There are many reasons why I live in the Midwest and the strength of our local communities is one of the primary ones. Community strength can be seen in many ways, but one of the most profound is when you see neighbors helping neighbors who are in need.
On August 23, 2016 our neighbors in northeast Iowa experienced an historic flood. The area received intense rainfall causing local rivers to rise upwards of ten feet over just a few hours. These flood waters inundated many homes and buildings, often while people were sleeping inside of them. Part of my extended family was among those who were flooded in Freeport, Iowa. The water completely flooded their basement, most of their garage and was three inches deep on their first floor. Work continues to clean up their home as well as the homes of their neighbors. I would like to comment here on some of the things I took away from the time I have helped with cleanup in the area.
First of all, there are many people and organizations that need to be thanked. Thank you first responders. Thank you for waking people in the middle of the night and getting them out of their homes safely. Thank you random strangers. While it is not a surprise to see family and friends helping with cleanup, it is humbling to see random strangers donate their time to come work in the mud and the muck. Thank you local athletic teams. Often times you just need people to haul stuff after a disaster and local sports teams continue their history of showing up to perform these tasks. Thank you local food distributors. Multiple restaurants delivered food free of charge to those helping with the cleanup effort and I cannot tell you how much a simple cheese burger can mean. Thank you local community members. From starting donation campaigns to bringing over clean clothes, the support of neighbors and friends is immeasurable.
Secondly, safety needs to be on everyone’s mind during and after flooding disasters. Floods of this magnitude not only trap people in homes but also undermine the integrity of roads and bridges, leave behind hazardous materials, and promote the growth of dangerous mold. Listen to what your local responders are telling you. They do what they do to keep us all safe. Make sure you wear proper protective equipment when doing clean up. From nails to contaminated water, there are many things that are left over after a flood that can hurt you. Dangerous fumes can build up in confined spaces that have been flooded, so be sure to take breaks and get plenty of fresh air when helping with cleanup efforts.
And finally, the response we see during disasters should remind us of the things we can accomplish when we set aside differences and focus on common goals. No matter where we sit on politics, which local sports teams we cheer for, or whether we drive red or green tractors we are all neighbors. And at some point down the road we all will need a neighbor’s hand doing something. Willingness to help our neighbors is one of the things that makes our communities so strong. And strong communities are one of the reasons why the Midwest feels like home.
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