REMEMBERING 2005 HERO'S

The year 2005 will go down as a year of tragedy for many in our country, and in our community. Many suffered great pain in the Gulf region and locally many saw their lives disrupted by the Enfield Flood of 2005.

Let me first say that in the middle of these terrible events, Enfield residence came together to assist our brothers and sister in the south, and our Enfield nieghbors right here at home. We put away our difference to unify to meet a challenge that our friends and family were facing.

It all goes to prove that when we work together we can accomplish anything. It is when the needs of others take center stage that we see what the true character of a community. We should all be proud of Enfield.

One group of hero's that we should show our appreciation for, are the men and women of the Enfield Fire Departments. This group of dedicated public servants showed all of us what heroism truly is all about. Whether paid staff or volunteers, when disaster struck Enfield they moved into action.

The weekend of October 15, 2005 became a nightmare for many of us in Enfield. The flood waters started rising on Friday and kept coming in through the night. At the Stokes home we woke up Saturday morning to find our basement flooded and many cherished items ruined. We began to pump out the water and felt that it does not get worse then this.

But then we heard the reports from across Route 5 and in Thompsonville. We heard that our friends did not just have a few inches of water, but their entire basements filled to the cellar doors. Where we had to work for half the day to remove water and destroyed items, people across town lost everything. We began to see our trouble in the proper perspective and said our prayers for people in worst shape.

What really impressed us was the incredible stories of Fire Fighters coming to the rescue. These public servants spent the night pumping out water for residence, carrying out damaged materials, and rescuing people by boat who could not get away from the rising waters.

Now, some will say this is their job. This is what they train for all year long. Yes, but you cannot diminish the quality of how they do their job. Whether paid or unpaid they showed up and took on the challenge with quiet resolve, and many had water in their own homes.

From the reports I heard, some kept in contact with their families, who were pumping water out themselves, while helping others in the flood stricken areas. Although they had destruction at their own houses, they first took care of others.

This being the first article of 2006 I thought it appropiate to begin not by analyzing the political scene, there will be plenty of time to do that. But, I wanted to start the year off by boasting about what is so good about our town.

Greg Stokes