Secaucus Thanks Team Rubicon For Flood Cleanup

SECAUCUS, NJ — It is no secret that Secaucus was hard hit by freak flooding two weeks ago, on Tuesday, Sept. 25, particularly the streets of Humboldt, Golden Avenue and Minnie Place. Sadly, some residents suffered tens of thousands of dollars in damages when rain and sewer water flooded their backyards and basements, and many people lost personal items, too.

At the town Council meeting last night, Tuesday, Oct. 9, residents testified before the town Council about having to throw out pool tables and family photo albums, of hot water heaters and furnaces being destroyed, of doors pulled off their hinges by the force of flood waters and of hot tubs uprooted and simply floating in backyards on Golden Avenue. But there was one bright spot: The town of Secaucus also thanked the volunteers of Team Rubicon who descended on Secaucus two weeks ago to help clean up.

"I don't know what we would have done without you," said Secaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli.

Team Rubicon is an all-volunteer organization with approximately 80,000 volunteers nationwide. U.S. military veterans make up 80 percent of their membership and they respond to disasters all over the world. The last time they were in New Jersey was in August, when they worked in Brick and Howell. Team Rubicon also had a significant presence in response to Superstorm Sandy. They got the call that Secaucus would need help even before it stopped raining on Tuesday night, Sept. 25.

"I was contacted by the Hudson County OEM manager even before it stopped raining and was told that Secaucus would probably be in need of services," said Neil Glassman, a Team Rubicon coordinator who lives in Jersey City.

Team members hit the pavement starting Sunday, Sept. 30, assessing the worst-hit homes. Of the 64 homeowners Team Rubicon spoke to, they actually worked on 18 homes. Team Rubicon mostly focused on the area around Humboltd Street and Golden Avenue. You can see a map of the Secaucus homes Team Rubicon worked on:

They called their Secaucus job Operation Black Snake, possibly a reference to the origin of Secaucus' town name, Siskakes, meaning ''black snakes" by the Native Americans who originally lived in these low-lying marshlands.

"I just want to thank you. You guys helped us out a big deal with my basement," a resident who lives in the Humboldt Street area called out at last night's meeting.

Some jobs were as simple as removing rugs, but others involved completely tearing down drywall that had been destroyed by flood water. In total, they removed an incredible 5,00 cubic feet of debris. Secaucus officials estimate Team Rubicon saved the town approximately $25,000 in taxpayer money that would have been spent on DPW doing the clean-up.

Volunteers came from New Jersey, California, Maine, Virginia, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts and elsewhere to help Secaucus residents. One Team Rubicon member was even on vacation in New York City when she crossed the Hudson to help us.

"In some homes we were there for just a few hours," said Glassman. "In others, we were there for a day and a half. This was truly a case study in how a town government and volunteer organization can work together to get things done as quickly as possible."

Team Rubicon was given a huge applause by the town Council and Secaucus residents who attended the meeting last night.

Glassman told the Secaucus town council before the volunteers left last night: "If you need us, call us again."

Related: Dramatic Photos Of Secaucus Flooding Tuesday

Secaucus Businesses, Residents Suffer Thousands In Flood Damage

Help Your Secaucus Neighbors Affected By The Flooding

Unless otherwise noted, photos supplied to Patch by Team Rubicon.