Community Rallies to Save Tipp City Library After Devastating Flood Threat - Downtown Lowdown, Episode 55
COMMUNITY RALLIES TO SAVE TIPP CITY LIBRARY AFTER DEVASTATING FLOOD THREAT
By Abbi Heckel
What began as a rainy Memorial Day weekend quickly turned into one of the most challenging moments in recent history for the Tipp City Public Library.
During the latest episode of The Downtown Lowdown, hosts Tasha Weaver and Greg Enslen sat down with Library Director Lisa Santucci to discuss the flood that nearly caused catastrophic damage to one of the community's most treasured institutions.
Santucci detailed how nearly six inches of rain fell over a five-day period, creating what she described as a "perfect storm" of events that overwhelmed the library's infrastructure. A widespread power outage knocked out the building's sump pumps, while excessive runoff and overwhelmed drainage systems allowed water to begin flooding the library's basement.
"When everything failed at once, it created a situation we never could have anticipated," Santucci said.
The flooding was discovered after power was restored later that morning. By then, three to four inches of standing water had accumulated throughout portions of the basement. With books, equipment, and building systems at risk, library staff quickly shifted into emergency mode.
For Santucci, the challenge extended beyond managing a library collection. As the steward of the historic downtown building, she suddenly found herself coordinating disaster recovery efforts, contacting insurance companies, searching for remediation specialists, and trying to prevent mold from destroying library materials.
"Water in a library is basically kryptonite," Santucci explained. "If books and paper products stay wet too long, mold becomes a major issue."
The situation became even more complicated when water began filling the library's elevator shaft. After inspection, staff discovered approximately 700 gallons of contaminated water mixed with hydraulic fluid from the elevator system. The contamination required specialized removal procedures and emergency response from professionals equipped to handle hazardous materials.
Despite the severity of the situation, Santucci credits the community for helping save the library from even greater damage.
After issuing a call for help, volunteers arrived with wet-dry vacuums, fans, dehumidifiers, and helping hands. Community members spent hours removing water, carrying buckets up stairways, and assisting staff throughout the holiday weekend.
"The response was incredible," Santucci said. "People showed up with equipment, their families, and a willingness to help however they could."
That support had a significant financial impact. Initial estimates for professional water remediation reached nearly $25,000. Because volunteers and staff were able to remove much of the standing water before professionals arrived, the final remediation bill was reduced to approximately $9,000.
In addition to community volunteers, Santucci praised library maintenance staff and local emergency service providers who worked tirelessly to stabilize the building. Through their efforts, the library was able to reopen affected areas within nine days.
The experience also served as a reminder of the unique challenges that come with maintaining historic buildings in downtown districts. Santucci emphasized the importance of preventative maintenance, disaster planning, and regular inspections of drainage systems, roofs, and critical infrastructure.
While the flood created significant stress and long hours, including several nights spent sleeping at the library to monitor conditions, Santucci said the experience reinforced how much the community values its public library.
"We're on the other side of it now," she said. "What could have been devastating became a story about people coming together to protect something important."
The full episode of The Downtown Lowdown is available wherever podcasts are streamed.
