Latest news with #stormdrain
CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Dog rescued from Pennsylvania storm drain after 6-hour operation
A dog was rescued from a storm drain in central Pennsylvania after a six-hour operation that involved digging up the road. It all started Tuesday night when the dog, named Blizzard, got into a storm drain through an outlet pipe near his backyard. The Boalsburg Fire Company said it was called in to help, but rescuing Blizzard proved tricky because after crawling into a spot filled with sediment, he had gotten himself pretty stuck. The fire company said neighbors tried to help, but nothing was working. "As ideas began to run low," the fire company said a call was made to the University Area Joint Authority. They brought a specialized camera to put into the pipe and get a look at Blizzard. Then they came back with their vacuum truck, trying to remove sediment so Blizzard could free himself. (Photo: Boalsburg Fire Company/Facebook) But first responders still couldn't get him. That's when crews made the decision to cut open the road. After making the cut and removing even more sediment, the fire company said the chief talked Blizzard into walking himself out "to a large group of awaiting people." The total rescue time? Just under six hours. While Blizzard was understandably a little dirty and a bit hungry, the fire company said he otherwise seemed fine. "We are happy to report the dog was uninjured and seemed in good spirits as he ate a hotdog and some other snacks," they wrote on Facebook. The fire company thanked all those who helped, including neighbors, University Area Joint Authority employees and road crews.
CBS News
22-05-2025
- CBS News
Flotech Environmental cited after videos show suspected illegal dumping into storm drain
A viewer's cellphone video led to a county investigation and $2,000 fine for Flotech Environmental, after footage appeared to show the company's trucks dumping fluid into a storm drain in Miami-Dade County without proper filtration. The company has since suspended an employee and says it has implemented new training and controls. Witness captures repeated dumping into storm drain Myles Houston, who works near NW 24th Avenue between 37th and 38th Streets, said he began seeing trucks from Flotech Environmental dumping fluid into a storm drain regularly. He started recording the activity on his phone. "At least once a week this truck comes by here and dumps," Houston says in one video. In another clip, he adds: "First one was B14 this one is B22," explaining that two different trucks dumped fluid on the same morning. "They kind of look out and see who's watching and then they just hook a hose to the back of the truck and start dumping out whatever's in the back of their trucks," Houston said. His co-worker, Jason Pulido, said, "One time we're out here working and then we just see, we just see them dumping there." Houston said he once confronted a driver about the dumping. "I had actually spoken to one of the drivers one time about doing that and he was like, no, don't worry about that. So that's why I recorded it." Driver says it's water, county says it's a violation CBS News Miami visited the location on a Thursday — the day Houston said trucks typically arrive. At 7:17 a.m., a Flotech truck pulled up and began discharging liquid. When asked in English and Spanish if he had permission to do so, the driver replied that he did — "from the City of Miami." When asked, "¿Qué es esto inside la truck? Agua or caca?" the driver answered, "It's water. No sewer." Houston's video shows liquid pouring out of the truck onto the sidewalk and grass. According to Miami-Dade County, such discharge is not permitted. In response to CBS Miami's inquiries, the county provided a copy of Flotech's permit and a statement clarifying the terms of use. County and company confirm violation The Miami-Dade Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER-DERM) stated that Flotech violated its Class V permit and has been fined: "The Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources, Division of Environmental Resources Management (RER-DERM), issued Flotech a Class V permit (#20240191) for operations associated with regular cleaning and maintenance of stormwater and utility infrastructures owned and managed by various municipalities and Miami-Dade County (permit is attached). The permit allows decanting within the same stormwater system that is being cleaned or maintained, only after filtration of residual solids using Ultratech Drain Guards or equivalent filtration devices. Effluent discharge under this permit is restricted to stormwater infrastructure owned by the same legal entity responsible for the infrastructure being serviced. If Ultratech Drain Guards are not adequate, additional filtration equipment must be used. The City of Miami and the Miami-Dade County Department of Solid Waste Management observed Flotech personnel discharging highly turbid dewatering effluent—originating from the drainage system—directly onto vegetated areas and into drainage inlets without proper filtration, which is a violation of the permit conditions. They provided photos and videos to RER-DERM, who confirmed the violation and issued a Uniform Civil Violation Notice (attached)." Flotech issues full statement, announces disciplinary actions After viewing the videos provided by CBS News Miami, Flotech Environmental issued the following statement: "Flotech Environmental is locally regulated under DERM, operating under a Miami-Dade County dewatering permit for stormwater maintenance operations. This permit allows decanting of uncontaminated stormwater from our vacuum trucks back into the drainage system, while separating solids, which are retained in the debris body. As a part of this procedure, water is flow-controlled and debris is screened to reduce any unwanted sediment to reenter the system. Flotech has reviewed two videos provided by CBS4 News and immediately conducted an internal investigation. In one instance, an operator is seen to be discharging uncontaminated stormwater back into the system without proper flow control (failure to control speed of water flow). We have since then contacted DERM regarding this violation. Disciplinary actions have been taken and that employee is being suspended without pay. Immediate retraining and controls have been immediately implemented company-wide. Flotech takes pride working in the community maintaining critical infrastructure, reducing the risk of flooding and providing emergency response services after storms and natural disasters. We're deeply committed to protecting our environment and strive to uphold all applicable laws and regulations." Flotech declined to speak on camera about the incident. The permit The citation
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
South Metro Fire Rescue saves ducklings who fell down Lindsay Park storm drain
DENVER (KDVR) — South Metro Fire Rescue saved a group of ducklings on Friday afternoon who had fallen down a storm drain in Greenwood Village's Lindsay Park. SMFR said in a post on X that its Tower 32 crew was able to rescue about 10 ducklings who had been separated from their mother from the storm drain, as 'Mama Duck' watched from a nearby creek bank. Poudre firefighters adopt rescued ducklings The crew initiated the rescue by removing the metal grate over the storm drain before lowering a rescuer into it. A 'concerned citizen' walking his dog first alerted SMFR to the scene, saying in a video posted on X that the department responded in 'less than five minutes.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
