Irene was for many of us on the east coast a disaster. For those who had wind damage, who still have no power, are still stranded with roads ripped out of the ground and who are waiting for rivers to crest or are pushing the mud out of their homes with shovels, she won't be forgotten anytime soon.
I was one of the lucky ones. Flood waters came within 6 feet of my home. The power went off a few times but it was never off more than a couple minutes. We didn't lose the cable or internet. As the fateful events played out in neighboring villages I was able to stay up with news by listening to local television coverage and postings on Facebook.
People were asking how to get into neighboring villages, up hollows and the back roads to find friends and loved ones and the answers were all the same, "You can't get there from here". Roads were flooded and washed out, homes washed away.
It leads me to ask, what would we have done in the 1800's? Even if we had known hurricane or tropical storm Irene was coming we wouldn't have known which way she would turn. Inland, Saturday was such a nice day we would not have expected the devastating flooding we had on Sunday. Though I don't think anyone expected this kind of damage now either.
We would not have been in communication with over 700 people posting messages to friends and information for help on Facebook. Telegraph lines would have all been down. There would have been no way to evacuate people from the roof tops as the National Guard did with helicopters. It wouldn't have been cars floating down main streets but buggies instead.
As fond as I am of the Victorian Era and the western United States I am happy I live where I do in 2011, Irene and all. May these events make me a better person and a stronger writer.
Many thanks to the fire departments - local volunteers - DOT - National Guard - Red Cross - and everyone else who has been there for the Catskills. God Bless.
No comments:
Post a Comment