City leaders reflect on Ammon flooding

The repeated heavy rain has taken over parts of Ammon, especially over last weekend. Apartments, cars, and roads flooded, and city leaders are reflecting on what actions were taken.

City works officials and the fire marshal said overall, the situation was handled well, but there’s always room for improvement.

“Well this is unusual, and it’s what we refer to as a 100-year event. … Our systems are never designed to handle that kind of water, so did they handle it? Eventually but not immediately,” said Ray Ellis, public works director.

About 40 people combated the Ammon flood Saturday

“Sometimes you just have to put a person there at a drain and keep removing the debris because it will continue to get covered within a minute,” said Fire Marshal Keith Banda.

After events like this come reflection.

“We’re reviewing these satellite maps of the area,” said Banda. “As Ray was referring to, some of this infrastructure goes back quite a few years, but it has improved over the years as well.”

The infrastructure has been updated for the nearly 10,000 people have moved into Ammon in the past eight years.

More people means more cars on the roads.

“Our first concern is public safety, to make sure nobody gets hurt, protect ourselves protect the people protect the drivers,” said Ellis. “Our second concern is to protect property what can we do to alleviate where they might be prominent damage whether its to pump it, bring it extra pumps or bring in sandbags – whatever we can do to mitigate the immediate threat to property.”

Banda wants to make everyone aware that in a situation like this, if there are cones blocking access to the road, it’s for a good reason.

The city says one of the biggest issues during this flood was communication.

Officials said they are working to get both public works and the fire department on the same radio frequency during emergencies.