First look inside flooded Jasper-Troupsburg High School

JASPER, N.Y. (WETM) – 18 News got a look inside the Jasper-Troupsburg High School after it got hit by flooding for the second time in three years.

In 2021, the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred devastated the property as mud and debris rushed into the first floor. The school has been closed since. About 200 students were relocated to the Canisteo-Greenwood School District.

Last week, the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby delivered a second blow, as the school district was still working with FEMA on a flood mitigation and reconstruction plan.

“There was more flood water in the building this time with Debby than there was with Fred,” said Jasper-Troupsburg School Superintendent LeeAnne Jordan. “The highest point was around 36 inches.”

“You can see where last time SERVPRO demoed everything and cut it out to above that flood height. But because all of that already taken out, it allowed for more water to come in this time around,” Jordan added.

Jordan says the clean-up is expected to take 5 weeks. Industrial-size fans are still drying the school out as nearly 40 workers continue to clear out mud. Crews are also still pumping out water.

“We’re continuing to pump out the crawlspace and the tunnels and the basement where the original boiler room was,” said Justin Sepe, from Team Sepe SERVPRO.

Before last week’s flood, the school was still working with FEMA on a flood mitigation and reconstruction plan after being hit by the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred in 2021. Jordan told us before getting flooded again, the school was at least a couple of years out from being able to reopen.

“The plan we had in place two days before the flood was to demo this building, actually from here all the way to the right that that we just walked through, all of that because it won’t withstand the hydrostatic pressure of the other flood proofing measures that we’ll have in place,” Jordan said. “So, it would be to restore all of this part of the building, the newer parts demo, and then rebuild all of the older parts, the 1930s, 40s and 50s parts.”

The planned mitigation efforts included a new “flood retention area” behind the school were the track used to be, and so-called “passive flood gates” at the doors that automatically go up when water rushes in.

“The concern is, the data we have is from Fred, and now all of the creek banks I’m sure you’ve seen have changed with Debby. So, now we don’t know that plan would withstand because it was based on the creeks for Fred.”

Jordan says FEMA will now have to do a new flood mitigation study. That could take between 6 to 8 months. The school has already been closed since the flood of 2021. About 200 students were moved to the Canisteo-Greenwood School District. Right now, it is unclear if the Wildcats will ever roam these halls again.

“I think it’s very important to understand the importance of having a building like this, even in a rural area,” said Lou Zver, Director of Facilities of the Jasper-Troupsburg School District. “So that’s why we fight so hard, to make sure we’re back.”

“The community needs this school, and this school thrives on the community,” Jordan added. “It’s a great place and we want to make sure it’s still around, wherever the building might be, it’s important to us.”

You can watch the full walk-through of the Jasper-Troupsburg High School below:

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