We are Nashville

If you know or hear of a family or a community not getting the resources they need to help them get back on their feet after the flood call 2-1-1 or visit www.211tn.org.

The Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management’s 211 division connects flood victims to the services they need. Whether it is food, shelter, counseling, or other social service needs, 211 is specifically designed to connect people with more than 2,800 health and human services agencies. All 211 calls are answered by nationally certified information and referral specialists who are fluent in several different languages. The caller is provided with phone numbers, programs and services, location, hours of operation and other information relevant to what the caller needs.

* Bellevue – Clean-up crews are needed in Bellevue to help restore damaged homes (tear out carpet, move furniture, do demo work, clean). Meet at Bellevue Church of Christ, 7401 Highway 70 S) at 8 am daily. More info: www.ServiceInternational.org/nashville. (H/T: Tennessean)
* Visit Hands on Nashville website, www.hon.org, for up to the minute volunteer opportunities.
* Nashville residents should continue to conserve water through the end of May since the K.R. Harrington Water Treatment Plant is expected to be out of service through the end of the month. Please do not wash cars, pressure wash, use sprinklers or irrigate and only essential laundry and kitchenware.
*Department of Human Services Emergency Assistance for Tennessee flood victims now available. Click here for application [pdf].
* The East Nashville Flood Relief Center is up and running for donations this week at 407 Gallatin Road. Hours are 9am-6pm. Donations accepted include furniture, mattresses, appliances, electronics, small household goods, clothing, shoes, toiletries, toys and books. Please be sure all donations are in good working order and clean. Food donations will be left to other organizations.

* Woodland Wine Merchant presents a Flood Relief Wine Tasting at Marché Artisan Foods in East Nashville, 5:30-7 p.m. on Thursday, May 27. $15 per person. From their invitation: “Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the recent flood devastation, along with many thanks to all who have volunteered to help those in need. Please come join us in raising money to rebuild our community while raising a glass with your friends and neighbors. We will be pouring five summery wines, and Marché will provide the snacks. All of the money will go to flood relief.” (H/T: Nashville Scene’s Bites)

* Sweet Relief Bake Sale – Lindsay of the always delectable Love and Olive Oil blog sends word of what promises to be a sweet way to help raise money for Second Harvest of Middle Tennessee and their efforts to provide relief to victims of the recent flooding. She’s organizing a the Sweet Relief Bake Sale set for 1:30 to 4 p.m. this Saturday, May 29, where Nashville food bloggers will team up to create a fantastic spread of baked wonders. Location: Green Wagon at 1100 Forrest Ave. in the Five Points neighborhood of East Nashville. (H/T: Nashville Scene’s Bites.

* Support Nashville is attempting to put together a compilation album, the proceeds of which will go toward flood relief. Local bands who would like to be featured can apply at the site. (Source: WOTT and the Nashville Scene’s Nashville Cream Blog)
* Flood victims can stop by any Great Clips in the Middle Tennessee area to receive a free haircut now through May 31. Guests will be asked to provide their name, address and the flood status of their home or car.
* Bowl for Nashville – From 5 p.m. to midnight on Tuesday, May 25, Hillwood Strike & Spare, 3710 Annex Ave., in Nashville will hold a fundraiser for the Nashville Red Cross. For $10, guests can bowl all they want or get an unlimited wristband for bumper cars, laser tag and roller skating. (Source: Tennessean)
* Run for Nashville – On Saturday, June 5 in the Annandale neighborhood in Brentwood, there will be a 5K fun-run to raise funds for flood relief. Fifty percent of the registration fee will go to Hands On Nashville. For more information, visit www.thehomerun5k.com. (Source: Tennessean)
* Flood relief benefit auction – At 3 p.m. Friday, June 11, the Guitars of the Stars Benefit Auction will take place at Ryman Auditorium. Stars contributing decorated guitars include Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Danny Gokey, Alan Jackson, George Jones, The Judds, Jake Owen, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker and more. Chris Young will start the event with a performance. All proceeds from the auction will go to the Opry Trust Fund and be earmarked for flood relief. (Source: Tennessean)
* The folks in Dyer Co. now have t-shirts of their own. All proceeds go to the Dyer County American Red Cross Disaster Fund. Also, We Are Nashville t-shirts are still available. (H/T: Speak to Power)

METRO NASHVILLE – Disaster Information Centers are no longer operational. On Monday, May 17, assistance provided at the Disaster Information Centers will transfer to FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (see above details) and a network of non-profit distribution centers (see locations below).

FEMA – Twelve Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) operated by the state of Tennessee and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are open for those affected by severe storms and flooding that started on April 30. The centers are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., 7 days a week until further notice. Disaster officials ask that before visiting the centers, people first register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 800-462-7585 for those with speech and hearing disabilities. Help in all languages is available. The DRCs are located at the following locations:

Middle Tennessee

West Tennessee

FEMA MOBILE (MIDDLE TN) – Four FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (MDRC) will visit four counties designated for federal assistance in Middle Tennessee beginning Monday, May 17, for a two-and-half day stay, to provide assistance to people affected by the severe storms and flooding that started on April 30. MDRC hours of operation are Monday, May 17, from noon to 7 p.m. and Tuesday and Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time at the following locations:

FEMA MOBILE (WEST TN) – Four FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (MDRC) will visit two counties designated for federal assistance in West Tennessee beginning Monday, May 17, for a two-and-half day stay, to provide assistance to people affected by the severe storms and flooding that started on April 30. MDRC hours of operation are Monday, May 17, from noon to 7 p.m. and Tuesday and Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time at the following locations::

NON-PROFIT AND FAITH-BASED DISTRIBUTION CENTERS The network of non-profit and faith-based distribution centers will allow citizens to access resources closer to their homes through congregations and agencies already well established in neighborhoods. This effort is coordinated through the Middle TN VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster), a network of more than 50 faith and non-profit organizations that will partner with the city in coordinating human services such as case management, mental health, housing transition, and food, water, personal hygiene supplies access as families and neighborhoods move more deeply into the recovery.

SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION RECOVERY CENTER – An SBA Business Recovery Center is open now at Tennessee State University Avon Williams Campus (Downtown), 330 10th Avenue North, Room 200, Nashville, TN 37203. Hours of operation: Monday – Saturday 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.. Click here to download the SBA fact sheet in english and spanish. As the nation’s leading provider of post-disaster assistance for non-farm, private sector disaster losses, the SBA plays an important role in helping homeowners, renters, non-profit organizations and businesses of all sizes get back on their feet.
Those eligible for assistance include:

• Homeowners, who may borrow up to $200,000 to repair real estate;
• Renters and homeowners, who may borrow up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property;
• Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofits, who may borrow up to $2 million for physical losses;
• Small businesses, who may borrow up to $2 million for economic losses.

* SOUTHEAST NASHVILLE: The Southeast Nashville Flood Relief partnership organized by Rev. Jay Voorhees of the Antioch United Methodist Church, is coordinating to help persons with documentation issues who have lost everything in the floods and are unable to participate in FEMA assistance. Donations are tax-deductible and 100% will be directed toward relief and rebuilding efforts. Visit their website at www.senashvillefloodhelp.com.
* BENEFIT ITEMS A comprehensive collection of Nashville flood posters, t-shirts, and bumper stickers available here.
* NASHVILLE: Hands On Nashville volunteer sign-up (on behalf of the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management) or call 615.862.8583 (contact person Brian Williams).
* NASHVILLE CASH DONATIONS The most urgent need continues to be cash donations which can be made to the Metro Disaster Fund at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
* NASHVILLE MATERIAL DONATIONS Requests include large quantities of the following: diapers, formula, cleaning supplies and rubber gloves, wet vacs, brooms, mops, and generators. If citizens have large quantities, they should contact the Community Foundation.
* NASHVILLE NON-BULK & SMALL ITEMS Non-bulk or small quantities of the needed items should go to the Community Resource Center (CRC) at 911 Division St. Nashville, TN 37203. The email contact for this location is betsycrc@comcast.net.
* Effective immediately, individuals needing Red Cross Assistance can call toll-free 1-866- GET- INFO (1-866-438-4636).
* EAST NASHVILLE LARGE ITEMS: Large item donations in East Nashville can be brought to 407 Gallatin Road, next to Sherwin Williams and across from Firestone, near East Literature School. This location will be open for receipt of donations of furniture, lamps, lighting, larger household items, appliances, AC/heating equipment, duct work, etc. PLEASE NOTE that donations of clothing, other personal items, and smaller house-wares will continue to be accepted at the East Park Community Center, 700 Woodland St.
* ONLINE FUNDRAISING: In an effort to raise more than $100,000, Nashville and Franklin-based accessories store Whats-in-Store has added an online-only selection of jewelry where 100% of sales will be donated to flood relief. New items are being added daily. (H/T: Stella Shops)

