GRANTS -- Nancy’s Appliances on First Street was another casualty of the recent flood. The appliance store has reopened, but cleaning is still necessary to restore the store to its former condition. Other store owners along First Street had similar experiences. Setting between First and Second Streets their shops were inundated from both sides.
At first, Nancy was just watching the rain. Boys will be boys, two large trucks plowed through the rising waters and created such a splash that the water started to enter her store.
“I was standing there, looking at it, and then all at once, these big trucks came through the water. There was two of them, going as fast as they can. Well, the water is already up to the sidewalk, so it's like a tidal wave, and it came busting in through the door.”
“We had no drainage on First Street at all,” the owner said. “It came through the back and then through the front too.”
“When you have carpet it just keeps seeping. We had to take out all of the carpet,” Nancy disclosed. “Around the walls too, because it sets up mold and there’s no way you could clean this stuff. It was nasty.”
Nancy and her husband own their building and their insurance is with Farmer’s Insurance. They were told, as were others with the same company, that their insurance only covers the building, but not the contents. As with Glamour Girl, most of their merchandise was above the water line and was not destroyed. However, the floors and carpeting were a loss. Nancy’s office equipment also was lost, and a refrigerator that was sitting on band are still discussing the issue of drainage with the insurance company and the city.
“We were supposed to have drainage, but apparently it doesn’t work. You know your insurance tries to tell you it's an act of nature.”
Nancy feels that, in a way, she was lucky. Her appliances are in boxes that are insulated with Styrofoam, for shipping purposes, and set up about 3-4 inches above the floor.
However, carpet and everything else was a loss and will need to be replaced “out of our own pocket”.
Another fortunate incident that day was a delivery of washers and dryers that was scheduled to arrive. The drivers were alert, and wisely turned back to reschedule their delivery for another day.
“They saw the mess and they didn't bother to come down First Street. So all my new appliances weren’t in here, thank goodness.”
Another blessing is that Nancy and her husband are safe.
“Yes, I'm fine,” she said. “Just suffering, you know, a lot of loss money wise.”
How was she able to get out of her building to go home to safety? She reported that the cars in her parking lot were moving around in the current, so she wasn’t able to leave in her own vehicle.
“What am I going to do?” she thought. “ I didn’t know whether to stay here or what.
My husband finally came with the four-wheel drive and got me through that.
We went up Second Street because Second Street wasn’t as bad as First Street.”
There are other similar reports, most in the First Street business area. Thankfully the damage has only been material.
As of June 23, City Manager, Andrew Valencia has posted a communication on the City of Grants website. In brief, he states that our city’s crews are actively working to clean the affected flood areas. The clean-up may take a few weeks and advises citizens to drive safely. He also states that he has contacted the Governor’s office and also Senator Munoz requesting assistance at the state level.