Today's report; 289 people on the ground working with 72 pieces of equipment. Two Blackhawk helicopters. 500,000 filled sandbags and that many more unfilled. The rivers rise, but ever so slightly!Just the two of us on the night time shift. Originally it was thought that tonight might be the big night of rising waters and evacuations. Not so. At least right now. I have made my river rounds, doing a visual on river height. Our job, as the only two mobile with eyes on the river streams, is to alert the higer-ups should there be a significant change in water flow. They say it takes 8 hours for the water to make it to town from the mountain cirques.
Now, I am parked next to the Holiday Inn Express, poaching the wireless to make this late post. Before it fell dark tonight, Dick Terry and I scouted the low lands of concern in the light. My time to post is best suited for right now.
Photography is limited on night time shifts. Our scenario with the Guard went great last night. Dick and I even got in there and moved sandbags with the crew. It was nice to get the heart rate up and work side by side with the guys and gals from the Guard throwing bags. The word came down today; no more sandbags. Most likely, many filled here will end up in other parts of Wyoming in need.
I will demob on Friday after the 10am briefing. The drive back to Jackson won't be easy, having been awake all night. I'll pull over and sleep if needed. Even though everyone hopes this second flood won't come, much work has been put into protecting the town. Everyone wants to be a hero and those here are no different; a bit of let down will be felt if the waters don't even try the dikes and sandbags that were placed to foil the river's encroachment.
Time to go. Time will tell if the second flood will come to this 32 square mile event.
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