Officials in Newark are reporting that members of the Newark Fire Division rescued 18 motorists from flooded areas in the city Friday.
According to officials, heavy rain in the evening hours caused flooding in areas of the City of Newark, leaving motorists stranded in their vehicles.
The Newark Fire Division was inundated with calls for service due to the flash flooding.
Deputy Chief Alfonse Carlucci coordinated nine Newark Fire Division Units, including three Battalion Chiefs, to flooded areas where motorists needed assistance.
Officials said the Zodiac boats were deployed, similar to the boat pictured below, to flooded areas in order to reach motorists.
Members of the Newark Fire Division successfully rescued 18 people from vehicles that were immobilized due to the flooding.
A list of over 25 areas in Newark has been flooding during the potential of moderate rainfall or has experienced severe flood conditions for more than three decades with projects near the 1&9 corridor slated for or completed repair.
According to CDM, Smith is a full-service consulting, engineering, construction and operations firm headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, the company reportedly provides lasting and integrated solutions in water, environment, transportation, energy and facilities to clients around the world.
In Newark, the company said they were selected as the design engineer and construction manager for the Queen Ditch Restoration Project.
This project provided water quality benefits by alleviating sewage backups and resulting flooding during rain events for residents and businesses in the Queen District Drainage Area at the intersection of Frelinghuysen Avenue and Noble Street and at the Meeker Avenue underpass at Route 22 within the City of Newark, according to CDM.
Following completion of the project in August 2018, Mayor of Newark Ras J. Baraka noted, "For nearly three decades, heavy rain has turned these portions of Frelinghuysen and Meeker Avenues into lakes, creating safety and health hazards for drivers and residents alike.
Thanks to hard work by our contractors and excellent partnerships with state and federal agencies, we will no longer have to endure the spectacle of sunken cars on Frelinghuysen Avenue and first responders rescuing them in rubber rafts."
Former Water and Sewer Utilities Director, Andrea Adebowale, added, "We are very pleased to have met the challenges for this critical project.
Construction was completed under budget with minimal delays and impacts to adjoining property owners."
Officials would not say if any rescues last night were made in the area that CDM rectified.
IMAGE: File