Munster residents spend Sunday in flight

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BY KEITH BENMAN
kbenman@nwitimes.com
219.933.3326 | Monday, September 15, 2008 | (12 comment(s))

MUNSTER | Munster residents were stirred from their routines Sunday morning by Little Calumet River flooding that swallowed up low-lying streets with the unbridled wrath of a brimstone preacher.

"The town came out awhile ago and started going door to door," Monaldi Drive resident Mark Porte said at 11 a.m. Sunday. "It's 4 feet deep out in the street."

Porte was wading across Broadmoor Avenue with his daughters, Sophia, 7, and Olivia, 4, heading for the South Side Christian Church where the Red Cross had set up an evacuation center.

All across town there were stories of dramatic escapes and daring rescues.

Indiana National Guard members made a beeline for Munster when they arrived in Northwest Indiana late Sunday afternoon to evacuate patients at the Hammond Clinic and Munster Med-Inn.

Across town, Chestnut Lane resident Anastasia Zivic called 911 and reported three canoeists clinging to trees in the swollen Hart Ditch. Within two minutes, Munster police officers were dropping gun belts, wallets, keys and jackets on her back lawn and plunging into the creek, she said.

"I never saw anything like that in my life," Zivic said.

Munster Town Manager Thomas DeGiulio confirmed Zivic's account and credited Patrol Officers Gabe Isenblatter, Jeff Huckaby and Brian Hernandez with being first on the scene. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources and Munster Fire Department also helped.

A father, son and daughter were rescued from the raging waters.

Town officials kept adding to their list of flood evacuation orders and advisories throughout the day, as the Little Calumet River overflowed its banks at several points.

A mandatory evacuation was ordered at 9 a.m. for all homes between the Little Calumet River and Broadmoor Avenue in an area stretching from Calumet Avenue east to White Oak Avenue.

By 6 p.m. the mandatory evacuation area stretched west to Jackson Avenue, Town Councilman Mike Mellon said.

More than 1,000 homes were in the mandatory and advisory evacuation areas, Mellon said.

Those who could not find shelter with relatives or friends were sent to Munster High School, which was set up as an evacuation center. School buses ran from South Side Christian Church to the high school, ferrying residents of affected neighborhoods.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources evacuated some residents by boat.

An evacuation advisory was issued for homes from Broadmoor Avenue south to Ridgeway Avenue in the area stretching from Calumet Avenue east to White Oak in the morning. At night, that advisory was extended the town's northeast corner at Hawthorne Drive, Mellon said.

All day Sunday, Munster Public Works employees and volunteers sandbagged in the area of the Northcote Avenue bridge. On Saturday night, Hammond constructed a berm and began evacuating residents on the other side of the bridge.

The Munster High School football teams and about 50 members of the First Baptist Church of Hammond, still dressed in their Sunday finery, arrived Sunday to sandbag, state Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon said.

"That's the news today," Candelaria-Reardon said. "Just all these people coming out to help."

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PI wrote on Sep 27, 2008 5:39 PM:

" As the parents of one of those brave officers, we are very proud of Gabe and the other officers. It is a blessing to have him as a son. "

Thankful Citizen wrote on Sep 18, 2008 12:36 PM:

" Officer Huckaby you are a true hero. You exemplify the meaning of "Serve and Protect". Thank you for all that you did. "

Proud Munster Grad wrote on Sep 16, 2008 11:21 PM:

" I love that Munster is getting so much coverage, but not this way. I feel so bad for everyone that I hurt for them. My parents still live in Munster, and by the grace of God, it seemed that the flood reached their street, but never entered their home and they live right by the salvation army. You can actually see the sand and dirt pile built up on the Hammond side. I grew up in Munster, went to all the schools and graduated from Munster High. I just can't believe so many people now will lose their homes because someone couldn't bother to put up piles of sandbags. "

Melodee HorlickNovak wrote on Sep 16, 2008 1:43 PM:

" My heart goes out to all of you, I grew up in Munster in the 8100 block of Jefferson. I still live in the area and have often dreamed of buying my old house back. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you wonderful Munsterites. Way to go Mustangs. "

Carrie wrote on Sep 15, 2008 10:57 PM:

" I grew up in Munster and my parents still live there. It is nice to see that people are still willing to help. I want to help and really do not know where to begin. We will be donating clothes to the flood victims at the High School. Please if anyone knows or needs help and reads this please post it. Thank You to all the Angels out there that are still giving there all in this stressful time. Also let us pray that the river holds up for those on the other side of the Little Calumet on Manor and such! "

Proud Munster Resident wrote on Sep 15, 2008 10:07 PM:

" Munster is a great town with great people who go out of their way to help each other.
Kids from all over Munster, all ages-football players, wrestlers, softball/baseball players, cheerleaders, boy and girl scouts and almost any other group you can think of came out- in force to help. They came with parents, coaches and friends to help fill and deliver sandbags. And while it's hard to see the good in anything happening on right now. It's good to see these kids work so hard for each other and their community. Munster parents be proud of your kids and yourselfs for raising them to be compassionate and community minded. We must be doing something right around here. "

br wrote on Sep 15, 2008 6:00 PM:

" All I have to say is that the Town of Munster surprised with their response time knowing that the river hit the 14 foot mark on Friday night and they did not do anything until early Sunday afternoon. Fireman came and said there was a voluntary evacuation around 2pm and it was definitely not a mandatory at 9 AM! Hammond begin dumping sand on Friday night and Munster decided to do some serious work after all the damage was done...ridiculous. I hope someone takes some legal action because my family and I are definitely going to considerate that. Also, as to the sand bags, we asked the town multiple times to bring a lot more sand and they basically told us that we were on our own...good response guys. "

Linda Montalbano-Cohen wrote on Sep 15, 2008 1:52 PM:

" My heart goes out to all my hometown residents, family and friends. Since living in FL with hurricanes, storm serges and the like I can realize your pain and feel for you all. God Bless you and keep you safe. You will be in our prayers, Danny, Linda, Matthew, Mariah, Jalen and Tyler. "

Munster mom wrote on Sep 15, 2008 12:46 PM:

" Let's give a hand to the Munster kids who are over at Fisher Street garage making sandbags for Eads School instead of "enjoying" an unexpected day (week?) from school. I'm very proud of my son. "

God Bless wrote on Sep 15, 2008 12:39 PM:

" I feel so bad for the residents along River Dr. in Munster. First the tornado damage of last month and now this terrible flooding. Please keep them all in your prayers and know that things will get better soon. "

MunsterResident wrote on Sep 15, 2008 9:52 AM:

" Munster is a great town. "

lg wrote on Sep 15, 2008 7:41 AM:

" God Bless all that came together and the heroes that rescued those 3 people. What a great community effort! Hang in there! "

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