City pulls together during flood emergency


October 2, 2008 · Updated 11:43 PM 

  • 0
  • Print Story
  • Letter/Editor

On behalf of the citizens of the city of North Bend, I wanted to take a moment to thank the volunteers and city staff members who gave of their time to assist in battling flood waters during the record storm event this week.

Without prompting, over 75 people came to the city shops and dikes throughout town to fill and stack sandbags in an effort to minimize the damages from the overflowing rivers and streams. While many residents did suffer devastating losses, the efforts of the volunteers and public works staff avoided countless thousands of dollars in damages.

Officers from the King County Sheriff's Office North Bend Substation and Eastside Fire and Rescue professionals were invaluable, as well. When the transitional center needed to be evacuated, the seriously disabled residents were moved quickly and safely to area hospitals for continuing care.

It is unfortunate that we must sometimes experience an emergency of this nature to gain insight into the quality of people who make up this community. After the events this week, I can tell you that I am proud to be a resident of the Snoqualmie Valley and especially proud to be mayor of the city of North Bend, home to dedicated and selfless citizens and hardworking municipal employees.

From all of us, thanks to those who made a difference.

Mayor Ken Hearing

North Bend

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.

So keep your comments:

  • Civil
  • Smart
  • On-topic
  • Free of profanity

We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters. We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please refer to our Terms of Use for full detail on participating on our site.

blog comments powered by Disqus