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Flood Washes Away Bristol Park; Memories And Spirits Stay High
May 4, 2014
Bristol Park Road was nearly quiet, strangely peaceful late Thursday afternoon. The sound of a few generators, a little hammering and even a little laughter from neighbors gathered on a lawn.
Just a few hours before, the neighborhood had been the scene of a hellish nightmare for residents and rescuers as heavy rains sent people scurrying into their attics to avoid rising flood waters. At first, the normally peaceful creek behind their homes began to lap at thresholds before entering uninvited and to the surprise of most residents. Important items were saved, albeit very temporarily, by moving them to higher spots around the home — the couch, the top of the fridge. But the water became a raging river, rising and rising, consuming worldly possessions and leaving some residents to question their own mortality.
Dozens were rescued in boats by first responders and volunteers alike. Many times, rescuers were forced to cut their way into attics to rescue men, women and children.
Most were quiet, very methodical as they toted a lifetime of possessions to the curb. A bedroom dresser looked very normal, nearly off the showroom floor new, as it sat on the sidewalk. But it’s contents were held tightly inside by the wet swollen wood, the homeowner forced to use crowbar to pry open drawers. Couches, mattresses, bedroom suites, dining tables, refrigerators — all the usual household contents — were piled high up and down the road.
But it was some of the smallest items in the trash piles that quietly told the biggest stories. A “Christmas 2007″ ornament amongst the soaked Christmas decor that held happy stories of many a Christmas morning. Prom pictures from days, and hairstyles, gone by, next to a bagged cap and gown and a “Snowflake 1990″ Christmas bear. The things of memories decades ago destroyed.
The piles were endless on the curb at almost every house. Wet, drippy sheet rock and the entire contents of every home. One house was different….the household items were piled in the side yard, not by the road for pickup. Perhaps a little hope that everything could simply dry, be put back inside, and everything would be the same. Perhaps an optimist, perhaps a dreamer. Perhaps it was just a little too hard to say goodbye to everything.
Sewage bubbled and gurgled into the street from a manhole, the stench drifting along in the cooling late evening air. Night was settling in on a neighborhood united by great loss and sorrow, their dreams and memories washed away.
At a nearby Publix, a woman stood near the checkouts, her face telling a story worth volumes as she broke into tears. It’s going to be a long, tough recovery for the area.
By Saturday, the Bristol Park neighborhood was different. The shock was gone, reality had settled in for many. It was no longer the quiet, surreal feeling of shortly after the flood.
At a town hall meeting, residents expressed concerns about “looters” — outsiders seen as criminals going through the neighborhood loading up items like appliances from the trash piles and hauling them off. The “looters” were a real concern for many residents. Sure the items were out for a trash pickup, almost a proper burial, but something about the idea of taking away your lifetime of possessions as their own was just wrong. A deputy told residents that items on the roadway are considered “abandoned property” and that there was nothing the Sheriff’s Office could do to stop them.
ECUA board member Larry Walker told residents that ECUA would begin pickups of the trash and debris bright and early Sunday morning, continuing until the area was clean.
Bristol Park was a hustle and bustle of wall to wall activity Saturday. Churches, aid groups and well-meaning individuals flood packed the street between the mountains of household items and wet carpet and sheet rock. They passed out cleaning supplies, helped tote debris, provided food and even a shoulder to cry on.
Saturday was a return trip to the Bristol Park neighborhood for Brennan Moore and Tim Stewart of Tag’ Tail (TNT) Charters. Both captains used their boats to rescue trapped residents during the flood. Saturday, they were joined by friends and volunteers to cook and serve over 60 whole chickens, 40 Boston butts, 40 racks of ribs and 200 pounds of fish.
“”They don’t have power and they don’t have anywhere to go. They don’t have anywhere to cook. So, if we come out here and we cook and come here and do what we need to do and they’re fed for the day,” Moore said. “It just makes me feel like the Lord has put me in the place today where he wants me and this is where I need to be.”