* The Salvation Army is providing Emergency Assistance and Relief (clean-up kits, personal hygiene kits, food boxes, bottled water, paper goods, toiletries, diapers, and emotional and spiritual care to those in need) at the following six locations: Magness-Potter Community Center, 611 Stockell Street, Nashville 37207 Hours: 9-5 p.m. Phone: 255-0554 (also provides monetary financial assistance), Madison Citadel Corps, 425 Neelys Bend Rd, Madison 37115 Hours: M-F 9-4; Sat. 9-1pm, Murfreesboro Corps, 1137 West Main St, Murfreesboro Hours: 8 – 6 p.m., Hispanic Corps, Serving East Nashville and Antioch Area 37209 (roving), Laotian Corps, Serving Antioch Area (roving).
* Flood Repair Guidelines: A building permit is required prior to making repairs to flood damaged homes and buildings. Click here for pdf of guidelines including who can pull a permit, guidelines for addressing mold, guidelines for repair of electrical systems and water heaters exposed to flood water, guidelines for re-starting water damages heating and cooling equipment, etc. Department of Codes and Building Safety is located at 800 2nd Avenue, South Nashville, TN 37210 or call 615 862-6500. Website: www.nashville.gov/flood/guidelines.asp
* Cumberland River Compact Short-Term Water Saving Tips for Nashville (Quick, cheap and easy choices you can do now).
* Metro Nashville Public Works info and debris collection guidelines [pdf].
* FEMA / Red Cross guide on “Repairing Your Flooded Home.” [pdf]
* Piedmont Natural Gas If your home or business has been flooded and you have concerns about your natural gas service or natural gas appliances in use call 1-800-752-7504. If your natural gas appliance has been damaged or submerged by floodwaters it must be replaced. Before any digging or excavating, customers should call 811 to have their natural gas (and other utilities) lines located.

* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for re-entering a flooded home.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for skin and wound contact with flooded water.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for protecting yourself from mold.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for keeping food safe.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for protecting yourself from mosquitores.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for determining if you need a tetanus shot.
* Metro Public Health Department – info about applying for disaster assistance.
* Metro Public Health Department – info about water conservation.
* Guidelines for water conservation: use water for drinking and food preparation only until further notice – please turn off all automatic sprinkler systems.
* Creating a healthy home: A Field Guide for Clean-up of Flooded Homes [pdf]
* Mental Health Hotline: 615-244-7444
* Cleaning up Heirlooms. The Tennessee State Museum offers info on how to clean up heirlooms damaged in the flood.

* Second Harvest Food Bank are providing emergency food boxes for families, Locations are (1) Martha O’Bryan Center, 711 South 7th Street (2) Napier Community Center, 73 Fairfield Ave (3) Hamilton United Methodist Church, 3105 Hamilton Church Rd (4) Goodlettsville Help Center, 108 Depot St (5) Una Church of Christ, 1917 Murfreesboro Road (6) St. Phillips Episcopal Church, 85 Fairway Dr (7) Salvation Army Magness Potter Ctr., 611 Stockell St, and (8) St. Luke’s Community House, 5601 New York Ave
* Effective immediately, individuals needing Red Cross Assistance must call toll-free 1-866- GET- INFO (1-866-438-4636). Currently there are three Red Cross shelters open: Lipscomb University with 85 residents and capacity for 200; Gordon Jewish Community Center with 12 residents and capacity for 200; and the Al Menah Shrine center with 32 residents and capacity for 300. Red Cross is also providing “clean up kits” at the five Disaster Information Centers in Davidson County. Clean up kits contain the following items: bleach, buckets, storage containers, coolers, work gloves, hand sanitizer, hoses with nozzle, insect repellent, dust masks, rakes, rope, shovel, sun screen, duct tape, and trash bags.
* The Salvation Army is providing meals, beverages and snacks at these locations: Bellvue Community (Roaming Feeding Canteen), Madison Neely’s Bend Area, Richard Mobile Home Park, Antioch, Morrow/Illinois Avenues, Ashland City (Roaming Feeding Canteen(, Kingston Springs (Roaming Feeding Canteen), and Pegram (Roaming Feeding Canteen).
* Flood assistance. Those in need of shelter or assistance can reach the Red Cross at (615) 250-4300. For non-emergencies, call (615) 862-8574.

FEMA will be capping all Home Repair Grants at $29,900 per home to repair it to a safe and sanitary condition. If insurance covers any of the repairs this will reduce the amount of the grant. For instance, if insurance covers $10,000, then FEMA will only grant $19,900.

Remember that low interest loans are available for additional repairs up to $200,000 (depending on individual case, value of home, etc.)

Also, write down everything you do! How much time you spend, who helps you and how much time they spend, anything you spend on repairs, and especially any time to you talk to someone from FEMA and get advice. Write down who it was and what they said.

The FEMA website also has tips on getting rid of mold, trying to salvage pictures, etc. (www.fema.gov)

* Mark the water level in the effected home. clearly document with photos, markings on walls, etc.
* You can throw out big items (furniture, computers, rugs, etc.,) but document, document, document them first.
* Keep receipts, take a photo of the item where it sits in the home AND a photo of it once its on the street or loaded in a truck/etc.
* For carpets, cut a swatch of the carpet and keep it to show FEMA/insurance company the quality level of the carpet you had.

(H/T: Councilman Erik Cole)

* REBUILDING: Guidelines for permits associated with the repair of flood-damaged homes and buildings can be downloaded here [pdf].
Legal Services – Flood victims facing legal issues may call the Tennessee statewide Disaster Legal Services Hotline at 1-888-395-9297 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. central time Monday through Friday to request assistance. (FEMA, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, and the Tennessee Bar Association). Messages can be left at any time. Callers should identify that they are seeking flood-related legal assistance. Victims who qualify for assistance will be matched with Tennessee lawyers who have volunteered to provide free legal help. Turnaround time to connect with an attorney is about 24 hours.
* Legal Services – Free legal service for flood victims is available at the Metro Nashville disaster service centers, as well as several legal clinics, Monday through Friday through a joint program of the Tennessee Bar Association, the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, the Nashville Bar Association and the Nashville Pro Bono Program. Issues that generally arise after a natural disaster, and for which an attorney can provide help, include: Securing government benefits available to disaster victims, Filing life, medical and property insurance claims, Dealing with home repair contracts and contractors, Replacing missing or destroyed wills and other legal documents, Dealing with consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures, Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems, Counseling on landlord/tenant problems
* Twitter. Sometimes information hits Twitter before it has the chance to hit the news. For volunteer and flood-related tweets, we’re using the hashtag #NashvilleFlood. If you don’t already, you can follow Nashvillest @nashvillest. They are working hard to keep you current.
HT: A huge thank you to Christy Frink & Morgan Levy at Nashvillest.
* Tennessean Special Report: Nashville Flood and online resource guide.
* Contractor Verification – The Department of Commerce and Insurance is encouraging homeowners to verify the licensure of contractors they hire to repair their homes by using verify.tn.gov.
* Wiki – A Tennessee Floods of Spring 2010 “Crisis Wiki” has been created.

All that and message matters, too.

We are Nashville

If you know or hear of a family or a community not getting the resources they need to help them get back on their feet after the flood call 2-1-1 or visit www.211tn.org.

The Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management’s 211 division connects flood victims to the services they need. Whether it is food, shelter, counseling, or other social service needs, 211 is specifically designed to connect people with more than 2,800 health and human services agencies. All 211 calls are answered by nationally certified information and referral specialists who are fluent in several different languages. The caller is provided with phone numbers, programs and services, location, hours of operation and other information relevant to what the caller needs.

* Visit Hands on Nashville website, www.hon.org, for up to the minute volunteer opportunities.
* Nashville residents should continue to conserve water through the end of May since the K.R. Harrington Water Treatment Plant is expected to be out of service through the end of the month. Please do not wash cars, pressure wash, use sprinklers or irrigate and only essential laundry and kitchenware.
* A benefit concert featuring diverse music from student bands, the MLK orchestra and acapella groups. Tickets are $5. 3:30 p.m. in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Magnet School Auditorium (H/T: Tennessean)
*Department of Human Services Emergency Assistance for Tennessee flood victims now available. Click here for application [pdf].
* The East Nashville Flood Relief Center is up and running for donations this week at 407 Gallatin Road. Hours are 9am-6pm. Donations accepted include furniture, mattresses, appliances, electronics, small household goods, clothing, shoes, toiletries, toys and books. Please be sure all donations are in good working order and clean. Food donations will be left to other organizations.
* Griffin Technology has teamed up with Hatch Show Print to produce limited edition “Music City Rising iPhone cases and prints. 100% of proceeds goes to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s Flood Relief Fund. Click here to buy.

