Sand Springs Families Still Recovering From Floods

Hundreds of families in Sand Springs are still picking up the pieces after floodwaters tore through homes and properties.

Jenks volunteers drove in to help people in the Town and Country neighborhood today but residents say there is still a long road of recovery ahead.

"My wife spent last weekend washing Christmas ornaments," said Town and Country Resident John O’Hara.

If you are lucky enough to have never experienced a flood- you might not realize the work doesn't stop when the water is gone.

"I mean, you can't re-buy everything," said O’Hara.

The water might recede but it leaves behind brown gunk of dirt and grime on everything it touched. You can power wash some it but most things are too delicate.

"These, my wife wants to save for our grandkids," said O’Hara.

Leaving John and Robin O'Hara to hand wash everything else, even Legos. Thousands of them.

"They would wash it and put it in the bleach water and then they would put it in the rinse," said O’Hara.

Every piece of flooring, and counter top. Every tool from the tool shed, every Christmas ornament has to be individually wiped down- sanitized from flood waters before they can decide if it is salvageable.

"Go to work. Go home. Change. Come over here. We are living in an RV right now," said O’Hara.

It is a huge job, a tedious one.

"At work, I am just exhausted," said O’Hara.

Families still have debris in their yards, in their homes- remnants of the power of flood waters are everywhere.

"We have to completely rebuild. We didn't have flood insurance. We are in the 500-year flood plain so we were told we didn't need it so everything is out of pocket or donations. FEMA, they gave us some," said O’Hara.

Volunteers from Jenks, Tulsa County Commissioners, and the American Red Cross came into the neighborhood today to help but the job is far from over.

“People just don't realize I mean there is a whole neighborhood here that still needs a lot of help,” said O’Hara.