By Jeanne Sager
SULLIVAN COUNTY — April 1, 2005 – Monday night's heavy rains kept fire departments in Sullivan County busy just trying to keep up with the calls from residents whose basements were filled to the brim. For example, firefighters from Hortonville’s volunteer department were busy across town. By late Tuesday morning, Assistant Chief Darryl Emmett said the department had already pumped 10 basements, and they were “nursing” a few more. “We’ve been out since 10 o’clock last night,” he said. “It’s due to a combination of ground saturation and snow runoff coupled with the sudden rise in temperatures. There was nowhere for the water to go.” Hortonville got help from firefighters from North Branch, Callicoon and Lake Huntington. Other departments across the county were doing similar work.