* Woodland Wine Merchant presents a Flood Relief Wine Tasting at Marché Artisan Foods in East Nashville, 5:30-7 p.m. on Thursday, May 27. $15 per person. From their invitation: “Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the recent flood devastation, along with many thanks to all who have volunteered to help those in need. Please come join us in raising money to rebuild our community while raising a glass with your friends and neighbors. We will be pouring five summery wines, and Marché will provide the snacks. All of the money will go to flood relief.” (H/T: Nashville Scene’s Bites)

* Support Nashville is attempting to put together a compilation album, the proceeds of which will go toward flood relief. Local bands who would like to be featured can apply at the site. (Source: WOTT and the Nashville Scene’s Nashville Cream Blog)
* Flood victims can stop by any Great Clips in the Middle Tennessee area to receive a free haircut now through May 31. Guests will be asked to provide their name, address and the flood status of their home or car.
* Bowl for Nashville – From 5 p.m. to midnight on Tuesday, May 25, Hillwood Strike & Spare, 3710 Annex Ave., in Nashville will hold a fundraiser for the Nashville Red Cross. For $10, guests can bowl all they want or get an unlimited wristband for bumper cars, laser tag and roller skating. (Source: Tennessean)
* Run for Nashville – On Saturday, June 5 in the Annandale neighborhood in Brentwood, there will be a 5K fun-run to raise funds for flood relief. Fifty percent of the registration fee will go to Hands On Nashville. For more information, visit www.thehomerun5k.com. (Source: Tennessean)
* Flood relief benefit auction – At 3 p.m. Friday, June 11, the Guitars of the Stars Benefit Auction will take place at Ryman Auditorium. Stars contributing decorated guitars include Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Danny Gokey, Alan Jackson, George Jones, The Judds, Jake Owen, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker and more. Chris Young will start the event with a performance. All proceeds from the auction will go to the Opry Trust Fund and be earmarked for flood relief. (Source: Tennessean)
* The folks in Dyer Co. now have t-shirts of their own. All proceeds go to the Dyer County American Red Cross Disaster Fund. Also, We Are Nashville t-shirts are still available. (H/T: Speak to Power)

METRO NASHVILLE – Disaster Information Centers are no longer operational. On Monday, May 17, assistance provided at the Disaster Information Centers will transfer to FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (see above details) and a network of non-profit distribution centers (see locations below).

FEMA – Twelve Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) operated by the state of Tennessee and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are open for those affected by severe storms and flooding that started on April 30. The centers are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., 7 days a week until further notice. Disaster officials ask that before visiting the centers, people first register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 800-462-7585 for those with speech and hearing disabilities. Help in all languages is available. The DRCs are located at the following locations:

Middle Tennessee

West Tennessee

FEMA MOBILE (MIDDLE TN) – Four FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (MDRC) will visit four counties designated for federal assistance in Middle Tennessee beginning Monday, May 17, for a two-and-half day stay, to provide assistance to people affected by the severe storms and flooding that started on April 30. MDRC hours of operation are Monday, May 17, from noon to 7 p.m. and Tuesday and Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time at the following locations:

FEMA MOBILE (WEST TN) – Four FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (MDRC) will visit two counties designated for federal assistance in West Tennessee beginning Monday, May 17, for a two-and-half day stay, to provide assistance to people affected by the severe storms and flooding that started on April 30. MDRC hours of operation are Monday, May 17, from noon to 7 p.m. and Tuesday and Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time at the following locations::

NON-PROFIT AND FAITH-BASED DISTRIBUTION CENTERS The network of non-profit and faith-based distribution centers will allow citizens to access resources closer to their homes through congregations and agencies already well established in neighborhoods. This effort is coordinated through the Middle TN VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster), a network of more than 50 faith and non-profit organizations that will partner with the city in coordinating human services such as case management, mental health, housing transition, and food, water, personal hygiene supplies access as families and neighborhoods move more deeply into the recovery.

SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION RECOVERY CENTER – An SBA Business Recovery Center is open now at Tennessee State University Avon Williams Campus (Downtown), 330 10th Avenue North, Room 200, Nashville, TN 37203. Hours of operation: Monday – Saturday 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.. Click here to download the SBA fact sheet in english and spanish. As the nation’s leading provider of post-disaster assistance for non-farm, private sector disaster losses, the SBA plays an important role in helping homeowners, renters, non-profit organizations and businesses of all sizes get back on their feet.
Those eligible for assistance include:

• Homeowners, who may borrow up to $200,000 to repair real estate;
• Renters and homeowners, who may borrow up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property;
• Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofits, who may borrow up to $2 million for physical losses;
• Small businesses, who may borrow up to $2 million for economic losses.

* SOUTHEAST NASHVILLE: The Southeast Nashville Flood Relief partnership organized by Rev. Jay Voorhees of the Antioch United Methodist Church, is coordinating to help persons with documentation issues who have lost everything in the floods and are unable to participate in FEMA assistance. Donations are tax-deductible and 100% will be directed toward relief and rebuilding efforts. Visit their website at www.senashvillefloodhelp.com.
* BENEFIT ITEMS A comprehensive collection of Nashville flood posters, t-shirts, and bumper stickers available here.
* NASHVILLE: Hands On Nashville volunteer sign-up (on behalf of the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management) or call 615.862.8583 (contact person Brian Williams).
* NASHVILLE CASH DONATIONS The most urgent need continues to be cash donations which can be made to the Metro Disaster Fund at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
* NASHVILLE MATERIAL DONATIONS Requests include large quantities of the following: diapers, formula, cleaning supplies and rubber gloves, wet vacs, brooms, mops, and generators. If citizens have large quantities, they should contact the Community Foundation.
* NASHVILLE NON-BULK & SMALL ITEMS Non-bulk or small quantities of the needed items should go to the Community Resource Center (CRC) at 911 Division St. Nashville, TN 37203. The email contact for this location is betsycrc@comcast.net.
* Effective immediately, individuals needing Red Cross Assistance can call toll-free 1-866- GET- INFO (1-866-438-4636).
* EAST NASHVILLE LARGE ITEMS: Large item donations in East Nashville can be brought to 407 Gallatin Road, next to Sherwin Williams and across from Firestone, near East Literature School. This location will be open for receipt of donations of furniture, lamps, lighting, larger household items, appliances, AC/heating equipment, duct work, etc. PLEASE NOTE that donations of clothing, other personal items, and smaller house-wares will continue to be accepted at the East Park Community Center, 700 Woodland St.
* ONLINE FUNDRAISING: In an effort to raise more than $100,000, Nashville and Franklin-based accessories store Whats-in-Store has added an online-only selection of jewelry where 100% of sales will be donated to flood relief. New items are being added daily. (H/T: Stella Shops)

* The Salvation Army is providing Emergency Assistance and Relief (clean-up kits, personal hygiene kits, food boxes, bottled water, paper goods, toiletries, diapers, and emotional and spiritual care to those in need) at the following six locations: Magness-Potter Community Center, 611 Stockell Street, Nashville 37207 Hours: 9-5 p.m. Phone: 255-0554 (also provides monetary financial assistance), Madison Citadel Corps, 425 Neelys Bend Rd, Madison 37115 Hours: M-F 9-4; Sat. 9-1pm, Murfreesboro Corps, 1137 West Main St, Murfreesboro Hours: 8 – 6 p.m., Hispanic Corps, Serving East Nashville and Antioch Area 37209 (roving), Laotian Corps, Serving Antioch Area (roving).
* Flood Repair Guidelines: A building permit is required prior to making repairs to flood damaged homes and buildings. Click here for pdf of guidelines including who can pull a permit, guidelines for addressing mold, guidelines for repair of electrical systems and water heaters exposed to flood water, guidelines for re-starting water damages heating and cooling equipment, etc. Department of Codes and Building Safety is located at 800 2nd Avenue, South Nashville, TN 37210 or call 615 862-6500. Website: www.nashville.gov/flood/guidelines.asp
* Cumberland River Compact Short-Term Water Saving Tips for Nashville (Quick, cheap and easy choices you can do now).
* Metro Nashville Public Works info and debris collection guidelines [pdf].
* FEMA / Red Cross guide on “Repairing Your Flooded Home.” [pdf]
* Piedmont Natural Gas If your home or business has been flooded and you have concerns about your natural gas service or natural gas appliances in use call 1-800-752-7504. If your natural gas appliance has been damaged or submerged by floodwaters it must be replaced. Before any digging or excavating, customers should call 811 to have their natural gas (and other utilities) lines located.

* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for re-entering a flooded home.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for skin and wound contact with flooded water.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for protecting yourself from mold.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for keeping food safe.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for protecting yourself from mosquitores.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for determining if you need a tetanus shot.
* Metro Public Health Department – info about applying for disaster assistance.
* Metro Public Health Department – info about water conservation.
* Guidelines for water conservation: use water for drinking and food preparation only until further notice – please turn off all automatic sprinkler systems.
* Creating a healthy home: A Field Guide for Clean-up of Flooded Homes [pdf]
* Mental Health Hotline: 615-244-7444
* Cleaning up Heirlooms. The Tennessee State Museum offers info on how to clean up heirlooms damaged in the flood.

* Second Harvest Food Bank are providing emergency food boxes for families, Locations are (1) Martha O’Bryan Center, 711 South 7th Street (2) Napier Community Center, 73 Fairfield Ave (3) Hamilton United Methodist Church, 3105 Hamilton Church Rd (4) Goodlettsville Help Center, 108 Depot St (5) Una Church of Christ, 1917 Murfreesboro Road (6) St. Phillips Episcopal Church, 85 Fairway Dr (7) Salvation Army Magness Potter Ctr., 611 Stockell St, and (8) St. Luke’s Community House, 5601 New York Ave
* Effective immediately, individuals needing Red Cross Assistance must call toll-free 1-866- GET- INFO (1-866-438-4636). Currently there are three Red Cross shelters open: Lipscomb University with 85 residents and capacity for 200; Gordon Jewish Community Center with 12 residents and capacity for 200; and the Al Menah Shrine center with 32 residents and capacity for 300. Red Cross is also providing “clean up kits” at the five Disaster Information Centers in Davidson County. Clean up kits contain the following items: bleach, buckets, storage containers, coolers, work gloves, hand sanitizer, hoses with nozzle, insect repellent, dust masks, rakes, rope, shovel, sun screen, duct tape, and trash bags.
* The Salvation Army is providing meals, beverages and snacks at these locations: Bellvue Community (Roaming Feeding Canteen), Madison Neely’s Bend Area, Richard Mobile Home Park, Antioch, Morrow/Illinois Avenues, Ashland City (Roaming Feeding Canteen(, Kingston Springs (Roaming Feeding Canteen), and Pegram (Roaming Feeding Canteen).
* Flood assistance. Those in need of shelter or assistance can reach the Red Cross at (615) 250-4300. For non-emergencies, call (615) 862-8574.

