Turn Around, Don’t Drown!

Photo by NOAA.gov

This morning the weatherman confirmed my fears: today will be the hottest day of the year. The temperature is said to reach 100 with a heat index of anywhere from 105 to 115—hot and muggy, of course. This is the mid-west after all.

It's quite a change from where we were one year ago. Many were stranded on roadsides, their windshield wipers no match for the downpour that throttled Kentuckiana during the morning commute. Those who did make it to work trudged through giant puddles of rain—puddles that quickly turned into fast moving streams weaving through Louisville’s streets.

But Louisville wasn’t the only affected area. Up in Southern Indiana, I was sitting in an auto repair shop along with four others who had also failed at driving through the rain, our poor vehicles taking a beating in the attempt. Unfortunately, having been with the Red Cross for only 21 days, I had yet to hear the famous “Turn around, don’t drown,” mantra.

The national weather service reported that 5 inches of rain fell in 90 minutes. That week I experienced my first disaster relief operation first hand. Check out the Flickr photos from our response to the August 4th flood.

And remember, the next time you’re on the road when the sky opens up—Turn Around! Don’t Drown!