Walker sheriff says thankfully no serious injuries or fatalities for Walker from flood
Sep 22, 2009 | 1273 views | 23 
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“We can count our blessings that no one has lost their life (in Walker). There have been a lot of possessions lost, but no loss of life in Walker County that we are aware of,” Wilson said.
Wilson said the Sheriff’s Office and other emergency personnel worked together to res-cue individuals in compromised areas.
Wilson said the Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) closed down Chickamauga Creek Bridge Monday at 8 p.m. and it was re-opened at 9 a.m. Tuesday morning.
Wilson said the south side of Walker County, including Chickamauga, Rock Spring, La-Fayette and Trion, experienced heavier rainfall than Chattanooga.
Wilson said LaFayette received more than 12 inches of rain, based on rain gauge moni-tors.
Wilson compared this week’s flood to that of the flood damage that occurred in the area in 1973.
“Sunday night was our biggest challenge for law enforcement,” Wilson said. “We got caught with the heavy flash flooding about 8:30 p.m. (Sunday) and with Highway 27 experi-encing a lot of that flooding at Noble, near the PMI and West Reed Road area. That really was a big challenge for us,” Wilson said.
Wilson said people had to be rescued from East Reed Road, near Loughridge Lane, that had to be removed from their vehicles, while in an area where their safety was compro-mised.
Wilson said Flintstone was thankfully spared from the flooding.
Wilson said Brown Estates, off East Reed Road, had to be evacuated, including various other isolated areas.
Wilson said that there was a problem with some citizens ignoring the “closed road” signs.
“We caution people to pay attention to those road signs. They are not put up to amuse people, but put up as a safety measure,” Wilson said.
Wilson said he is anticipating the possibility of ground saturation that can cause sink-holes in the roads and that citizens should stay aware of that possibility.
Wilson said Georgia DOT engineers closed Chickamauga Creek Bridge due to the after-rising, all the way up to the pavement, and with all the vehicles that travel along it, the vi-brations from the automobiles, along with the rushing water beneath it, could cause the bridge to collapse.
Wilson said that the 12-hour period, between Sunday night and Monday morning, was the biggest concern.
“We still have a lot of flooding, but the flash flooding has hopefully subsided and is gone away,” Wilson said.
“It is something that we experience about every generation,” Wilson said. “You have to deal with it the best we can and try to move on.”
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I know that some of the smaller media outlets don't have the resources of some of the larger ones, but this type of information is what the local community needs. I would love to have this place become the "go-to" source for all us North Georgians.
It would have been really useful to have been able to get this information right here. I know times are tough, but isn't this the type of information that would really make this particular website a true asset to the local community?
I apologize if you have a problem with my posting. I too have met the reporters for the Walker County Messenger, and I too realize they have little to work with. That however, is not the point I am trying to make here.
Walker County is in dire need of a way to communicate with the citizens of the county during natural disasters such as flooding, tornadoes, etc. Walker County does not have this, and will not have this anytime soon the way things are going. This website would be an excellent way to get needed information out to the public. It is an avenue that is not being taken advantage of. That is my point. They're simply not taking advantage of what is available to them.
I do not owe you an explanation for my feelings on this matter, nor do I intend to give one. If you don't want to read my posts, please feel free to skip over them. You obviously have your own feelings on this matter as do I.
Too much time on my hands? Hardly.
VWN
Seriously, I have read numerous of your comments for quite a long time.
You do make some good points from time to time, but you do, however, post on a pretty much daily basis. Filled with criticism in every story.
The only thing is, is that you hide behind an avatar and if you are so steamed by any of this, why don't you come outside the confines of your secret identity and if you wish to change the world (locally or nationally) then stop being a random blogger.
I really think that, if someone seems so up-in-arms over what the messenger post here, then stop stirring the pot, get off the computer and change it.
Other than that, you just come off with being the critic that no one really listens to, because your post are not constructive, but more like a grinding axe.
I have had many conversations with the news reporters in Walker, and they both (the two that report for the whole county) do not have ready available information at their fingertips and some of your elected officials and leaders in the county do not always give the information so readily available. From what I have learned, it can be really difficult at times.
I also know that their computer system was down, due to the flood, for most the day Monday.
I have been in there office numerous times and can say that they do do the best they can with what is available.
I also know that the two reporters were compromised by travel as well.
That is fine that you spend a lot of time getting on here and giving your opinions and criticism, but you should at least have some kind of clue as to how it works at the messenger, rather than calling out the reporters and judging them as they failed you, or the county.