FEMA will be capping all Home Repair Grants at $29,900 per home to repair it to a safe and sanitary condition. If insurance covers any of the repairs this will reduce the amount of the grant. For instance, if insurance covers $10,000, then FEMA will only grant $19,900.

Remember that low interest loans are available for additional repairs up to $200,000 (depending on individual case, value of home, etc.)

Also, write down everything you do! How much time you spend, who helps you and how much time they spend, anything you spend on repairs, and especially any time to you talk to someone from FEMA and get advice. Write down who it was and what they said.

The FEMA website also has tips on getting rid of mold, trying to salvage pictures, etc. (www.fema.gov)

* Mark the water level in the effected home. clearly document with photos, markings on walls, etc.
* You can throw out big items (furniture, computers, rugs, etc.,) but document, document, document them first.
* Keep receipts, take a photo of the item where it sits in the home AND a photo of it once its on the street or loaded in a truck/etc.
* For carpets, cut a swatch of the carpet and keep it to show FEMA/insurance company the quality level of the carpet you had.

(H/T: Councilman Erik Cole)

* REBUILDING: Guidelines for permits associated with the repair of flood-damaged homes and buildings can be downloaded here [pdf].
Legal Services – Flood victims facing legal issues may call the Tennessee statewide Disaster Legal Services Hotline at 1-888-395-9297 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. central time Monday through Friday to request assistance. (FEMA, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, and the Tennessee Bar Association). Messages can be left at any time. Callers should identify that they are seeking flood-related legal assistance. Victims who qualify for assistance will be matched with Tennessee lawyers who have volunteered to provide free legal help. Turnaround time to connect with an attorney is about 24 hours.
* Legal Services – Free legal service for flood victims is available at the Metro Nashville disaster service centers, as well as several legal clinics, Monday through Friday through a joint program of the Tennessee Bar Association, the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, the Nashville Bar Association and the Nashville Pro Bono Program. Issues that generally arise after a natural disaster, and for which an attorney can provide help, include: Securing government benefits available to disaster victims, Filing life, medical and property insurance claims, Dealing with home repair contracts and contractors, Replacing missing or destroyed wills and other legal documents, Dealing with consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures, Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems, Counseling on landlord/tenant problems
* Twitter. Sometimes information hits Twitter before it has the chance to hit the news. For volunteer and flood-related tweets, we’re using the hashtag #NashvilleFlood. If you don’t already, you can follow Nashvillest @nashvillest. They are working hard to keep you current.
HT: A huge thank you to Christy Frink & Morgan Levy at Nashvillest.
* Tennessean Special Report: Nashville Flood and online resource guide.
* Contractor Verification – The Department of Commerce and Insurance is encouraging homeowners to verify the licensure of contractors they hire to repair their homes by using verify.tn.gov.
* Wiki – A Tennessee Floods of Spring 2010 “Crisis Wiki” has been created.

Summary: Featuring guests Juvenile Court Clerk candidates Jeff Brousal, Howard Jones, Vic Lineweaver, Karen Johnson, and David Smith; Plus, the Media Matters for America Smackdown with Karl Frisch.

Listen to the entire show in two parts or scroll down to listen to each of the separate Juvenile Court Clerk interviews.

It’s the Circle of Clerks, Part 1 We start the show off with some flood relief info and welcome and the Media Matters for America Smackdown with Karl Frisch. Then, it’s the first two of what supposed to be 6 but turned out to be 5 (Vivian Wilhoite got her a.m.’s and p.m.’s mixed up) interviews with Democratic primary candidates for Juvenile Court Clerk. First up this hour is Jeff Brousal followed closely by Howard Jones. [25.47MB Click on the arrow below to listen or download mp3]Download audio file (liberadio20100517part1.mp3)

It’s the Circle of Clerks, Part 2 In this hour we talk to three more of the Democratic candidates for Juvenile Court Clerk – Vic Lineweaver (the incumbent), Karen Johnson, and David Smith. Because it seemed like too bold an assertion to make on the eve of an election, we contacted Councilwoman Megan Barry for confirmation of the statement made by candidate Karen Johnson that she “recruited” Ms. Johnson to run for Juvenile Court Clerk. Councilwoman Barry said she often advises those who reach out to her to get involved in the democratic process. However, Ms. Barry stressed to us that she did not recruit Ms. Johnson to run for the office of juvenile court clerk. Election day is tomorrow, May 18. Go to Nashville.gov/vote for information about polling changes due to the flood disaster as well as to view a sample ballot.[19.82MB Click on the arrow below to listen or download mp3]
Download audio file (liberadio20100412part2.mp3)

Jeff Brousal
[Click on the arrow below to listen or download mp3]
Download audio file (liberadio20100517brousal.mp3)

Howard Jones
[Click on the arrow below to listen or download mp3]
Download audio file (liberadio20100517jones.mp3)

Vic Lineweaver
[Click on the arrow below to listen or download mp3]
Download audio file (liberadio20100517lineweaver.mp3)

Karen Johnson
[Click on the arrow below to listen or download mp3]
Download audio file (liberadio20100517johnson.mp3)

David Smith
[Click on the arrow below to listen or download mp3]
Download audio file (liberadio20100517smith.mp3)

If you know or hear of a family or a community not getting the resources they need to help them get back on their feet after the flood call 2-1-1 or visit www.211tn.org.

The Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management’s 211 division connects flood victims to the services they need. Whether it is food, shelter, counseling, or other social service needs, 211 is specifically designed to connect people with more than 2,800 health and human services agencies. All 211 calls are answered by nationally certified information and referral specialists who are fluent in several different languages. The caller is provided with phone numbers, programs and services, location, hours of operation and other information relevant to what the caller needs.

* Election Day! Go to nashville.gov/vote for information on poll changes due to the flooding disaster.
* Visit Hands on Nashville website, www.hon.org, for up to the minute volunteer opportunities.
* FEMA MDRC (MIDDLE TENNESSEE) – FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (MDRC) will visit four counties designated for federal assistance in Middle Tennessee this Tuesday and Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time at the following locations: Lewis County, Howard P. Moore Emergency Communications Center, 1116 Commerce Drive, Hohenwald, TN 38462; Macon County, Lafayette Fire Department, 500 Franklin Ave., Lafayette, TN 37083; Jackson County, Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency, 238 N. Grundy Quarles Highway, Gainesboro, TN 38562; Robertson County, Robertson County EMA, 1305 Hill St., Springfield, TN 37172.
* FEMA MDRC (WEST TENNESSEE) – FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (MDRC) will visit two counties designated for federal assistance in West Tennessee beginning Monday, May 17, for a two-and-half day stay, to provide assistance to people affected by the severe storms and flooding on Tuesday and Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time at the following locations: Fayette County, Oakland Fire Department, 170 Doss Circle, Oakland, TN 38060; and Lauderdale County, National Guard Armory, 2425 Highway 51 South, Ripley, TN 38063.
* Tide Loads of Hope washing clothes for free in Dyersburg and Clarksvilles. At the Laundry Basket, 116 South King Avenue, Dyersburg, TN 38024, and at Hilldale Super Laundromat, 1788 Madison Street, Clarksville, TN 37043, both from 8:00 am Sunday until further notice.
* Please continue water conservation efforts as cleanup of Harrington Water Treatment Plant continues.
*Department of Human Services Emergency Assistance for Tennessee flood victims now available. Click here for application [pdf].
* StorPlace Self-Storage is offering flood victims 1 month’s free rental at any of their 10 locations in Middle Tennessee (see locations). (H/T: Nashvillest)
* An 18-wheel truck filled with items such as as food, clothes, appliances, household items, baby supplies and more is scheduled to be in Bordeaux for people impacted by the flood at All Things Possible Bargain Center, 3518 West Hamilton Road, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, May 18. (H/T: Tennessean)
* The East Nashville Flood Relief Center is up and running for donations this week at 407 Gallatin Road. Hours are 9am-6pm. Donations accepted include furniture, mattresses, appliances, electronics, small household goods, clothing, shoes, toiletries, toys and books. Please be sure all donations are in good working order and clean. Food donations will be left to other organizations.

* Benefit concert w/Mellow Down Easy & Special Guests, Fools for Rowan & Static Revival, 9pm at Mercy Lounge

METRO NASHVILLE – Disaster Information Centers are no longer operational. On Monday, May 17, assistance provided at the Disaster Information Centers will transfer to FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (see above details) and a network of non-profit distribution centers (see locations below).

