Cleanup efforts underway at Brick senior community after flooding

Cleanup efforts are underway in Ocean County after heavy rain caused major flooding at a senior citizen community.
More than 100 homes in Greenbriar 1 in Brick Township are believed to have been damaged by Monday’s storms. The mayor says that dozens of people were displaced when nearly 8 inches of rain fell in just a few hours.
“All of a sudden I heard some ‘blub, blub, blub’ underneath the floors and I looked, not only was the street like a lake, the water was coming in all directions in every room,” says resident Rosemary Ackerman.
Ackerman says that her home was badly damaged by the flood, with half a foot of water coming inside.
Brick Township officials say that they made dozens of rescues as people became stranded in their homes.
“Once we started getting calls into EMS and Fire we had people out here immediately,” says Brick Mayor John Ducey.
Many Greenbriar 1 residents gathered at the community clubhouse Tuesday to get information about cleanup and relief. Most of them say that they do not have flood insurance. FEMA will only assist if the damage totals are high enough. They are still assessing the damage.
“Thank God that I’m OK. Personally, these are material things. We will get through it with the help of friends,” says Ackerman.
Mayor Ducey is urging flood victims to make sure any contractors they hire to make repairs are fully licensed and are legitimate.
Local high school athletes will be on hand Wednesday to help the Greenbriar community remove flood-damaged furniture, rugs and floors. They will also offer any other assistance the residents may need.