Glen Cove, New York
Until Hurricane Sandy, decision makers in the city of New York had differing opinions on the importance of flood protection. The devastating flooding that resulted from the tropical cyclone in 2012 left no unbelievers, however. The only question on everyone’s mind was “How can we prevent this from happening again?” For the leadership at Glen Cove High School on Long Island – a facility housing grades 9–12 set on 50 acres of land – long-term plans started to include serious flood protection.
“As cities grow, we keep adding more buildings, but we can’t really expand the storm sewer infrastructure at the same pace,” says Jon Dupre, flood mitigation specialist at BK7 Flood Prevention Division in New York City. “As a result, heavy rains can cause flooding, and that’s what was going on with Glen Cove High School.”
School leaders asked Dupre to review their drawings for improvements to the school’s building, and he quickly identified parts of the plan that could be improved. “Things were a little vague,” says Dupre. “For example, the drawings didn’t accurately account for how the proposed flood doors would open once they were installed. It was clear that my experience with flood prevention was going to be helpful.”
To Dupre, the solution was obvious: PS Flood Barriers™. He and the BK7 Flood Prevention Division had worked with them on past projects, and right away Dupre saw how the manufacturer’s Hydro1® Pedestrian Flood Doors could address the challenges faced by Glen Cove High School. “We needed two feet of flood protection for storm water, and to accomplish it, we ordered more than 20 Hydro1 Pedestrian Flood Doors from PS Flood Barriers.”
Hydro1 Pedestrian Flood Doors are always in place, offering proven flood protection while also acting as traditional pedestrian doors. They feature the lowest leakage rate in the industry, utilizing a unique one-piece perimeter gasket that creates a watertight seal. Hydro1 Pedestrian Flood Doors have been independent-party witness tested to 3′ and 20′ water protection heights and are sold in single and paired configurations. They are ADA compliant.
The Glen Cove High School project included some unique features, including the challenge of protecting an especially wide bank of doors. “The most impressive part of the project was the installation of three sets of paired Hydro1 Flood Doors in a single bank,” recalls Dupre. “It was the largest flood door bank I had ever put together.”
Plans were finalized near the end of 2022 and by the end of 2023, the project was complete, including the installation of all the flood doors. “The folks at Glen Cove High School are very happy with the results,” Dupre confirms, “and personally, I would recommend PS Flood Barriers for pretty much any project. I like how they do business. Their professionalism and support are outstanding.”
He also enjoys working with the in-house engineering team at PS Flood Barriers, something not every manufacturer has. “Their products are excellent, their facility is incredible, they’ve been around 50 years and they’re made in the USA,” continues Dupre. “I’d like them to be part of every job I do.”
To learn more about Hydro1 Pedestrian Flood Doors from PS Flood Barriers, contact Terry Smith at 877-446-1519 or 701-795-6540. You can also request information via our contact form.