FEMA – Twelve Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) operated by the state of Tennessee and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are open for those affected by severe storms and flooding that started on April 30. The centers are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., 7 days a week until further notice. Disaster officials ask that before visiting the centers, people first register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 800-462-7585 for those with speech and hearing disabilities. Help in all languages is available. The DRCs are located at the following locations:

Middle Tennessee

West Tennessee

FEMA MOBILE (MIDDLE TN) – Four FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (MDRC) will visit four counties designated for federal assistance in Middle Tennessee beginning Monday, May 17, for a two-and-half day stay, to provide assistance to people affected by the severe storms and flooding that started on April 30. MDRC hours of operation are Monday, May 17, from noon to 7 p.m. and Tuesday and Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time at the following locations:

FEMA MOBILE (WEST TN) – Four FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (MDRC) will visit two counties designated for federal assistance in West Tennessee beginning Monday, May 17, for a two-and-half day stay, to provide assistance to people affected by the severe storms and flooding that started on April 30. MDRC hours of operation are Monday, May 17, from noon to 7 p.m. and Tuesday and Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time at the following locations::

NON-PROFIT AND FAITH-BASED DISTRIBUTION CENTERS The network of non-profit and faith-based distribution centers will allow citizens to access resources closer to their homes through congregations and agencies already well established in neighborhoods. This effort is coordinated through the Middle TN VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster), a network of more than 50 faith and non-profit organizations that will partner with the city in coordinating human services such as case management, mental health, housing transition, and food, water, personal hygiene supplies access as families and neighborhoods move more deeply into the recovery.

SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION RECOVERY CENTER – An SBA Business Recovery Center is open now at Tennessee State University Avon Williams Campus (Downtown), 330 10th Avenue North, Room 200, Nashville, TN 37203. Hours of operation: Monday – Saturday 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.. Click here to download the SBA fact sheet in english and spanish. As the nation’s leading provider of post-disaster assistance for non-farm, private sector disaster losses, the SBA plays an important role in helping homeowners, renters, non-profit organizations and businesses of all sizes get back on their feet.
Those eligible for assistance include:

• Homeowners, who may borrow up to $200,000 to repair real estate;
• Renters and homeowners, who may borrow up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property;
• Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofits, who may borrow up to $2 million for physical losses;
• Small businesses, who may borrow up to $2 million for economic losses.

* SOUTHEAST NASHVILLE: The Southeast Nashville Flood Relief partnership organized by Rev. Jay Voorhees of the Antioch United Methodist Church, is coordinating to help persons with documentation issues who have lost everything in the floods and are unable to participate in FEMA assistance. Donations are tax-deductible and 100% will be directed toward relief and rebuilding efforts. Visit their website at www.senashvillefloodhelp.com.
* BENEFIT ITEMS A comprehensive collection of Nashville flood posters, t-shirts, and bumper stickers available here.
* NASHVILLE: Hands On Nashville volunteer sign-up (on behalf of the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management) or call 615.862.8583 (contact person Brian Williams).
* NASHVILLE CASH DONATIONS The most urgent need continues to be cash donations which can be made to the Metro Disaster Fund at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
* NASHVILLE MATERIAL DONATIONS Requests include large quantities of the following: diapers, formula, cleaning supplies and rubber gloves, wet vacs, brooms, mops, and generators. If citizens have large quantities, they should contact the Community Foundation.
* NASHVILLE NON-BULK & SMALL ITEMS Non-bulk or small quantities of the needed items should go to the Community Resource Center (CRC) at 911 Division St. Nashville, TN 37203. The email contact for this location is betsycrc@comcast.net.
* Effective immediately, individuals needing Red Cross Assistance can call toll-free 1-866- GET- INFO (1-866-438-4636).
* EAST NASHVILLE LARGE ITEMS: Large item donations in East Nashville can be brought to 407 Gallatin Road, next to Sherwin Williams and across from Firestone, near East Literature School. This location will be open for receipt of donations of furniture, lamps, lighting, larger household items, appliances, AC/heating equipment, duct
work, etc. PLEASE NOTE that donations of clothing, other personal items, and smaller house-wares will continue to be accepted at the East Park Community Center, 700 Woodland St.
* ONLINE FUNDRAISING: In an effort to raise more than $100,000, Nashville and Franklin-based accessories store Whats-in-Store has added an online-only selection of jewelry where 100% of sales will be donated to flood relief. New items are being added daily. (H/T: Stella Shops)

* Flood Repair Guidelines: A building permit is required prior to making repairs to flood damaged homes and buildings. Click here for pdf of guidelines including who can pull a permit, guidelines for addressing mold, guidelines for repair of electrical systems and water heaters exposed to flood water, guidelines for re-starting water damages heating and cooling equipment, etc. Department of Codes and Building Safety is located at 800 2nd Avenue, South Nashville, TN 37210 or call 615 862-6500. Website: www.nashville.gov/flood/guidelines.asp
* Cumberland River Compact Short-Term Water Saving Tips for Nashville (Quick, cheap and easy choices you can do now).
* Metro Nashville Public Works info and debris collection guidelines [pdf].
* FEMA / Red Cross guide on “Repairing Your Flooded Home.” [pdf]
* Piedmont Natural Gas If your home or business has been flooded and you have concerns about your natural gas service or natural gas appliances in use call 1-800-752-7504. If your natural gas appliance has been damaged or submerged by floodwaters it must be replaced. Before any digging or excavating, customers should call 811 to have their natural gas (and other utilities) lines located.

* The Salvation Army is providing Emergency Assistance and Relief (clean-up kits, personal hygiene kits, food boxes, and emotional and spiritual care to those in need) at the following six locations: Magness-Potter Community Center, 611 Stockell Street, Nashville 37207 Hours: 9-5 p.m. (also provides monetary financial assistance), Madison Citadel Corps, 425 Neelys Bend Rd, Madison 37115 Hours: M-F 9-4; Sat. 9-1pm, Murfreesboro Corps, 1137 West Main St, Murfreesboro Hours: 8 – 6 p.m., Hispanic Corps, Serving East Nashville and Antioch Area 37209 (roving), Laotian Corps, Serving Antioch Area (roving).
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for re-entering a flooded home.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for skin and wound contact with flooded water.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for protecting yourself from mold.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for keeping food safe.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for protecting yourself from mosquitores.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for determining if you need a tetanus shot.
* Metro Public Health Department – info about applying for disaster assistance.
* Metro Public Health Department – info about water conservation.
* Guidelines for water conservation: use water for drinking and food preparation only until further notice – please turn off all automatic sprinkler systems.
* Creating a healthy home: A Field Guide for Clean-up of Flooded Homes [pdf]
* Mental Health Hotline: 615-244-7444
* Cleaning up Heirlooms. The Tennessee State Museum offers info on how to clean up heirlooms damaged in the flood.

* Second Harvest Food Bank are providing emergency food boxes for families, Locations are (1) Martha O’Bryan Center, 711 South 7th Street (2) Napier Community Center, 73 Fairfield Ave (3) Hamilton United Methodist Church, 3105 Hamilton Church Rd (4) Goodlettsville Help Center, 108 Depot St (5) Una Church of Christ, 1917 Murfreesboro Road (6) St. Phillips Episcopal Church, 85 Fairway Dr (7) Salvation Army Magness Potter Ctr., 611 Stockell St, and (8) St. Luke’s Community House, 5601 New York Ave
* Effective immediately, individuals needing Red Cross Assistance must call toll-free 1-866- GET- INFO (1-866-438-4636). Currently there are three Red Cross shelters open: Lipscomb University with 85 residents and capacity for 200; Gordon Jewish Community Center with 12 residents and capacity for 200; and the Al Menah Shrine center with 32 residents and capacity for 300. Red Cross is also providing “clean up kits” at the five Disaster Information Centers in Davidson County. Clean up kits contain the following items: bleach, buckets, storage containers, coolers, work gloves, hand sanitizer, hoses with nozzle, insect repellent, dust masks, rakes, rope, shovel, sun screen, duct tape, and trash bags.
* The Salvation Army is providing meals, beverages and snacks at these locations: Bellvue Community (Roaming Feeding Canteen), Madison Neely’s Bend Area, Richard Mobile Home Park, Antioch, Morrow/Illinois Avenues, Ashland City (Roaming Feeding Canteen(, Kingston Springs (Roaming Feeding Canteen), and Pegram (Roaming Feeding Canteen).
* Flood assistance. Those in need of shelter or assistance can reach the Red Cross at (615) 250-4300. For non-emergencies, call (615) 862-8574.

FEMA will be capping all Home Repair Grants at $29,900 per home to repair it to a safe and sanitary condition. If insurance covers any of the repairs this will reduce the amount of the grant. For instance, if insurance covers $10,000, then FEMA will only grant $19,900.

Remember that low interest loans are available for additional repairs up to $200,000 (depending on individual case, value of home, etc.)

Also, write down everything you do! How much time you spend, who helps you and how much time they spend, anything you spend on repairs, and especially any time to you talk to someone from FEMA and get advice. Write down who it was and what they said.

