Flood of 2011: Day 1

Wednesday, September 7, was the first day of school for many in the area and I was very nervous to meet all my students and finally get situated with my new job at Vestal.  I drove to the high school in the rain and it continued to pour throughout the entire day.  During lunch, many had already heard reports of schools closing early due to the flooding.  Although we never closed, the consistent interruptions throughout the day made for a very distracting first day of class.  By the time I tied up my loose ends, it was 4pm and the rain wasn't letting up.

Andrea arrived home short after I did.  We had dinner, and then made the decision that our Mission Group would have to cancel.  With all the flash flooding, it would be foolish to make everyone worry about traveling.  When 6pm rolled around, I was checking the updates and news intensely.  Over the course of a few hours, the reports changed from being comparable to worse than the floods that plagued the Southern Tier in 2006.  The flood five years ago was said to be a rare "500-year Flood."  My thoughts immediately turned to my grandmother and uncle who live together in the southside of Binghamton - on the banks of the Susquehanna River.  They were washed out the first time, and it seemed almost certain it would happen this time as well.  So I called them to see if they needed any help moving stuff out or evacuating to my house for the night.

At that particular time, bridge travel was still possible.  The worse case scenario, I thought, was that we'd have to spend a night or two at the church until the water receded.  Unfortunately, neither my uncle or grandma were convinced that the river would reach them again this year.  Despite the calls from both me and my mother, they were set on "waiting it out" on the basis that it couldn't possibly be worse than it was a year ago.

Giving up the idea that my prideful grandma and uncle would change their mind, I went to bed discouraged and frustrated.  As I was hoping that the reports would be turn out inaccurate, the pouring rain proclaimed a very different and disheartening reality.