Custodian’s Dedication Keeps School From Flooding

The principal of Hackensack Middle School in Hackensack, New Jersey, headed to his school one day earlier this month concerned about the condition he would find the building in. Many schools in the area were flooded from the remnants of Hurricane Ida.

But when Principal Anibal Galiana arrived at the school that morning, it was dry thanks to the dedication of the building’s head custodian, Peter Hemans, USA Today repots. Hemans stayed at the school the entire night, making sure the sump pump was working.

The custodian was at home at 11 p.m. the night before when a sensor alarm alerted him that water was entering the school. So he drove to the school, despite flooded roads blocking his route and causing him to take detours. An hour later, he finally arrived at the school and found the sump pump was still working but the water kept coming back into the basement since the street was completely flooded. So he redirected a pump hose to have the water spill onto nearby asphalt.

Hemans stayed awake the entire night to check the pump and make sure the school stayed dry. He finally went home to get some sleep at 2:30 p.m. the next day.

“I like to make sure that my job is done,” Hemans said. “I took it upon myself to get it done. I didn’t even call my boss … because he would have told me to go home, but he doesn’t know the damage that would have occurred there that night.”

“Hemans has been an asset to the building since he’s arrived,” said Galiana. “He’s a hard worker and he’s a great example for the other custodians, too.”

Hemans said his lack of sleep was worth it when students were able to return to school the day after Labor Day as planned.

“When you see them, especially in the cafeteria, it’s a joy seeing them eating and playing,” he said. “They’re very happy to be back to school rather than being at home.”