The FEMA website also has tips on getting rid of mold, trying to salvage pictures, etc. (www.fema.gov)

* Mark the water level in the effected home. clearly document with photos, markings on walls, etc.
* You can throw out big items (furniture, computers, rugs, etc.,) but document, document, document them first.
* Keep receipts, take a photo of the item where it sits in the home AND a photo of it once its on the street or loaded in a truck/etc.
* For carpets, cut a swatch of the carpet and keep it to show FEMA/insurance company the quality level of the carpet you had.

(H/T: Councilman Erik Cole)

* REBUILDING: Guidelines for permits associated with the repair of flood-damaged homes and buildings can be downloaded here [pdf].
Legal Services – Flood victims facing legal issues may call the Tennessee statewide Disaster Legal Services Hotline at 1-888-395-9297 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. central time Monday through Friday to request assistance. (FEMA, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, and the Tennessee Bar Association). Messages can be left at any time. Callers should identify that they are seeking flood-related legal assistance. Victims who qualify for assistance will be matched with Tennessee lawyers who have volunteered to provide free legal help. Turnaround time to connect with an attorney is about 24 hours.
* Legal Services – Free legal service for flood victims is available at the Metro Nashville disaster service centers, as well as several legal clinics, Monday through Friday through a joint program of the Tennessee Bar Association, the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, the Nashville Bar Association and the Nashville Pro Bono Program. Issues that generally arise after a natural disaster, and for which an attorney can provide help, include: Securing government benefits available to disaster victims, Filing life, medical and property insurance claims, Dealing with home repair contracts and contractors, Replacing missing or destroyed wills and other legal documents, Dealing with consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures, Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems, Counseling on landlord/tenant problems
* Twitter. Sometimes information hits Twitter before it has the chance to hit the news. For volunteer and flood-related tweets, we’re using the hashtag #NashvilleFlood. If you don’t already, you can follow Nashvillest @nashvillest. They are working hard to keep you current.
HT: A huge thank you to Christy Frink & Morgan Levy at Nashvillest.
* Tennessean Special Report: Nashville Flood and online resource guide.
* Contractor Verification – The Department of Commerce and Insurance is encouraging homeowners to verify the licensure of contractors they hire to repair their homes by using verify.tn.gov.
* Wiki – A Tennessee Floods of Spring 2010 “Crisis Wiki” has been created.

Live TV : Ustream

If you know or hear of a family or a community not getting the resources they need to help them get back on their feet after the flood call 2-1-1 or visit www.211tn.org.

The Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management’s 211 division connects flood victims to the services they need. Whether it is food, shelter, counseling, or other social service needs, 211 is specifically designed to connect people with more than 2,800 health and human services agencies. All 211 calls are answered by nationally certified information and referral specialists who are fluent in several different languages. The caller is provided with phone numbers, programs and services, location, hours of operation and other information relevant to what the caller needs.

* First Baptist Sevierville have set up a mobile laundry and shower service behind church, Harpeth Heights Baptist, 8063 Hwy 100, Nashville, in the Bellevue area, across from the new Publix. This service is being terribly under-utilized; staff has no laundry to do. NOT just for flood soaked clothing also for flood victims’ regular laundry.
* Soles4Souls®, the shoe charity is providing 1 million bottles of water and Gatorade, sandals, clothing and food today, Friday, May 14th, from 2:00 pm- 7:00 pm, at their headquarters at 319 Martingale Drive, Old Hickory, TN (behind McDonalds on Old Hickory Blvd). The supplies are set up in a drive through style for residents to pick up assistance in a convenient and timely manner. Actor Luke Perry (90210), Soles4Souls staff, and volunteers from Hands-On Nashville will be on site to help distribute the supplies for those in need.
* Hand on Nashville needs volunteers now (9:30a-2) at Two Rivers Baptist Church to help distribute water.
Benefit By the Bootstraps! Wine tasting event benefiting Hands On Nashville, 6:00pm – 10:00pm, MadDonna’s Lounge, 1313 Woodland St.. Entrance fee for wine tasting is $20. All proceeds go to Hands On Nashville, a volunteer organization that has been providing volunteers and clean drinking water to residents of Nashville during Nashville Flood Relief.
* Please continue water conservation efforts as cleanup of Harrington Water Treatment Plant continues.
*Department of Human Services Emergency Assistance for Tennessee flood victims now available. Click here for application [pdf].
* Wiki – A Tennessee Floods of Spring 2010 “Crisis Wiki” has been created.
* StorPlace Self-Storage is offering flood victims 1 month’s free rental at any of their 10 locations in Middle Tennessee (see locations). (H/T: Nashvillest)
* Visit Hands on Nashville website, www.hon.org, for up to the minute volunteer opportunities and info about Volunteer Reception Centers.
*Hands on Nashville needs volunteers all day today to help clean Bordeaux area. Go to Beech Creek Missionary Baptist at 3101 Curtis Street and you will be directed.
* Bilingual (spanish/english) volunteers needed for disaster relief centers. Go to Hands on Nashville website to sign up.
* Tide Loads of Hope washing clothes for free at Dollar General Store, 2403 Lebanon Pike, Nashville TN 37214. Flood victims can drop off clothes and pick them up later. (via @wkrn)

* Art Flood – Nashville Flood Relief Benefit Art Show, benefiting Hands On Nashville. 6-10pm at Billups Art in East Nashville, $5 donation. Artwork, non-perishable food drive, music by John Salaway and more. (H/T: Nashvillest)
* Flatrock Flood Benefit Concert, benefiting the Red Cross, 6pm at Flatrock Cafe. Mindy Smith, Tommy Womack and more will perform in the Flatrock Cafe parking lot Saturday evening. (H/T: Nashvillest)
* Cinco in the Gulch, benefiting the Nashville Red Cross and Second Harvest Food Bank. (H/T: Nashvillest)
* Metro Codes will be open this Saturday, May 15, 2010 from 7:30am-4pm to issue Flood Damage Repair Permits and conduct inspections. Metro Codes is located at 800 Second Avenue South.
* Two organized volunteer efforts in Cheatham County on Saturday – one based in Kingston Springs, one in Ashland City. Click here for more info. Kingston Springs: Meet at Red Tree Coffee on Main Street at 7:30 a.m.: work will include demolition, pressure washing, hauling, cleaning and more. Bring fans, pressure washers, shop vacs. Some homes volunteers will work on have not yet begun clean-up. Contact: 952-3107 for more information. Ashland City: Hands on Cheatham Community Day begins at 7 a.m. tomorrow at Cheatham Middle School on Ed Harris Street. Bring work gloves, boots, wheel barrows, hammers and anything else necessary for demolition and clean-up.
* Hands On Hendersonville cleanup set for Saturday, May 15. Volunteers will meet between 8-8:30 a.m. at Hendersonville City Hall, 101 Maple Drive North for registration. Cleaning teams will then be deployed to various places around the city. All those participating are encouraged to bring their own work gloves and coolers of ice, and large groups are asked to wear something identifying themselves as a group in order to cut down on the confusion. Lunch will be served at noon at various locations. The primary focus will be Hendersonville’s parks and playgrounds, but some volunteers could be sent to residential areas.

* Tide Loads of Hope will be at the Laundry Basket? 116 South King Avenue Dyersburg, TN? 38024 offering free laundry service for flood victims. Starts at 8 am and continues throughout the day.

Election Day! Go to nashville.gov/vote for information on poll changes due to the flooding disaster.

FEMA – Nine Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) operated by the state of Tennessee and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are open for those affected by severe storms and flooding that started on April 30. The centers are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., 7 days a week until further notice. Disaster officials ask that before visiting the centers, people first register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 800-462-7585 for those with speech and hearing disabilities. Help in all languages is available. The DRCs are located at the following locations:

Middle Tennessee

West Tennessee

METRO NASHVILLE – Disaster Information Centers can provide general information on utilities, social service assistance, and legal and insurance information. Centers will also provide: food, water, personal hygiene supplies and information about city services and FEMA registration. Metro Public Health and Social Service case workers are on site, and Legal Aid/TN Bar Association legal assistance clinics are operating at each site.

Operating hours: Monday to Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday noon – 6 p.m.

If you have questions or need non-emergency assistance, call the Emergency Operations Center community hotline at
(615) 862-8574.

* Hands On Nashville volunteer sign-up (on behalf of the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management) or call 615.862.8583 (contact person Brian Williams).
* Cash Donations The most urgent need continues to be cash donations which can be made to the Metro Disaster Fund at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
* Material Donations Requests include large quantities of the following: diapers, formula, cleaning supplies and rubber gloves, wet vacs, brooms, mops, and generators. If citizens have large quantities, they should contact the Community Foundation.
* Non-bulk or small quantities of the needed items should go to the Community Resource Center (CRC) at 911 Division St. Nashville, TN 37203. The email contact for this location is betsycrc@comcast.net.
* Effective immediately, individuals needing Red Cross Assistance must call toll-free 1-866- GET- INFO (1-866-438-4636).
* Gold Skin Care collecting Sunscreen for Nashville volunteers at 2000 Richard Jones Road (Green Hills)

* Cumberland River Compact Short-Term Water Saving Tips for Nashville (Quick, cheap and easy choices you can do now).
* Metro Nashville Public Works info and debris collection guidelines [pdf].
* FEMA / Red Cross guide on “Repairing Your Flooded Home.” [pdf]
* Piedmont Natural Gas If your home or business has been flooded and you have concerns about your natural gas service or natural gas appliances in use call 1-800-752-7504. If your natural gas appliance has been damaged or submerged by floodwaters it must be replaced. Before any digging or excavating, customers should call 811 to have their natural gas (and other utilities) lines located.

