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Crisis handled

To the Journal editor:

On March 31, the Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum, just at the close of business, began to experience a crisis that lasted two days.

The city’s frozen storm sewer drain behind our building was overflowing from surrounding spring runoff and rushing water was coming into our back door. It was like a river.

My crew jumped into action, shoveling snow, sucking and bailing water barely keeping up with the rise of the waters.

As it was coming into the back door it was also coming through a wall and directly into our store / entry on the first floor.

It covered the store floor with about two inches of water and filled our elevator shaft.

I called the city’s water and sewer after hours number and got immediate help. The person who answered the phone was wonderful.

Larry Linnea and others from the city crew jumped into action sucking water from the drain and blocking off the sewer. They were amazing.

I also would like to thank Riverside Auto who delivered two pumps and a set of hoses at the exact time they were needed.

The next day we had a crew of volunteers removing snow so that we could eliminate the amount of runoff going into our building and when I called Scott Cambensy to help remove the snow. He too was wonderful.

His crew removed the huge pile of snow eliminating what could have been another huge source of runoff water.

I then called the water department not knowing if the water gushing into our store was from a water main, or pipe, or just run off. They too were wonderful.

They came over, tested our water and determined its source was runoff and not a broken pipe. They called back to make sure we were OK.

At this moment we’re OK. I kind of see it as the calm eye of the storm, more to come when the temperatures rise again, but the city was a savior during our moment of need. They were cordial, helpful and a true partner. We could not have done it without them.

I’m so proud of all we do in Marquette to help one another.

Thank you.

Nheena Weyer Ittner, director

U.P. Children’s Museum

Marquette

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