LANSING, Mich. — It wasn't too long ago when a winter rain storm flooded the area.
It was February of 2018 when a huge rain storm left residents and businesses of Lansing Township struggling to rebuild.
And now with a winter weather advisory out for the weekend, the township is beginning to prepare for the worst.
The impact from the flood in '18 left Lansing Township devastated for 2 months while businesses closed for repairs following the flood.
Businesses like 'Bake n Cakes', 'Steakhouse Bar' and 'Green Dot Stable' were in the middle of flood plane areas and were hit the hardest, getting about 4-inches of water in their buildings.
Owners said it took a lot to recover from it.
"A lot of the girls didn't have any wages for 8 weeks," said Charlie Semerly, Co-Owner of Steakhouse Philly Bar & Grill. "Of course, we didn't have any business income," he added.
Owners say air quality was a big concern and the damages left behind by the standing water.
They said things like floors, walls and equipment all needed to be replaced and inspected before they could reopen.
Now, that the threat of flooding waters is back, they're just hoping it isn't as bad as in '18.
"We had sandbags a couple years ago and those just completely washed away," said Matthew Rudd, General Manager of Green Dot Stable. "We're kind of at the mercy of our location. It's not just us, our business, it's the community as well."
Owners say the last big storm affected more than just businesses, that it also affected people's homes, and there's not much you can do about it.
Lansing Township first responders say they're preparing for the rain but ultimately it has a lot to do with the weather.
Lansing Township Fire Captain, Mike Kaloz, says the big difference this year is the lack of snow on the ground compared to 2018. "The ground isn't frozen. So that rain water that we do get, a lot of it is going to absorb into the ground as opposed to running off into the storm drains," he said.
Ultimately, flooding planes for this year are the same.
"At this point we're going to go with the same plan that we did in 2018. We'll have personnel available to do any rescues if necessary in the area," Kaloz added.
The department says it isn't expecting an increase in calls at this time but are always prepared with resources if they do.
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