The town of 90,000 that I live in was cut in half when the flood waters hit. Within a few hours there was no way out, all roads were cut off. We were given mandatory evacuation orders, but were told to walk to the evacuation site, which was across and right next to the river...they moved people four times to different shelters. I was cut off from my partner, as she was across town. I tried to get to her by car, and got stuck in a parking lot of a road, all the lights were out and you couldn't get anywhere, after 45 minutes and traveling fifty feet, I was able to turn around. The feeling on the road was crazy, people were freaking out. Cell phones were spotty and overloaded. Our power went on and off for three days. My partner managed to get through on the one road that was opened for a little while, we decided to shelter in place, which proved to be a good decision.
We walked to the river every few hours to see how close it was getting. People were racing through my little neighborhood trying to get out like rats in a maze. Sirens were nonstop for the next three days, but we were WROL for awhile, all the first responders were busy. I made sure I was armed every time we left the house. It did not feel safe, we talked to a man at the end of my street that had his car window broken out by someone in a passing truck throwing a beer bottle. He had been waiting for police..... I doubt they ever came.
I saw how quickly it became every person for themselves, and how panicked people are crazy people. We did not see the best side of humanity for a few days. It was very scary. I had a firearm on me and another close by at all times. We have extra supplies now, and I have a get home bag in the car. I have a life preserver for my little dog. I was worried about wildfire in Colorado but never floods...now I know better. I am currently evaluating my "preparedness." We remained dry by the way, it only got to a block away. Had we been seriously hurt or sick we would have been screwed, the hospital is on the other side of the river. The national guard arrived on day three.
I would like to think that folks do help each other out, and I think that they do many times. My friends in the little community of Jamestown, which was devastated, all pulled together and are still working together to try and restore the town. Once people stopped trying to flee, and the imminent danger passed, things calmed down and a sense of "we're all in this together" was restored.
What I learned from the Colorado flood
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Last edited by Gunfem on Fri Jan 17, 2014 9:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.