Editorial

With much of the water now subsided from June's destructive flood, area residents who saw much, if not all, of their properties and possessions being washed away, are now in the process of cleaning, rebuilding, repairing, and replacing.

In the early days following the disaster, the residents were left with a mountain of uncertainty; not knowing how they would be able to rebuild their homes or if they even wanted to, not knowing to what extent the provincial and federal governments would help, and in some cases. Not knowing where they could even go for any kin d of assistance.

As the donations of household items and cash began pouring in, the people who needed the help the most were left waiting for word on what kind of financial assistance would be made available so they could start the grueling task of cleaning up the sludge and ripping out the contaminated interiors of their homes.

It was when Alberta premier, Ed Stelmach, Cypress/Medicine Hat MLA Len MItzel, Agriculture Minister, Jack Hayden, and other dignitaries visited the region and talked to some of those hardest hit and made the announcement that funding would be coming quickly that these people were able to put at least one of their worries to rest.

The most extensive disaster relief program ever seen in this province is appropriate for one of the worst disasters ever seen in southern Alberta. The amount of money each individual receives may or may not be enough to cover their entire losses, but it will most certainly help them in rebuilding their homes, farms, and lives. They will now have the money to get started on the work that needs to be done.

Even more than the money however, the people who have suffered so much loss needed to know that their government cared. They needed to hear it and needed to have the assurance that everything possible was being done to help them. The visit on July 11 by Stelmach, Mitzel and Hayden gave them that. What may have been considered a trivial gesture by some meant the world to others. The visit showed the people that the province was hearing their cries for help and was going to take immediate action. For some who thought Stelmach himself should have made an immediate statement in the days following the flood, the visit and expressions of compassion come too late. They wanted to hear from the leader of the province immediately and unfortunately, that did not happen. Emotions were running as high as the floodwaters and their discontent is certainly understandable.

Others, though, were calmed by the visit and the announcement of funding. As some area residents put it, better late than never.

Help needed now

The people in the southeast corner of the province are getting annoyed with the lack of information and action coming out of the provincial government in regards to compensation for damage caused by last month's flood.

And, rightly so. Many of the affected people in Cypress County, did not just have flooded basements, but lost all of their possessions, were forced to leave their homes with just the clothes on their backs and for many farmers in the area, have lost this year's crops.

These people needed immediate emergency assistance to get clothing, food, and to pay for accommodations. Rural people are proud people and asking for help is not a part of their moral fibre, but when they have nothing left, asking for a helping hand from the Alberta government should not have even been an issue.

Where was Premier Ed Stelmach during the aftermath of the flood? As his ministers were touring the region from above, where was he? While the ministers have assured the people that help is on the way, there has been not one word of condolence or assurance from one person who they want to hear it from.

The people in southwest Saskatchewan were experiencing the same devastation and their premier, Brad Wall was there himself to tour the region and has been able to provide those affected with a $3,000 advance on their compensation package to help cover those immediate emergency costs. Those people, like the ones in Cypress County, are dealing with clean-up, dealing with insurance, and worrying about how they will recover from the disaster. The people in Saskatchewan, however, have one less worry. They know they have the support of their provincial government during their time of need.

As the people in Cypress County sit and wait for the provincial government to hold their meetings and discussions and vote on the compensation package, the people in southwest Saskatchewan are able to start working on re-building their lives.

Have your meetings and discussions behind closed doors, but make sure the people of Alberta are taken care of during their time of need. It is not just because these are the taxpayers who contribute and vote, it is because it is the compassionate and right thing to do.

Storms end and then the clean-up begins. It won’t be an easy process, and it is sure to be extra painful for those who have lost items that cannot be replaced. It is hard to see businesses and homes devastated and it is difficult to understand how county, city, town and hamlet coffers will stand up under the great financial burden which will come to bear now that homes, farms, roads and bridges need to be replaced.
The provincial government has shown its concern by sending teams of experts from Emergency Management as well as several Ministers to the area to see the devastation for themselves and certainly the funds they decide to allot in aid will kick in as the rebuilding begins.
Still, the greater story may be more about human determination, hope in spite of loss and the ability to be grateful for all that is truly important like the safety of family members while all this is going on around us. The people that populate this area have a lot of courage, a lot of backbone. When they were needed they were out and about, helping neighbours save what could be saved while aiding others to get to safety.
Many people will remember this year and the flood. It has definitely been a season of surprises, with late spring snowstorms devastating ranchers and spring rain that never seemed to end causing overland flood damage and finally the flood itself, and the torrent of rain that came with it.
But it did end. People are rebuilding. They are strong and resilient. The sun is here and it seems the worst is behind us. The ground is finally beginning to dry and Canada Day is just around the corner.
So though it has been a trying year so far, it is now a time for celebrating all that makes this a special country, from living in an area where there is government help available when devastation strikes, to being in a place where neighbours still look our for one another, where we are free but are smart enough to also be socially conscious. There is truly no better country to live in all the world. We might have to worry about the occasional tantrum from Mother Nature, but we don’t have to be concerned about roadside bombs. We might have to pluck up the weeds growing along the back fence, but we don’t have to bow and scrape to some leader because they were born under a royal name and are therefor somehow better than us. We may have a heck of a clean up ahead of us, but we don’t have bombed out cities or citizens so poor they are starving in the street.
We are lucky. Even with all that has happened, we are very lucky.
So here’s to Canada Day. May it be sunny and may we all be safe, happy and with our loved ones.

It is a rare occasion that Cypress County has to put in motion its regional emergency management plan, an agreement between the county, the City of Medicine Hat, and Redcliff, that coordinates all emergency services under one entity should an emergency take place.
On Friday morning, as raging waters rose throughout the southeast part of the county, the plan was quickly put into place. Cypress County emergency services and its volunteer firefighters, Medicine Hat firefighters and rescue members, the RCMP, Alberta Health Services, the local branch of the Canadian Red Cross, and public works crews from both municipalities put the plan into action and adopted their roles needed for the immediate efforts.
Despite the chaos amid the rising waters in many locations throughout the area, the emergency management team ran the efforts like a well-greased wheel. Like any good plan, each member knew their role, kept the communication lines open and worked together to do what needed to be done at the moment.
From rescue efforts and evacuations, to traffic control and shutting off the utilities, the work was done in a quick and efficient manner. It is fortunate that no person lost their life from the flood waters and perhaps it is partly because of the rapid, efficient response of the emergency management team. Some members of this team, the members of the Irvine volunteer fire department in particular, responded despite the fact their own homes were being flooded at the time.
The coordinated efforts of the entire team needs to be commended for a job well done in the handling of this catastrophic event, unlike any other that has been seen in the area. Their hard work, commitment to the people of the county, and the willingness to risk their own safety for the sake of another can not go unnoticed. These people, and some have not had much time to rest over the past few days, need a big pat on the back for getting everybody to safety and in ensuring the area was contained.
As a new week rolls in and the clean-up efforts continue, the weather is forecasting more rain, and without a doubt, the emergency management team is ready to tackle whatever adversity is thrown at it this time.