Before yesterday, Brian Sedwick and his wife, Lisa, had never experienced flooding in their Blick Avenue trailer.
Until 6 p.m. yesterday, the couple expected that trend would continue. After getting home from work around 4:30 p.m., Brian left for a shopping trip at Wal-Mart while Lisa stayed home.
However, shortly after Brian left, Lisa was informed by the Athens Police that she and her four children would have to evacuate their residence. At that point, Lisa did not understand this request -which soon became an order -because the water had yet to reach her yard.
Forty minutes later, the yard was almost under water.
I didn't even know it was coming
Lisa said. I knew that the roads around the highway and stuff were closed but I didn't realize how far up the river was.
When Brian arrived home, he was shocked to find his yard totally flooded.
I'd never seen it up that high before. It was all up in our yard Brian said.
By the time the Sedwicks evacuated, the water had reached the front of their trailer.
I hope it doesn't get in the trailer. I'm worried about it. The way the water was coming up
I don't know
Brian said.
(I was) panicking. I've never been evacuated before
and by the time we left
it was up to our front
Lisa said.
Because the Sedwicks' home is a trailer, they were unable to move any possessions to an upper floor. They did not take any valuable possessions with them as they evacuated.
Lisa said she was reluctant to leave.
I just was hoping that it wouldn't come up that far. I hate dragging the kids out like that ... They thought they were going to die
Lisa said.
Along with some neighbors, the Sedwicks went to Beacon Elementary School, where they will stay until the flooding subsides. A total of nine people, including the Sedwicks' four children, were staying at Beacon early yesterday evening.
Fire Chief Robert Troxel, who was on the scene at the flood on West Union Street and Blick Avenue, said the families will be staying at Beacon through the day and probably into Saturday because the flood has yet to crest, or reach its highest point.
West Union Street is currently closed near Larry's Dawghouse, 410 W. Union St.
Troxel said the flood was not expected to crest until noon today. After cresting, the water level will probably not subside for a day, said Ray Hazlett, assistant service/safety director for the city of Athens.
17
