Ever so slowly, the foodwaters that ravaged Berrien County are starting to recede. Berrien County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Robert Boyce says as the waters go back down, the focus is on cleanup and recovery now that a state of emergency was declared on Friday.
“Part of declaring a local state of emergency is to attempt to get additional resources to help with the recover effort, either through the state of Michigan and maybe through the federal government system,” said Boyce. He and others spoke Sunday night at a press conference in Buchanan about what’s coming next. Berrien County Health Department health officer Nicki Britten says one big thing to keep in mind is to not come in contact with the floodwaters.
“I would not recommend contact with the floodwaters,” Britten says. “If you do have contact, I would recommend bathing immediately and trying to ensure the water doesn’t get into any open wounds.”
If your home was flooded, the Berrien County Health Department says you will need to watch for mold and get your well tested if you have well water. That testing is available for free. If you need help with anything flood related, you’re asked to contact the United Way of Southwest Michigan by calling 2-1-1.
The Red Cross still has a shelter open at Berrien Springs Middle School along with shelters in Three Rivers and Kalamazoo. They’re closing down shelters in Lansing, suburban Grand Rapids and Hastings today.
