Emergency crews and volunteers across Brevard County spent Monday rescuing residents from flooded homes after heavy rainfall left roads impassable, damaged properties and forced some families to seek shelter. The flooding also led to school closures and prompted officials to change several polling locations ahead of Tuesday's Election Day.
Residents in Palm Bay, Melbourne and surrounding communities were among those rescued from flooded homes. Officials said some of the rescues involved elderly residents, families with children and people with medical needs. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers used airboats, shallow-water boats and helicopters to reach people who were stranded.
In Palm Bay, a volunteer used his own airboat to transport people to their homes and reunite them with loved ones. In another rescue, an elderly man recovering from open-heart surgery was reached after a neighbor and trained rescue diver, Rick Dent, waded through chest-deep water to get to him. Responders also rescued babies through windows and pulled a man from Crane Creek after he was found clinging to a palm tree.
The American Red Cross opened an emergency shelter at Parker Memorial Missionary Baptist Church in Cocoa for residents displaced by the flooding.
Flooding along Fallon Boulevard in Palm Bay became especially dangerous after a home's driveway collapsed, followed by part of the roadway. The damage created what looked like a river running through the street and left several people stranded. In West Melbourne, residents reported homes surrounded by water, damaged belongings and vehicles abandoned as roads became impassable. Some residents described water reaching about 5 feet in their backyards, while others said they had never experienced flooding this severe, even during previous hurricanes.
Because of the flooding and safety concerns, Brevard County officials announced changes to five polling locations. The affected sites are the Max K. Rodes Community Center, the Veterans Memorial Complex, the Eddie Lee Taylor Community Center, the Front Street Civic Center and Faith Baptist Church of Palm Bay.
Voters assigned to those locations will be redirected. Precincts 307, 309, 512 and 525 will vote at New Shiloh Christian Center on Sarno Road in Melbourne. Precincts 306, 323 and 529 will vote at the Joseph and Davis Community Center on Bruce D. Buggs Street in Melbourne. Precinct 517 will vote at Palm Bay City Hall on Malabar Road, with voting inside the council chambers.
Polling hours remain 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, and officials advise voters to allow extra travel time and check for any additional changes before heading out.
City leaders are urging residents to stay off the roads whenever possible and say anyone who must travel should avoid flooded streets and intersections. With roads washed out, homes damaged and concerns about additional flooding, emergency crews and volunteers continue working to reach residents and provide assistance across Brevard County. Information for this report came from Brevard County Emergency Management, the Brevard County Supervisor of Elections and the American Red Cross.
