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Whitesboro residents still pumping out homes

By LEXIE O'CONNOR

Story Created: Sep 9, 2011 at 6:43 PM EDT

Story Updated: Sep 9, 2011 at 6:43 PM EDT

WHITESBORO, N.Y. (WKTV) - Wednesday's floods filled the village of Whitesboro, closing streets and keeping fire crews working late into the night.

To help with the evacuees and damage, Whitesboro had to call in help from eight neighboring towns, many who are still helping them reach flooded residents.

"We've been working approximately three days straight," says Whitesboro Fire Lieutenant Brian McQueen. "Last night, we ended approximately 8:30 with a water rescue from a vehicle on Mohawk Street, we started in this morning about 7:15 this morning, we had 39 houses we still needed to pump out today."

The fire department's biggest obstacle was keeping the water from coming back into basements after they pump them.

"It's still a living nightmare," says Whitesboro home owner Janice Vellone. "I had it pretty well down and now it's all filling back up again."

With water pumps hard to come by, residents are relying on the fire departments.

"There's people on the street that have lost everything, that have no insurance, I at least have some insurance," says Vellone.

Many Whitesboro residents are busy sorting through memories and keepsakes that are now drenched in water.

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