Utah cleanup crews preparing for flooding, reaching out to other states
Apr 10, 2023, 3:14 PM | Updated: Jan 5, 2024, 12:59 pm

Volunteers and city employees fill sand bags due to flooding in Highland on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
(Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Disaster cleanup companies are gearing up for a busy run-off season. Kerry Jones with Utah Disaster Kleenup said they have been working with other companies from out of state to make sure they have enough equipment for upcoming flooding.
“We are acquiring more equipment so that we have a lot of drying equipment. That’s typically something that we go through really fast,” said Jones.
But equipment is just half the battle. UDK is staying in contact with temp agencies to make sure they have enough people amid the labor shortages that most industries are facing.
“We’re taking that into account and doing everything we can to increase our labor force so that we can address this,” said Jones.
He said that what many people don’t understand is that homes aren’t top priority for most cleanup crews. Their company handles critical infrastructures in the community like hospitals and schools first.
Homeowners will most likely be put on wait lists for flood clean up, but Utah Disaster Kleenup says they aren’t at that point yet.