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NSBNEWS.net photos by Sera Frederick. Photo at far left, David Hall, assistant street superintendent for New Smyrna Beach, updates Mayor Sally Mackay and Interim City Manager Khalid Resheidat on the flooding situation at Columbus and Atlantic on the beachside. With them are local residents Matt Wilson, Jimmy Johnston and Frank Dalton. In the photo above, Wilson walks through his front yard on Cedar Avenue.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Mayor Sally Mackay and interim City Manager Khalid Resheidat toured several flooded neighborhoods on the beachside during a lull in the rain this afternoon that has dumped 16.35 inches and counting.
Several nearby residents whose homes were invaded by water and whose streets were overrun with water were pleased not only to see city workers and their pumps, but also reassuring words from city officials who took the time to show they care.
"Nobody's hurt and everybody's helping," said Frank Dalton, 34, after Reshediat reiterated the city's mission of serving all of its affected residents in time of crisis.
"We've got the water under control now," he said, adding at least 40 employees with his Department of Public Works, the Parks and Recreation and the Golf Course, are on the job, nearly around the clock.
"What is amazing," the mayor added, "is that these city workers were here all night and some went home early this morning for a couple hours of sleep and then came back. What does this say about our employees? First class."
Not only were city employees out there, as well as police monitoring road closures, but neighbors were helping neighbors.
"You do what you got to do," said Cedar Avenue resident Mat Wilson, who was assistig a couple of neighbors on nearby Columbus, both of which shot off Atlantic Avenue, just south of Flagler Avenue. "The whole back of my house is flooded, but helping friends and family is what it's all about."
Wilson, though, like his neighbors took the continuing drenching in stride.
"We needed the rain, but not this much," he said. "(Tropical Storm Fay last year) didn't do anything like this."