The long week started with a Thursday morning pre storm that started a barn on fire on Waterloo Rd. and then Saturday Irene blew in and started what was to be one of the worst storms that Mt. Olive has scene in a long time. Crews started to receive calls shortly after dark and it just kept up till Sunday night with both Flanders and Budd Lake Emergency crews busy for over 35 straight hours. The Budd Lake Fire Department alone responded to 30 plus calls for everything from alarms, rescues, power lines down and flooding. There were 4 people rescued from cars stuck in water, over 35 people were rescued from parts of Flanders, the department was also called to assist in Long Valley for a car stuck in the water with entrapment and over 100 cellar pump outs were performed. From Saturday night till late Sunday crews were up for over 35 hours without sleep all to protect the citizens of Mount Olive. The calls did not stop until late Tuesday night there was furnace problems, basements flooded and oil spills still needed to cleaned up. The crews were very lucky to have a great Ladies Auxiliary that stayed with us providing breakfast, lunch and dinner for the guys as well as some manning the call center at town hall. All Mt. Olive Emergency Responder’s went above and beyond the call of duty without one complaining once.