* The Salvation Army is providing Emergency Assistance and Relief (clean-up kits, personal hygiene kits, food boxes, and emotional and spiritual care to those in need) at the following six locations: Magness-Potter Community Center, 611 Stockell Street, Nashville 37207 Hours: 9-5 p.m. (also provides monetary financial assistance), Madison Citadel Corps, 425 Neelys Bend Rd, Madison 37115 Hours: M-F 9-4; Sat. 9-1pm, Murfreesboro Corps, 1137 West Main St, Murfreesboro Hours: 8 – 6 p.m., Hispanic Corps, Serving East Nashville and Antioch Area 37209 (roving), Laotian Corps, Serving Antioch Area (roving).
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for re-entering a flooded home.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for skin and wound contact with flooded water.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for protecting yourself from mold.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for keeping food safe.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for protecting yourself from mosquitores.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for determining if you need a tetanus shot.
* Metro Public Health Department – info about applying for disaster assistance.
* Metro Public Health Department – info about water conservation.
* Guidelines for water conservation: use water for drinking and food preparation only until further notice – please turn off all automatic sprinkler systems.
* Creating a healthy home: A Field Guide for Clean-up of Flooded Homes [pdf]
* Mental Health Hotline: 615-244-7444
* Cleaning up Heirlooms. The Tennessee State Museum offers info on how to clean up heirlooms damaged in the flood.

* Second Harvest Food Bank are providing emergency food boxes for families, Locations are (1) Martha O’Bryan Center, 711 South 7th Street (2) Napier Community Center, 73 Fairfield Ave (3) Hamilton United Methodist Church, 3105 Hamilton Church Rd (4) Goodlettsville Help Center, 108 Depot St (5) Una Church of Christ, 1917 Murfreesboro Road (6) St. Phillips Episcopal Church, 85 Fairway Dr (7) Salvation Army Magness Potter Ctr., 611 Stockell St, and (8) St. Luke’s Community House, 5601 New York Ave
* Effective immediately, individuals needing Red Cross Assistance must call toll-free 1-866- GET- INFO (1-866-438-4636). Currently there are three Red Cross shelters open: Lipscomb University with 85 residents and capacity for 200; Gordon Jewish Community Center with 12 residents and capacity for 200; and the Al Menah Shrine center with 32 residents and capacity for 300. Red Cross is also providing “clean up kits” at the five Disaster Information Centers in Davidson County. Clean up kits contain the following items: bleach, buckets, storage containers, coolers, work gloves, hand sanitizer, hoses with nozzle, insect repellent, dust masks, rakes, rope, shovel, sun screen, duct tape, and trash bags.
* The Salvation Army is providing meals, beverages and snacks at these locations: Bellvue Community (Roaming Feeding Canteen), Madison Neely’s Bend Area, Richard Mobile Home Park, Antioch, Morrow/Illinois Avenues, Ashland City (Roaming Feeding Canteen(, Kingston Springs (Roaming Feeding Canteen), and Pegram (Roaming Feeding Canteen).
* Flood assistance. Those in need of shelter or assistance can reach the Red Cross at (615) 250-4300. For non-emergencies, call (615) 862-8574.

FEMA will be capping all Home Repair Grants at $29,900 per home to repair it to a safe and sanitary condition. If insurance covers any of the repairs this will reduce the amount of the grant. For instance, if insurance covers $10,000, then FEMA will only grant $19,900.

Remember that low interest loans are available for additional repairs up to $200,000 (depending on individual case, value of home, etc.)

Also, write down everything you do! How much time you spend, who helps you and how much time they spend, anything you spend on repairs, and especially any time to you talk to someone from FEMA and get advice. Write down who it was and what they said.

The FEMA website also has tips on getting rid of mold, trying to salvage pictures, etc. (www.fema.gov)

* Mark the water level in the effected home. clearly document with photos, markings on walls, etc.
* You can throw out big items (furniture, computers, rugs, etc.,) but document, document, document them first.
* Keep receipts, take a photo of the item where it sits in the home AND a photo of it once its on the street or loaded in a truck/etc.
* For carpets, cut a swatch of the carpet and keep it to show FEMA/insurance company the quality level of the carpet you had.

(H/T: Councilman Erik Cole)

* Legal Services – Tennessee statewide Disaster Legal Services Hotline 1-888-395-9297, Open Monday to Friday from 9a-5p. (FEMA, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, and the Tennessee Bar Association)
* Legal Services – Free legal service for flood victims is available at the Metro Nashville disaster service centers, as well as several legal clinics, Monday through Friday through a joint program of the Tennessee Bar Association, the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, the Nashville Bar Association and the Nashville Pro Bono Program. Issues that generally arise after a natural disaster, and for which an attorney can provide help, include: Securing government benefits available to disaster victims, Filing life, medical and property insurance claims, Dealing with home repair contracts and contractors, Replacing missing or destroyed wills and other legal documents, Dealing with consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures, Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems, Counseling on landlord/tenant problems
* Twitter. Sometimes information hits Twitter before it has the chance to hit the news. For volunteer and flood-related tweets, we’re using the hashtag #NashvilleFlood. If you don’t already, you can follow Nashvillest @nashvillest. They are working hard to keep you current.
HT: A huge thank you to Christy Frink & Morgan Levy at Nashvillest.
* Tennessean Special Report: Nashville Flood and online resource guide.
* Contractor Verification – The Department of Commerce and Insurance is encouraging homeowners to verify the licensure of contractors they hire to repair their homes by using verify.tn.gov.
* Wiki – A Tennessee Floods of Spring 2010 “Crisis Wiki” has been created.

(Updated Wednesday, May 13, 2010 at (9:57 am CT)

Tennessean Special Report: Nashville Flood and online resource guide.

Today’s Volunteer / Special Relief Events – Wednesday, May 12, 2010

* Hands on Nashville needs volunteers all day today to help clean Bordeaux area. Go to Beech Creek Missionary Baptist at 3101 Curtis Street and you will be directed.
* HON volunteers needed at the Coleman Community Center. Just show up to help out. 384 Thompson Ln 37211
* Bilingual (spanish/english) volunteers needed for disaster relief centers. Go to Hands on Nashville website to sign up.
* Visit Hands on Nashville website, www.hon.org, for up to the minute volunteer opportunities.
* Tide Loads of Hope washing clothes for free at Dollar General Store, 2403 Lebanon Pike, Nashville TN 37214. Flood victims can drop off clothes and pick them up later. (via @wkrn)
*St. Henry Flood Relief Center, 6401 Harding Rd, 9-4:30pm, 615-352-2259 Accepting donations and distributing to flood victims.

Operations for the Emergency Operations Center and Joint Information Center

Disaster Information Centers and Assistance

* Two Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) operated by the state of Tennessee and the Federal Emergency Management Agency opened on Sunday for those affected by severe storms and flooding that started on April 30. The centers are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., 7 days a week until further notice. Disaster officials ask that before visiting the centers, people first register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 800-462-7585 for those with speech and hearing disabilities. Help in all languages is available. The DRCs are located at the following locations:

* Metro Emergency Operations Center and Nashville Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) have opened five Disaster Information Centers to provide general information on utilities, social service assistance, and legal and insurance information. Centers will be staffed by volunteers, Parks Department and other Metro employees. Citizens can drop by for information from 12-6pm. All of the current Disaster Information Centers will remain open until FEMA arrives and sets up their own centers. It is unclear when that will be, but the City has committed to keep their centers in place.

Disaster Information Centers
- The city’s disaster service centers are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day, noon to 6 pm on Sunday, May 9th.
- Lawyers will be on hand to help anyone who needs assistance.
- No appointments are needed.

Volunteer & Donate

* Hands On Nashville volunteer sign-up (on behalf of the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management) or call 615.862.8583 (contact person Brian Williams).
* Cash Donations The most urgent need continues to be cash donations which can be made to the Metro Disaster Fund at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
* Material Donations Requests include large quantities of the following: diapers, formula, cleaning supplies and rubber gloves, wet vacs, brooms, mops, and generators. If citizens have large quantities, they should contact the Community Foundation.
* Non-bulk or small quantities of the needed items should go to the Community Resource Center (CRC) at 911 Division St. Nashville, TN 37203. The email contact for this location is betsycrc@comcast.net.
* Effective immediately, individuals needing Red Cross Assistance must call toll-free 1-866- GET- INFO (1-866-438-4636).
* Gold Skin Care collecting Sunscreen for Nashville volunteers at 2000 Richard Jones Road (Green Hills)

Clean-up, Health, and Water Conservation

* Cumberland River Compact Short-Term Water Saving Tips for Nashville (Quick, cheap and easy choices you can do now).
* Metro Nashville Public Works info and debris collection guidelines [pdf].
* FEMA / Red Cross guide on “Repairing Your Flooded Home.” [pdf]
* Piedmont Natural Gas If your home or business has been flooded and you have concerns about your natural gas service or natural gas appliances in use call 1-800-752-7504.

