myVU - Resources for Faculty and Staff

Counseling and assistance available for Vanderbilt flood victims

Posted 5/3/2010

Photo courtesy Vanderbilt Athletics

Campus officials, staff, faculty and students with final exams on their minds are coming together to bring aid and comfort to members of the Vanderbilt community affected by flooding in Nashville over the weekend.

Faculty and staff impacted by the floods are invited to call (615) 936-1327 to make an appointment with a Work/Life Connections-EAP counselor. Some proof of hardship, such as a photograph, should be brought to the appointment. Some employees will be eligible for a gift card.

Donations to the Hardship Disaster Fund are welcome at http://worklifeconnections.vanderbilt.edu/service/overview-of-the-faculty-and-staff-hardship-fund.

All members of the Nashville community are urged to conserve water during for the immediate future, because one of Nashville’s two water treatment facilities is flooded. Even simple modifications such as taking showers rather than baths and using dish and clothing washers when absolutely needed would be helpful.

Most business was proceeding as usual at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, including the One Hundred Oaks location. The Cool Springs Surgery center was closed May 3, but other services in Williamson County were not affected.  

Canceled are elective surgical operations at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital and clinics in the basement of The Vanderbilt Clinic including radiation oncology and pulmonology.

All libraries were open their normal hours on May 3, though two rooms in the General Library were closed to dry out.

The final two games of a baseball series with Georgia were canceled after Hawkins Field flooded.
 
“There has been a fantastic and selfless response from students who are under pressure to study for final exams during this crisis,” said Jim Kramka, senior director of housing operations. “VU Police, faculty and staff have all gone out of their way to lend a hand, as well.”

About 12 students were relocated from dorm rooms too wet to be inhabitable, Kramka said. Students from the East and North houses at The Commons were moved, as were some from Cole Hall and the Pi Kappa Alpha House.

Cleanup crews worked through the day May 2 and continued May 3 vacuuming up water and setting up fans and dehumidifiers to deal with the moisture.

“Greg Barz, the head of house at North House, participated in a bucket brigade to get water out of North House on Sunday, Kramka said.

Vanderbilt took wet clothing from some students to be laundered and Vanderbilt police officers helped transport students to new quarters.

Ample rooms were available to relocated students because some have already left for summer break.

The flooding remains an evolving situation, and could change over the next 24 hours as water continues to rise in some parts of Metro Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Please check our special severe-weather website for updates.

Contact: Jim Patterson, (615) 322-NEWS
jim.patterson@vanderbilt.edu