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Letter Re: More About Recent Flooding in the US Midwest
Jim,
I'm sending a follow-up to your link on the
historic flooding in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Typical issues: Roads closed or collapsed, bridges flooded or swept away, traffic
jams for miles, power and gas outages, water shortages, businesses closed,
forced evacuation of 20,000 people included the local jails and a hospital.
Cleanup will take months, and there will be shortages of construction material.
Heck, we had shortages of lumber and sheetrock in Iowa during the Florida and
Louisiana hurricanes.
And what has become typical - jurisdictional disputes. Local law enforcement
has its own issues, but FEMA doesn't play well with others.
Armed police and National Guardsmen stood ready to prevent you from re-entering
your neighborhood and your property. First, they and the fire department will
break into your home to determine if it is safe for you to enter. Then they "allow" you
one trip, only to your home, and only to retrieve what you can carry on your
back.
Watch
the YouTube clip at the 1:58 mark. Sometimes those who "protect
and serve" are
not very friendly. And "contraband" items were not overlooked. It
would be a kick in the teeth to return home to an arrest warrant.
What made the flood more destructive was the fact that the crest predictions
were off by 10 feet and overwhelmed the levees. People who felt safe by moving
their possessions to the second floor found that the unanticipated extra 10
feet of dirty river water invaded that, too. One might want to rent a storage
garage (on a high hill!) when the flood warning is posted.
BTW, I received my .45 ACP Springfield XD [pistol] Saturday along with the
rest of the
Front
Sight "Get a Gun" training and gear package. I've attended Orange
Gunsite for rifle and pistol, but it's been some time. This [pair of courses
at Front Sight] should be fun. Thanks for giving
me the push I needed.
- Redmist
