eaglefirecompany.org/NewsArticles/Flood09-30-2004.html -
[Cached Version]
Published on: 9/30/2004
Last Visited: 6/16/2008
Fred Williamson, borough fire marshall and president of the New Hope Eagle Fire Company, attributed the lack of rescues to the cooperation of most residents.In the one incident, an elderly woman decided not to leave her home in the Waterview condominiums along River Road when she was asked to late Friday night, Williamson said.The woman soon found her home filling up quickly with water early Saturday morning, he said., and she called 9-1-1.
"The water was coming up at a very rapid rate at that point, about a foot per hour," he said.A rescue worker, tethered to a lifeline, waded into the woman's home and carried her out on his back.Williamson said that the level of communication by all involved in the flood relief efforts was what made their operations go so smoothly throughout the ordeal."I've seen my share of disasters, but I've never seen communication like this," he said."It was key."
He said police and firefighters had handed out flyers and pamphlets informing residents of what they should and shouldn't do and where they could go as the flood waters neared, and that the coordination of the entire effort was nearly flawless.Like Keller, Williamson too praised the contribution of volunteers, from his all-volunteer fire company to the members of the Lambertville, N.J.-New Hope Ambulance and Rescue Squad, down to the volunteers who came in and helped man the phones."If there's a silver lining to any of this, it's got to be the volunteers," he said.
...
We would like to single out for special praise the following groups and individuals: the Eagle Fire Company led by Chief Tom Markey (who is also the EMS Coordinator), company President Frank Cosner, Fire Marshall Fred Williamson, the Fire Police volunteers, the Lambertville-New Hope Rescue Squad and all the other emergency responders from our neighboring communities.
29 online sources [ view sources ]
Profile is not claimed [ claim profile ]
