MEETING TO FOCUS ON PUMPING WATER

The Lutheran Flood Relief Task Force will hold a training session today on how to pump out flooded basements.

The training session will be held at 7 p.m. at St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 804 N. Cape Rock Drive.

"We are going to focus on training volunteers and homeowners to safely pump water out of the basement," said Jim Hicks, task force chairman.

Hicks said the group has two pumps and may obtain one or two more.

Hicks said the water in basements should be pumped out slowly to avoid damage to walls.

"You only should pump a foot of water a day," he explained.

He said the group is advising people involved in the cleanup to never enter a flooded basement when the electricity is on and to place gasoline pumps outdoors.

After pumping a foot of water out of a basement, one should mark the new water level and wait 24 hours before pumping again. If the water level goes back up, one should wait another 24 hours before resuming pumping operations, Hicks said.

With the ground so saturated, there is so much water pressure on the outside of the basement walls that pumping water out too quickly could cause the walls to collapse, he said.

"With these older structures, we need to do it in such a way that it doesn't do any further damage to the buildings," said Hicks.

Persons who need help in pumping out their basements should call the Red Cross at 335-5147.

The Lutheran Flood Relief Task Force was set up by the Lutheran churches in Cape Girardeau County.