April 3, 2010-Cranston, Rhode Island - Flooding

A few weeks ago some of the U.S. Team members returned from Haiti to begin training and preparing the U.S. fleet for the 2010 storm season. Preparedness for us covers FEMA certifications, first aid, swift water and ice rescue training and continually running and servicing all of our equipment so it is ready at a moment’s notice.

Though the team is still working in Haiti clearing rubble from streets and home sites, we have to be ready and able to respond to the potential floods and tornadoes that will strike early spring and summer in the States. Sure enough, we finished our training just in time.

A few days ago we heard that Rhode Island was going to be in the path of some severe weather in the form of heavy rains and floodwaters. As we worked with some of the best meteorologists in the country we realized Cranston, Warwick and East Warwick were going to get slammed by the worst flooding in 100 years. At first the Pawtuxet River, running through Cranston, was supposed to rise 9 feet above flood stage. To our surprise, it crested at 20.79 feet, 12 feet above flood stage.

We arrived just as the river was about to crest. The team introduced themselves to Chief Gumbley, the Fire Chief for the City of Cranston, RI. After we explained we were there to assist him with water rescues using a hovercraft, free of charge, and it was outside all ready to be deployed, he said, “Ok, let’s do this.”

The calls were coming in left and right, and there was not much time to lose. The chief called for his assistant to work with us for the next 48 hours and respond to any calls that came in having to do with water rescues or water hazards.

Our first task was to inspect factories and office buildings that were along the river that were completely flooded. The water rose so quickly that people could have been caught in the buildings. After that, we received a call about a fully loaded tractor-trailer that was floating down the river headed toward the bridge that connected Cranston and Warwick. The only way to stop it was to cut a hole in the side of the rig, fill it with water and sink it. Throughout the next few days we had calls ranging from people trying to evacuate from their homes with rubber rafts getting caught up in the current to a man rowing out into the bay trying to commit suicide. We also were able to save many animals. At one point Tim had to swim into a home that was mostly under water to save some cats.

I must say I think the most moving event of this response was flying through a neighborhood transporting a citizen and the fire chief to find someone’s cat. As we were flying over the flooded streets, I watched this young man in horror as he saw his brand new truck floating down the street toward the river. He held his head as he saw his home for the first time completely destroyed. He cried and explained he thought his cat would be in the bottom room of his house. At the time we did not have much hope that the cat would be alive but we broke the window and swam in anyway. Sure enough, there was the cat, floating on top of a bucket in the closet.

At that moment the Team and the homeowner forgot about all that was lost and how terribly the storm ravaged everything. At that point all that mattered was that everyone, including the animals were safe. We are always reminded in the most difficult times in life, what really matters. I don’t mean to forsake all that happened in Rhode Island that was terrible, but for a small moment in time, life was put in perspective.