Volunteers Give Time, Supplies To Help Lambertville After Ida

LAMBERTVILLE, NJ — Hundreds of volunteers turned out in recent days to help out in Lambertville after Hurricane Ida's remnants did extensive damage on Wednesday.

At least 25 families were displaced from their homes when the city endured more than 11 inches of rainwater — and a Delaware River that rose above its flood stage twice in 36 hours. In an update to residents over the weekend, Mayor Julia Fahl said there were no fatalities in the disaster.

President Joseph Biden approved a major disaster declaration for the city, meaning that Lambertville residents can register for individual assistance from FEMA. Nevertheless, clean-up from this storm will take a long time.

"This was one of the worst flooding events the city has ever experienced," Fahl said.

Half of Lambertville homes sustained damage of some kind in the disaster — she described an "increasing number of homes with critical flood damage."

The Office Of Emergency Management, led by Lieutenant Robert Brown, helped coordinate volunteer efforts in the aftermath. On Monday morning, more than 100 volunteers mobilized to separate debris into its four categories: debris, electronics, hazardous household waste, and "white" goods (appliances).

Volunteers also worked over the weekend to drop off supplies and donations, help people clear out damaged property, and begin to move the community forward.

"The volunteer effort throughout the city has been incredible," Fahl said.

This freed up city, county, and state officials to focus on other areas of need. Emergency management was in communication with the SUEZ water company, and with JCP&L — whose president brought in crews from Toledo, Ohio to work 48 hours straight and get power back on.

Starting Wednesday, the Delaware Valley Food Pantry will have relocated to Lambertville's Centenary United Methodist Church after their building was flooded. Although they can't take physical items, the pantry is still accepting donations to aid community members via Paypal on their website or Amazon and grocery store gift cards.

"We are collecting donations specifically earmarked for our community's flood victims," representatives wrote in a news release. "Many of our neighbors have lost everything."

Senator Cory Booker visited the food pantry during a tour of Lambertville after the flooding. The city also hosted Gov. Phil Murphy, Representative Tom Malinowski, and Hunterdon County Commissioner Susan Soloway.

"Political party, regionality, or ideology have never played a part in the decision-making process of our office of emergency management at any level," representatives for Lambertville wrote in a news release on Monday. "We are proud of the partnership between the County and the City as we address the real needs of our community — regardless of our political differences."

The mayor and city council will hold their Regular Voting Session on Thursday at 6 p.m., beginning with a closed session to discuss "attorney/client issues" and followed by an open session at 7 p.m. The meeting will take place on Zoom, and will likely include reshuffling of the agenda to prioritize disaster relief.

FEMA representatives are available at the Union Fire Station from 6 a.m. - 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday to help residents register for federal assistance.

Stay informed about what’s going on in Lambertville, or in your local area. Sign up for Patch emails and don't miss a minute of local and state news.

Got tips, story ideas, or questions in Lower Bucks County? Email kate.fishman@patch.com.