By Dan Rizzo
Now more than ever before, Revere has to do more to prevent flooding in the Point of Pines, and adjoining neighborhoods of Revere Beach Boulevard, including Beachmont.
Study after study indicates rising sea levels and flooding are costing homeowners, who live near the ocean, thousands of dollars in home values, and more severe property losses due to natural disasters. This has led to a corresponding increase in Federal Flood Insurance premium rates.
A lot of us can remember the damage and destruction caused by the Blizzard of 1978, when the sea level rose to an elevation of 15.10 feet, accompanied by a tidal surge and onshore winds gusting to 66 miles per hour, sending ocean waters crashing over Revere’s beaches and seawalls flooding our coastal neighborhoods.
As recently as 2018 Revere was slammed by two major Nor’easters. On January 4,2018 a “Bomb Cyclone†Nor’easter hit Revere with sea levels rising to 15.16 feet causing neighborhood flooding and the shutdown of many roadways, and again, on March 2, 2018, when sea levels reached 14.67 feet resulting in further neighborhood flooding and the closure of many of our city streets.
Flooding and sea level rise are major problems for Revere, which deserve emergency high priority status. That is why I propose, using federal and state funds, appoint an Experienced Professional Emergency Preparedness and Management Officer, whose primary responsibility will be to immediately secure more state and federal funding to protect our coastal waterfront neighborhoods from flooding. My commitment to public safety does not end with police and fire. We must work actively and diligently as a coastal community to protect our residents most vulnerable to ever-increasing severe storms.
Dan Rizzo is a present City Councilor, a former Mayor of Revere and a candidate for Mayor.
