We didn’t have anywhere near the flooding in Red Deer as in High River or Calgary. Still our city was on alert because in 2005, there was a whole heck of flooding. Red Deer went into full preparation mode.
A state of emergency was called. Some homes along the river were evacuated and roads were closed on the weekend.
I was fortunate to work as photographer on Friday as the situation unfolded. I went around to various parts of the city to see the emergency management crews out in full force.
I live next to a BMX park that was flooded pretty bad in 2005. It took the owners nearly all that summer to rebuild. This time they were well-prepared and the water did not reach the tracks.
I was able to monitor the rising river throughout the day. By the end of the weekend, I was best buds with the city guys stationed at the entrance.
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| Volunteers sandbag a house close to the Red Deer River. Our park system was impacted by the flooding. Some trails have not reopened and city events were rescheduled because of the damage. |
Brenda and I delivered donations for the Siksika Nation residents. Sadly they will not be going home anytime soon. They were probably one of the worst hit areas.
But I must say the outpouring of support for the displaced residents in southern Alberta has been outstanding. Mayor Nenshi out of Calgary is simply a rockstar for his beloved city. The premier said it could take a decade to repair Calgary to what it once was.
Today I count my blessings. It’s a horrible horrible time for these towns and cities. Let there be light at the end of this tunnel.