Link to the LERT deployment: Milwaukee Flood response link
Starting the evening of August 9, 2025, the Milwaukee area experienced a weather phenomenon that a long-time local meteorologist had never experienced. Some areas of the city received as much as 14 inches of rain overnight. This overwhelmed stormwater runoff and then caused basements to back up through the sanitary sewers. A few of our congregations needed to cancel Divine Service because there was standing water in their sanctuaries! This hardship has extended to members’ and neighbors’ homes. We are just now getting our heads around this disaster. Many homeowners are now coming to the shocking reality that insurance companies don’t cover this kind of damage. This is creating even further anxiety among traumatized lives. The primary target of this effort will be residential recovery. We are seeking teams that will be willing to come muck out basements, including tear out of carpet and drywall, and hauling ruined items up out of basements for disposal. Teams responding should be prepared for a traditional muck out operation including all standard precautions.