In response to the flooding, Piedmont is replacing every natural gas meter and regulator that was submerged as a result of rising floodwaters. This is to ensure their safe and efficient operation.

Do not attempt to disconnect your gas service or work on or around your natural gas meter.

Piedmont reminds customers not to attempt to relight or repair any of their natural gas appliances themselves and to use only licensed contractors who follow all safety and manufacturer guidelines.

If your natural gas appliance has been damaged or submerged by floodwaters it must be replaced (see link below for additional information on the replacement of natural gas appliances due to flood damage.)

http://www.piedmontng.com/eprise/main/piedmontng/serviceInterruption

Customers should exercise care in removing flood debris – flood erosion may have left some natural gas piping exposed. Before any digging or excavating, customers should call 811 to have their natural gas (and other utilities) lines located.

* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for re-entering a flooded home.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for skin and wound contact with flooded water.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for protecting yourself from mold.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for keeping food safe.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for protecting yourself from mosquitores.
* Metro Public Health Department guidelines for determining if you need a tetanus shot.
* Metro Public Health Department – info about applying for disaster assistance.
* Metro Public Health Department – info about water conservation.
* Guidelines for water conservation: use water for drinking and food preparation only until further notice – please turn off all automatic sprinkler systems.
* Creating a healthy home: A Field Guide for Clean-up of Flooded Homes [pdf]
* Mental Health Hotline: 615-244-7444

Food and Shelter

* Second Harvest Food Bank are providing emergency food boxes for families, Locations are (1) Martha O’Bryan Center, 711 South 7th Street (2) Napier Community Center, 73 Fairfield Ave (3) Hamilton United Methodist Church, 3105 Hamilton Church Rd (4) Goodlettsville Help Center, 108 Depot St (5) Una Church of Christ, 1917 Murfreesboro Road (6) St. Phillips Episcopal Church, 85 Fairway Dr (7) Salvation Army Magness Potter Ctr., 611 Stockell St, and (8) St. Luke’s Community House, 5601 New York Ave
* Effective immediately, individuals needing Red Cross Assistance must call toll-free 1-866- GET- INFO (1-866-438-4636). Currently there are three Red Cross shelters open: Lipscomb University with 85 residents and capacity for 200; Gordon Jewish Community Center with 12 residents and capacity for 200; and the Al Menah Shrine center with 32 residents and capacity for 300. Red Cross is also providing “clean up kits” at the five Disaster Information Centers in Davidson County. Clean up kits contain the following items: bleach, buckets, storage containers, coolers, work gloves, hand sanitizer, hoses with nozzle, insect repellent, dust masks, rakes, rope, shovel, sun screen, duct tape, and trash bags.
* Food Salvation Army mobile feeding stations at St. Edwards Church and Bellevue Baptist Church to provide lunch and dinner for individuals and families who need information support. See other Salvation Army resources here.
* Emergency shelters. There are seven shelters open across the city for folks who have been flooded out of their homes or stranded on the road somewhere. Check the list at Middle Tennessee Red Cross.
* Flood assistance. Those in need of shelter or assistance can reach the Red Cross at (615) 250-4300. For non-emergencies, call (615) 862-8574.

FEMA Information

FEMA will be capping all Home Repair Grants at $29,900 per home to repair it to a safe and sanitary condition. If insurance covers any of the repairs this will reduce the amount of the grant. For instance, if insurance covers $10,000, then FEMA will only grant $19,900.

Remember that low interest loans are available for additional repairs up to $200,000 (depending on individual case, value of home, etc.)

Also, write down everything you do! How much time you spend, who helps you and how much time they spend, anything you spend on repairs, and especially any time to you talk to someone from FEMA and get advice. Write down who it was and what they said.

The FEMA website also has tips on getting rid of mold, trying to salvage pictures, etc. (www.fema.gov)

* Mark the water level in the effected home. clearly document with photos, markings on walls, etc.
* You can throw out big items (furniture, computers, rugs, etc.,) but document, document, document them first.
* Keep receipts, take a photo of the item where it sits in the home AND a photo of it once its on the street or loaded in a truck/etc.
* For carpets, cut a swatch of the carpet and keep it to show FEMA/insurance company the quality level of the carpet you had.

(H/T: Councilman Erik Cole)

Other Information

* Tennessee statewide Disaster Legal Services Hotline 1-888-395-9297, Open Monday to Friday from 9a-5p. (FEMA, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, and the Tennessee Bar Association)
* Weather updates. The weather is expected to get worse over the next 24-36 hours with lots more rain on the way. Check your local forecast and sign up for text message or e-mail alerts over at The Weather Channel, see localized coverage at NashvilleWX, and tune into NOAA if you’ve got a weather radio handy. We also hear that 99.7 FM is giving great updates in case of a power outage.
* Traffic. Roads are closing all over the city and traffic is a mess. Some of the best resources we’ve found have been the TDOT Smartmap and the Tennessean’s realtime traffic map. You can also read and share Nashville road closures and traffic conditions on Twitter @NashTraffic. For Franklin Road closures, follow @FranklinTraffic on Twitter.
* Twitter. Sometimes information hits Twitter before it has the chance to hit the news. For storm and flood-related tweets, we’re using the hashtag #NashvilleFlood. If you don’t already, you can follow Nashvillest @nashvillest. They are working hard to keep you current.
HT: A huge thank you to Christy Frink at Nashvillest.

Live TV : Ustream

Disaster Information Centers and Assistance

* Metro Emergency Operations Center and Nashville Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) have opened two Disaster Information Centers to provide general information on utilities, social service assistance, and legal and insurance information. Centers will be staffed by volunteers, Parks Department and other Metro employees. Citizens can drop by for information from 12-8pm.

Volunteer & Donate

* Hands On Nashville volunteer sign-up (on behalf of the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management) or call 615.862.8583 (contact person Brian Williams). Mayor’s office note: Nashvillians have and will continue to make remarkable contributions as flood volunteers. In the last 48 hours, more than 7,000 volunteers have registered with Hands On Nashville. Today they will begin staffing Disaster Information Centers and distributing Second Harvest’s Emergency Food Boxes in critical areas, like Antioch, East Nashville, and Opryland/Donelson. As clean-up and recovery continues, the use of volunteers will increase dramatically. If you are interested in serving as a flood volunteer, please register at www.hon.org.
* Cash Donations The most urgent need continues to be cash donations which can be made to the Metro Disaster Fund at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
* Material Donations Requests include large quantities of the following: diapers, formula, cleaning supplies and rubber gloves, wet vacs, brooms, mops, and generators. If citizens have large quantities, they should contact the Community Foundation.
* Middle Tennessee Red Cross Chapter or call 615-250-4300.
* Gold Skin Care collecting Sunscreen for Nashville volunteers at 2000 Richard Jones Road (Green Hills)

Clean-up, Health, and Water Conservation

* Piedmont Natural Gas If your home or business has been flooded and you have concerns about your natural gas service or natural gas appliances in use call 1-800-752-7504. They will log your call and, as floodwaters recede and they can safely enter your home or business, they will do so and assess the situation. Do not try to turn your natural gas service off on your own. If you smell the odor of natural gas (similar to rotten eggs) do not turn on or off appliances or lights, do not use your home phone. Leave the premises immediately and call Piedmont Natural Gas at 1-800-752-7504 from a neighbor’s home or your cell phone.
* Public Works guidelines for debris collection
* Guidelines for water conservation: use water for drinking and food preparation only until further notice – please turn off all automatic sprinkler systems.
* Creating a healthy home: A Field Guide for Clean-up of Flooded Homes [pdf]

Food and Shelter

* Food Salvation Army mobile feeding stations at St. Edwards Church and Bellevue Baptist Church to provide lunch and dinner for individuals and families who need information support. See other Salvation Army resources here.
* Emergency shelters. There are seven shelters open across the city for folks who have been flooded out of their homes or stranded on the road somewhere. Check the list at Middle Tennessee Red Cross.
* Flood assistance. Those in need of shelter or assistance can reach the Red Cross at (615) 250-4300. For non-emergencies, call (615) 862-8574.

Other Information

* Weather updates. The weather is expected to get worse over the next 24-36 hours with lots more rain on the way. Check your local forecast and sign up for text message or e-mail alerts over at The Weather Channel, see localized coverage at NashvilleWX, and tune into NOAA if you’ve got a weather radio handy. We also hear that 99.7 FM is giving great updates in case of a power outage.
* Traffic. Roads are closing all over the city and traffic is a mess. Some of the best resources we’ve found have been the TDOT Smartmap and the Tennessean’s realtime traffic map. You can also read and share Nashville road closures and traffic conditions on Twitter @NashTraffic. For Franklin Road closures, follow @FranklinTraffic on Twitter.
* Twitter. Sometimes information hits Twitter before it has the chance to hit the news. For storm and flood-related tweets, we’re using the hashtag #NashvilleFlood. If you don’t already, you can follow Nashvillest @nashvillest. They are working hard to keep you current.
HT: A huge thank you to Christy Frink at Nashvillest, who deserves a local edition of the Pulitzer for her thorough coverage throughout the weekend (including on Twitter) and for compiling the resources below.