Pictured top: Sewage bubbles onto Bristol Park Road Thursday afternoon. Pictured top inset: A rescue hole cut into an attic. Pictured inset: A soaked prom photo and Christmas bear placed out with the contents of a house for trash pickup. Pictured lower inset: Household contents piled outside homes. Pictured lower inset and below: A free meal provided by volunteers on Saturday. (Saturday photos credit Linda Craft.) NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
11 Responses to “Flood Washes Away Bristol Park; Memories And Spirits Stay High”
I for one live in Bristol Park and lost about 90% of my belongings. As for someone picking up and going thru all of our things….they should have the dignity and respect to wait until the night when we aren’t there. It really hurts to see all of our belongings on the street that we have all worked so hard to purchased!! Most of them don’t even care…they look and toss our things around, and then go to the next house. We have actually seen these “pickers” get out of their trucks and go help themselves to a free lunch / dinner that all the great churches and other people have donated!! Don’t even get me started when it comes to trying to have workers come in the neighborhood to help with the clean-up. They can’t even move their vehicles around because of so many cars. On a positive note…ECUA has been wonderful cleaning up!! Hopefully we all can get our lives back to the normal….It may take a year or 2 but we are BRISTOL STRONG!!!
It’s sad this happened . What’s worse is that it was the paper co. holding pond water. Good ole Stink Creek’s damn on Kingsfield Rd washed away !!! I wonder how toxic it is ????
To the people complaining about others picking up items at the curb, just remember there are a lot of less fortunate people out there, and your “trash” may be better than what they already have. I think sometimes we forget how fortunate we are and how good we have it.
I remember once when I put an old yellow toilet out by the road for trash pickup. I couldn’t imagine anyone would want an old ugly yellow toilet, but guess what, someone did and they stopped and picked it up.
The community should get together and have a recycling company bring a container and put all the recyclable items and disburse the money back to the community?….just a thought? Or if so called looters pick up items then what they should do is take it to the recycling company and give at least half back to the community!
Not sure what I see wrong with people grabbing things off the crubs, that other have thrown out? We have many people here that bring back to life Appliances and furniture… I’d much rather have someone take it and try to make it look new again,then throw it in the landfill..
Now this is a well written article. It talks about the whole community
Prayers for all the families who lost everything I love how everyone comes together when tragedy hits. Wish it was like that all the time. The other night me and my oldest son took the four wheeler out and got pretty muddy well at the last min my husband decided we’re having a cook out I need you to go to the store so I load up still muddy go to the store. This lady came up to me and said excuse me ma’am I don’t mean to pry but did you get flooded? I said no ma’am me and my son we’re just out mud riding on the four wheelers she had a $50 Bill in her hand tears in her eyes and said oh I wasgoingto buy your groceries I couldn’t bear that I was blessed and didn’t lose anything and thinking that’s why you we’re muddy and still here trying to buy groceries for your family. I couldn’t help myself I gave her a hug tears in my eyes and no I was blessed as well but thank you so much and God Bless! That lady touched me and my son’s heart so much that night and I hope she knows how much that meant to me. I have seen a lot of these random acts of kindness and I think it’s amazing Pensacola Strong and God Bless
What a huge blessing it is for all who call Pensacola Fl home.
These folks that volunteered their time in so many ways to bring some good into this community will never really know what a difference they are making in these victims life. The countless hours, money spent, cooking and preparing meals, bring cleaning supplies that was brought house to house will not be forgotten. The community in Pensacola Fl, so many churches and different organizations rallied together to look out for their own. Bristol Park neighborhood, I am sure has been blessed thru this tragedy with people just showing their love and concern in so many ways. Thank you each and every person that helped and may God Bless You All
These people are resilient and will pull through this. God Bless Them!!!
The damage at Bristol Park has brought out the finest of humanity and the worse. Countless people have focused on helping the flood victims in a variety of ways, from cleaning to cooking, and providing encouragement and moral support. Unfortunately, the depravity of man has made its presence felt as well — people driving through the neighborhood seeking to take (or loot as I prefer to call it) items that belong to others. It’s very sad to see that aspect of humanity — some of us are only willing to help ourselves during times of disaster instead of holding out a helping hand. How sad.