Residents discard materials from a flooded basement in August of 2025. (Photo by Jonathan Aguilar / Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service / CatchLight Local)

Torrential rains, wind and lightning over the past few nights have caused flooded basements, downed trees and wreaked other havoc across the city.

Here’s what you can do if your basement was flooded or need to report a downed tree.

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Need general help

The first place you might want to call if you need help is 211.

IMPACT 211 is a social service hotline that serves as a central access point for residents in need. They can help connect you with the resources you need.

Or you can reach out to the United Methodist Committee On Relief, or UMCOR, at ERT@WisconsinUMC.org. 

UMCOR connects residents to the local disaster response team that it coordinates. 

Flooding

Here are flood tips from the Milwaukee Health Department.

  • DO NOT wade into basements with standing water unless you’re sure the electricity in your home is off.
  • Wear rubber boots and gloves during cleanup.
  • Be cautious when using electrical equipment (sump pumps, furnace motors, etc.), which is wet. It can produce severe shocks, endanger your life, as well as burn out the equipment. Make sure all electrical equipment is dry before use.
  • Check oil and gas furnaces and water heaters to make sure pilot is lit and gas isn’t escaping.

Cleaning and sterilizing your basement

  • Rinse all contaminated surfaces with clean water and sweep or squeegee the floors to remove contaminated water and sediment.
  • Bleach clean non-porous surfaces such as tile, concrete and metal.
  • Use a solution that includes 1/2 to 3/4 cup of household bleach mixed with 1 gallon of water.
  • Wear gloves, goggles and other protective clothing when bleaching.
  • Keep surfaces wet for 10-15 minutes and then rinse with water.
  • Ensure good ventilation during the process.

Remember, any materials exposed to floodwater may be contaminated with harmful bacteria. It’s recommended that all packaged and unpackaged food items, medicines, medical supplies, and cosmetics that were exposed be discarded.

Addressing mold

  • Do NOT use bleach to clean it. Bleach can make mold worse by opening spores.
  • Use mold remediation spray designed to inhibit regrowth.
  • Remove and discard materials that were submerged and continue to treat for mold.
  • Lightly mist affected areas. Do not oversaturate walls.

Downed trees

According to Tiffany Shepherd, marketing and communications officer for the City of Milwaukee, if a resident encounters a downed tree anywhere in the city, they should report it by visiting Milwaukee.gov/click4action, using the MKE Mobile App or calling 414-286-CITY (2489).

Shepherd said forestry crews will respond to the reports. She said the city received 145 service requests related to emergency tree response on Monday night, when the winds were stronger.

“We only received an additional 26 calls due to Tuesday night’s weather,” she said.

Residents can also report flooding on city streets using those resources.

For renters

You can report issues if you’re a renter, but your landlord or property must give permission for volunteer repair or rebuilding work.

If your landlord is unresponsive, you should document communication attempts and seek guidance from the Department of Neighborhood Services.  

To contact DNS, call 414-286-2543 or go to the website to report an issue.

Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.

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Raised in a South Side neighborhood where he still lives, Edgar Mendez is the managing editor of the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. Mendez is a proud graduate of UW-Milwaukee, where he double majored in journalism and sociology, and of Marquette University, where he earned a master’s degree in communication. He won a 2018 Regional Edward R. Murrow Award and 2014, 2017, and 2018 Milwaukee Press Club Awards for his reporting on taverns, marijuana law enforcement, and lead in water service lines. In 2008, he won a Society of Professional Journalists’ regional award for columns dealing with issues such as poverty, homelessness and racism. His writing has been published by the Associated Press, Reuters, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and other media. He has also co-authored three articles published in scholarly journals.