A HELPING HAND

The collective total man-hour effort was unbelievable – and awesome to witness.

In my previous post, I mentioned the impending flooding along the Missouri River. The residents of central South Dakota received less than two weeks notice that the river was going to overflow its banks and flood thousands of their homes. The flooding also threatened storm and sanitary sewer systems, negatively impacting even more people.

In the capital city area, people promptly went into action. They assessed the situation, developed a plan, and then went to work.

In one week, a local contractor built several levees. And worked around the clock to do so. He did not even sandbag his own house until the city was protected. Heavy equipment operators worked around the clock. Everyone yielded right-of-way to trucks hauling dirt so they only had to slow enough to negotiate turns (yes, even against red traffic lights).

People who were not directly affected by the threat helped those who were.

Neighbors provided boxes and labor to either move people’s belongings to a higher floor or to another place entirely. People let others move in with them or use their campers. Others helped fill and stack sandbags (which get really heavy really fast). Restaurants donated and delivered food; some people donated money to those restaurants so they could provide more.

Our church took calls for assistance and then sent out mass emails several times a day, advising volunteers of who needed what when. Radio stations provided updates of official and informal information continually. Co-workers worked extra hours to cover for those that were busy, and supply stores maintained extended hours so people could buy what they needed any time of the day or night.

Basically everyone, without complaint or hesitation, stepped up to the plate to do whatever they could to mitigate the damage. Every individual and the town collectively is to be commended for their ‘lets’ roll’ attitude.