A Hard Rain

Several low-pressure systems moved across the central United States March 17–19, bringing with them severe rainfall, flash floods and lowland flooding.

According to NOAA, the Meramec River at Eureka, Mo., crested at 40.06 feet at 9 p.m. on March 22—the third-highest flood crest ever recorded at this forecast point, as records were set across the state. In Eureka, 30 homes remain damaged or flooded, despite receding waters.

Eureka Fire Protection District (EFPD) personnel, with assistance from the High Ridge Fire Protection District water rescue unit, the Missouri Water Patrol and U.S. Coast Guard, rescued at least 25 people from homes and vehicles during the floods, according to Deputy Chief Randy Gabel.

“Our personnel, working with members of the Missouri State Water Patrol and the U.S. Coast Guard, performed numerous rescues near the confluence of the Big and Meramec Rivers,” says Scott Barthelmass, EFPD public information officer.

Key to their success was “adhering to the principals of ICS, developing preplans and disaster appendixes, great mutual-aid partnerships with our adjoining fire response agencies, working with law enforcement and local government and training our citizens to be prepared,” Barthelmass says.

Rescues were dynamic and challenging, says Paul M. Ross, Jr., a firefighter/EMT with the EFPD. Challenges included cold water, electrical hazards, water debris and heavy currents.

In addition to performing rescues, EFPD members kept the public apprised of conditions with the media throughout the event and assisted members of the community who refused to evacuate. 

 “We made numerous trips to homes in floodwater where they would not leave to check on them,” Chief Gabel says. “Some of them we did several times a day, such as an older man in his attic with his dog who would not leave. Water Patrol gave him a life jacket and would check on him two to three times a day.”

“As the waters receeded, we made sure that we were involved in the recovery efforts,” Barthelmass says, “including distributing information on what was needed to properly clean up after the flood and health hazards, as well as being a point for the delivery of free tetanus shots and flood clean-up kits.”

The floods claimed the lives of at least 16 people throughout the upper Midwest and crews continue to deal with the aftermath.

Information for this article was taken from cnn.com.