BY MARK WATERS
Every day somewhere in the United States someone dials 911 to report a water emergency. Depending on the section of the United States in which you are located, a water emergency can be classified as someone drowning, a boat in distress, a water leak in a wall, or raging floodwaters swallowing homes and businesses. At the end of March and the beginning of April 2010, southeastern Connecticut, along with most New England states, redefined what we would consider a water emergency.
Historically, most of southeastern Connecticut would have defined a water emergency as a broken sprinkler pipe, water leaking through a ceiling, or water in a basement. During the month of March, specifically the last week, many parts of Connecticut experienced more than 12 inches of rain. That was an unbelievable amount of rain for this area, and it produced what has been referred to as “the historic 100-year flood” for Connecticut. Many emergency acts of heroism took place during this historic flood, including rescuing people from their homes, cars, and even swollen rivers. Swift water rescue has not been an event common to Connecticut, but for the first time in my career I witnessed a swift water rescue while off duty.
If you are a current subscriber,login hereto access this content.
If you would like to become a subscriber, please visit ushere.
