Chickamauga police chief Michael Haney said Tuesday that citizens pulled together with law enforcement to help rescue families in residences that had severe flood damage.

Haney, who worked until 5 o’clock Tuesday morning with rescue and traffic, said that citizens used their personal flat-bottom boats to evacuate citizens stuck in their homes.

Haney said it was good to see the citizens work together during the flood.

Haney said there are several homes in Chickamauga that are under water.

Haney said Walker County Fire and Rescue aided the city Monday, dealing with flood damage and traffic control.

Haney said that on Monday around 8 p.m. roads had to be blocked off and that all roads going in and out of Chickamauga are closed, with the exception of Osborn Road and Wilder Road.

Haney said that Crystal Springs ball field on Crittenden Avenue is completely submerged under water.

East 10th, West Ninth and West Eighth streets and Stewart Avenue were evacuated, he said.

Haney said he unfortunately had to help divert traffic from U.S. 27 Monday night and send travelers back to Ga. 2A and Ga. 193, so citizens would have to travel back and enter the southern part of the county in a different way, due to the closed roads in the city.

Haney said traffic became a big issue for the city.

He said residents were moved to higher elevations, as well as their vehicles and furni-ture.

Haney said several vehicles were washed down roadways and that residents were run-ning off the road, because of trying to cross flooded roadways.

“This (flood) is the largest one I have seen in my lifetime, living here,” Haney said. “The city has one huge mess (to clean up).”

Haney urges citizens and parents to keep children out of flooded areas, due to possible hazard chemical containments (from sewerage, for example) and possible heavy currents, due to young people walking and playing in the flooded areas.

“The city will recover,” he said.

Haney thanked the Walker County Fire and Rescue Department and Chickamauga city manager John Culpepper.

Haney said Culpepper has experience in floodings and gave good advice on how to deal with the problem.

According to Haney, the Chickamauga Civic Center was opened as shelter relief and around 15 people were taken there, but those individuals did not stay overnight and were picked up by other family members and loved ones.

Haney said Food Lion and Shop-Rite grocery stores donated food for the shelter at the civic center in the city.

“We did everything we could to help out the citizens,” he said.

Haney said that he is thankful that no serious injuries or fatalities were reported in the city.