Dearborn’s government deployed crews and recruited outside aid to carry out the clean-up of widespread debris from last Friday’s storm and associated flooding

By Wednesday, the Dearborn city government had deployed all resources and brought in employees from Taylor, Melvindale and Canton, as well as private contractors, and continued to use city employees who volunteered to work clearing the debris — items from household basements left out on curbs. Massive pieces of equipment were contracted and brought in, with more expected through the holiday weekend.

While the numbers are still being compiled, the city said believes more than 10,000 homes throughout Dearborn were impacted.

Dearborn employees use a “bobcat” to haul flood debris

GFL, the city’s trash contractor, is also expected to add resources through the holiday weekend. Despite this concentrated effort, the city does not yet have an end date for collection, but said it is coming for all the debris as quickly as possible and appreciates residents’ patience.

Requests were made for mutual aid organizations as well, given how hard Dearborn was hit. Coordination is still ongoing with county, state and federal officials.

The use of large machinery meant trucks used to clear the debris needed to make fewer trips to landfills and could spend more time in neighborhoods clearing the flood-damaged materials, making the operation more efficient.

The city is encouraging people to report their damage by July 5 by visiting www.cityofdearborn.org or calling 313-586-3181 (weekdays).

By last Saturday, the Dearborn City Council had allocated $500,000 for the clean-up effort. Abandoned vehicles were towed by a police contractor to clear streets. The Department of Public Works had 100 trucks out trying to drain the water. Nearly 100 city employees were doing assessments of flood damage, walking door to door or driving through neighborhoods by Sunday, a process needed for potential federal assistance.

Flood debris is disposed of at a dump site in Dearborn

The city set up a cooling center and offered shelter. Seniors were given meals and other aid at the senior towers that didn’t have power.

“It was a blitz in Dearborn today, when the city amped up even more our ‘all hands on deck’ approach to assisting our residents by bringing in significant pieces of heavy equipment and enlisting the support from neighboring communities and private contractors to supplement the tremendous efforts already being put forth by Dearborn workers,” the city said on its Facebook page. “Nothing is more important than clearing the streets of the flood-damaged debris.”