Packing for an Emergency

I must say I am feeling pretty old because I have already lived through my third so-called five hundred year flood. Actually this most recent event in Colorado has even been termed a thousand year flood! Since we moved here a little over a year ago we would often see these signs.

During the super dry first year that we lived here these signs almost seemed comical. We could not imagine these desert like areas with no water in sight to become raging rivers rather than quiet, curvy routes to the mountain. Boy was I wrong! While I grew up in a town that had an annual ritual of spring flooding, nothing could have prepared me to understand exactly how fast a flash flood can take over a town.
I must have thought the phrase-we are so lucky a thousand times. Every time I saw aerial photos, read news articles or saw damage first hand my mouth would hang open and I would think "we are so lucky". Many of the homes were in areas we seriously considered buying a home.

One of many good things that came out of this experience was when the national guard showed up two blocks from our house to begin evacuating our neighborhood. We decided maybe now was the time to pack for a quick exit. So we each spent about three minutes filling a bag. As it turned out the national guard told our neighbor we were safer staying put then trying to go anywhere so we never did have to leave our house. But at the moment it felt real and it was interesting to look back at what we packed. Later, when things settled down Laurel said to me, "Mom, you must really likes those sesame snacks. I noticed you put them in your emergency bag." I am sure Freud could have a good time with my emergency bag. Basically I had change of clothes (extra comfy of course), the book I was reading with Owen, the book I was reading with Laurel (as if we would have all sorts of down time to read our chapter books) my personal hygiene bag and many snacks- I did not want to get stuck eating wonder bread somewhere. While I am very grateful we never needed to use the bag, I am glad I experienced the act of packing a bag. It taught me two things: 1. When it comes down to it we need so little. 2. I could not think very clearly and could have been much better prepared. Since then I have made an emergency list so that if I ever need to pack a bag In the future I can use my list to guide me.

So here we are almost a month after the flood. Our town that is West of us still has not been able to open. Little by little more people get re-settled back to their homes, some lost their entire home. My colleague lost her dad. Entire roads are still washed away. But as with all bad things, there is always good that comes out of it. The compassion and determination in Longmont is amazing. This school district and town are a strong and resilient community that really pull together when the going gets tough.