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Glendale leaders review "1,000‑year" August flood, outline cleanup and FEMA coordination
Summary
City leaders told the Common Council that the Aug. 9–10 storm produced roughly 11.7–14.6 inches of rain locally, damaged dozens of homes, generated 628 tons of debris from city streets and prompted a request to FEMA; staff said MMSD, Milwaukee County and local responders were central to the multiweek cleanup.
Mayor and city staff told the Glendale Common Council that the Aug. 9–10 storm was effectively a 1,000‑year (0.1% annual chance) event for parts of the North Shore and that the city’s emergency response and cleanup stretched over roughly three weeks.
City Administrator Carl Warwick said the closest rain gauge in Glendale recorded about 11.71 inches and that gauges two miles west measured as much as 14.55 inches. "We were Glendale was in that somewhere between 11.7 and 14.5," Warwick said, and he described the North Shore ZIP 53209 as among the hardest hit.
The council heard preliminary damage tallies: staff reported more than 4,500 homes assessed countywide, 51 homes destroyed (countywide), and an initial estimate of about $76 million in total regional damage. Warwick said the local damage estimate for homes reached roughly $33 million in the county tally but cautioned figures were still being finalized.
Warwick credited police, fire, public works and Milwaukee County for a coordinated response. He said crews closed flooded roads, removed fallen trees and debris, and worked daily shifts to clear hazards. "We tried to pick everything up at the curb," the Mayor said, noting the city collected bulky wet material to spare residents forced hauling to drop sites.
Public Works staff reported 628 tons of debris were hauled to the landfill over two weeks (about 1,250,000 pounds), excluding separately handled appliances and electronics. Staff estimated tipping fees alone at about $75,000; other line items cited included a damaged squad car covered by insurance and a roughly $20,000 traffic‑signal repair.
Warwick and Chief Fugman said the governor had requested federal assistance from FEMA and that Milwaukee County OEM was collecting municipal receipts and acting as an intermediary for FEMA’s new intake process. "FEMA’s new procedure is they're gonna work with county and or local emergency management," Warwick said. Staff urged municipalities to consolidate invoices and documentation for county submission.
Council members praised staff and contractors for rapid pickup and outreach. Several aldermen asked for a future report with consolidated costs once invoices are received; Warwick said staff are compiling final tallies and would present them when available.
What happens next: Staff said the city awaits a determination on federal assistance and will provide a follow‑up report to the council with a consolidated accounting of costs, invoices and receipts submitted to Milwaukee County OEM.
