FRIDAY 1 P.M. UPDATE: Three hundred additional sand bags are being created as this story is being posted. With the estimated 500 bags made on Thursday and today's 300 bags, in all 1,800 sandbags have been made since Fe. 27.
Most of the bags are already distributed and in place. Now comes the difficult part: waiting out the weather.
THURSDAY 10:30 P.M. UPDATE: Volunteers are needed at 10 a.m. on Friday morning at the EMS garage at the corner of Washington and Thurman streets, according to Rick Skillier, Bluffton police chief.
The village has enough sand to create 300 additional sandbags. It is the intention of the village to have those sandbags put together on Friday.
REFRIGERATOR NEEDED: Skilliter said that one family is in urgent need of a refrigerator, lost during the Feb. 28 flooding. Anyone willing to donate a refrigerator should contact Skilliter.
THURSDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: Bluffton University football players and athletes from several other university teams created an additional 500 sandbags today.
In reserve, if necessary is addition sand for about 300 more bags. That sand is at the village garage on Spring Street. Thursday's bags bring to 1,500 sandbags created and put into use in the past five days.
According to Jan Basinger, EMS chief, many of the bags created on Thursday have been spoken for by residents who were not able to get them quickly enough on Monday.
By 6 p.m. on Thursday pickup of the bags begins.
In the meantime, lots of Bluffton officials and residents will be watching weather reports on what to do next.
The following was posted on the Icon early Thursday afternoon:
While the weather predictions remain uncertain for the next few days, the Bluffton emergency services are preparing for the potential for flooding.
According to Rick Skilliter, Bluffton police chief, "Residents along the Riley Creek and areas prone to flooding are encouraged to closely monitor water levels and to be prepared to take immediate action should it be necessary.
"Additional sandbags will be available at the fire/EMS buildings between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday. Volunteer personnel may be available to assist with delivery, but residents are encouraged to have their own method fortransporting the bags if at all possible."
He added that residents should plan on keeping the sandbags through the spring season. It will be announced later in the spring when and where the bags may be returned. Bags will not be picked up by village crews in the short term.
For more information please contact the police department at 419-358-2066, extension 109.
