterbein Church," Saladino posted last weekend. "Looking to see if anyone would be willing to donate some to-go containers that would work for soup, so we can distribute — and Sternos. Happy to pick up if need be."

Phoenixville Reached Across The River

The care crossed the Schuylkill as Phoenixville cleaned up its own messes and realized Mont Clare was even worse off and still struggling. Phoenixville's Office of Emergency Management sent resources along with private organizations and volunteers.

Phoenixville Mayor Peter Ursheler said, "I continue to be impressed and inspired by the incredible outpouring of support by the members of the Phoenixville Borough for our Neighbors in Mont Clare. The Phoenixville Office of Emergency Management Director Karin Williams has been on the scene assisting in recovery efforts since almost day one."

Urscheler told Patch, "Our incredible Phoenixville nonprofits have provided food and critical resources, the public works department has provided assistance in trash removal, the Phoenixville Police and Fire company has provided mutual aid, and the Gateway Pharmacy along with West End/Valley Forge Fire Company and the Phoenixville Community Health Foundation has even provided a mobile tetanus shot clinic."

He said the official organizations were also joined by residents who came together with family members or friends to provide relief. Many gave money and other donations, others pitched in to clean up.

"We are living in extremely challenging times, and many of our neighbors in Mont Clare have a long road to recovery ahead, but the resilience and selflessness shown by so many provides a beacon of hope and reminds us that we will overcome any challenge or storm as long as we work together," Urscheler said.

The Mont Clare & Phoenixville Clean Up group has 1,500 members. People are still connecting there, sharing what they need and where those in need can find things.

Aimee Bailey is still waiting for her disabled mom's car insurance to pay for the car that was destroyed, but she's given up on a claim to get the car topper replaced.

"The car insurance won’t pay out until the car is collected. However, I was hoping to attempt to claim the topper with FEMA, so I can’t send the topper away yet. It is electrical and will not open," she explained. Bailey turned to the FB page to find help.

"I was wondering if anyone would be able to remove it from the top of the car so that we can send the car away. They are both totaled so it doesn’t have to be pretty. If anyone can help or has a suggestion, please let me know. Thank you!"

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