I know that the two did make your "calls" and were stuck in their communities as well.
These are people too who were effected by the flood and also other things that you are not aware of, but I bet if you read what else happened over the weekend, you may get a clue as to why these folks were compromised.
I have been interviewed by the paper and I see that they do what they can the best with what they have. They are only two guys for the WHOLE county.
So, with all due respect.
If you want to criticize, as is your right, then at least get to know how that system works there.
And instead of continuing your argument here, behind the avatar, go out and run for office, go to the paper and demand change.
You continual posting only show that you have vast amounts of time on your hands.
Now, I am sure you will have a response and will not even look into the matter of the paper that you like to comment on so much.
So, I will leave it at this. Want to go outside and enjoy life. But, before you send another shot at someone else, know you just come off looking like someone with too much time on your hands.
As surprising as it may seem to you, the link you posted is the same article I referred to when I made the following post:
VWN wrote on Wednesday, Sep 23 at 01:24 PM »
fmbs.....
Thank you for your posting. In not as many words, that's exactly what I was trying to say. They listed a series of road closings for Catoosa County and did a pretty good job keeping it posted. Walker County was another story. They stated MANY roads were closed in the county, but listed only three. It makes no sense. Again, thanks for your posting.
VWN
Thank you for paying attention and blessing us with your sarcasm, but I do stand by my statement when I made the following post:
"I do think however, that posting road closings would benefit the residents of Walker County more than knowing a Walker County teen was fatally shot more than 6 years ago. Priorities."
It's a shame when Summerville has twice the newspaper of Walker County.
VWN
Bash them if you will, but if you can't even find the story when it is on their website then you certainly would not be able to do better.
http://www.catwalkchatt.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Many roads closed in Walker County due to flooding &id=3678087-Many roads closed in Walker County due to flooding
Forgive me. I didn't realize who you were ;-)
Got Popcorn? :)
"I do think however, that posting road closings would benefit the residents of Walker County more than knowing a Walker County teen was fatally shot more than 6 years ago. Priorities."
On most news sites, related articles are computer generated, not posted by humans.
Thank you for your posting. In not as many words, that's exactly what I was trying to say. They listed a series of road closings for Catoosa County and did a pretty good job keeping it posted. Walker County was another story. They stated MANY roads were closed in the county, but listed only three. It makes no sense. Again, thanks for your posting.
VWN
So concerning the statement about the particular writer of this article being "hard working" - per haps he is- I have no clue concerning any individual skills or workmanship. I can say this: My opinion and experience from just this week alone is that the news media in this area - ALL forms of it - failed us terribly. When floodwaters are rapidly rising to your front door, and all you can get is a radar image swooping across the lower corner of your screen, while you listen to the sounds of sirens and helecopters wondering if they will need to come and get you next.... well our local "news" has failed us. When you call them repeatedly to see if there are any reports at all on your area, and they neglect to even answer the phone, or when they do, they only say that you can tune in at NOON to find out any details, our local "news" has failed us. At that point, I didn't know if I'd have a TV to watch at NOON. When you tune in to our "community" station here in Ft. O and you see "buy sell and trade" shows on the air rather than anyone just AT LEAST taking the calls of local residents reporting, since the reporters aren't talking about it, the local "community station" has failed us.
This was a horrifying experience for us. Many people experienced much more loss than we did. But the fear for the safety of your family because of raging waters coming straight for you is an experience I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. It is a terribly helpless feeling. And the lack of coverage on Monday morning's flash flooding only added to the helplessness of the situation.
I have sympathy for those living near the creeks that rose above flood level. It is a sad situation. However, they did have SOME warning. We really had very little- and no available info from ANYONE, WHILE it was taking place.
I know I'm not the only one who has complained about this. So I hope that the media entities that credit themselves with delivering news and helpful information will take this whole situation as a learning experience and work EVEN HARDER to ensure that the public they are claiming to serve is as well informed as possible before, during, and immediately after disasterous and potentially deadly circumstances.
Please accept my sincere apologies if my observations offend you. They were not meant to. I do think however, that posting road closings would benefit the residents of Walker County more than knowing a Walker County teen was fatally shot more than 6 years ago. Priorities. As far as the portion of your posting which says, "If you dont like what you're reading then don't read it. Its as simple as that. Nobody glued your eyelids open and forced you to read it," I suppose I could say that applies to your reading of my posts, but that should be fairly obvious. Thank you for your insight though. Freedom to post constructive criticism is essential, as you have just proven. Thanks again.
VWN
VWN