Thursday, February 5, 2009

One For the History Books - 2009 Ice Storm



Ice Storm of January26th, 2009

This ice coated tree has almost three inches of ice coated on its branches. Our woods look as if they had been in a war zone, all the tops are splinted and broken. Not just one or two, but the total forest in our county.

When I posted my last article on January 26th, I knew the weather forecast for Western Kentucky called for freezing rain. I thought it would be interesting to show a past ice storm that had hit Crittenden County in the winter of 1902 and how the people survived it with good spirits and a hope for a better day coming.

Little did I know at the time, that the ice store of 2009 will go in our history archives as the worse wide-spread natural disaster to ever hit Marion and Crittenden County. Many of you may have been reading about the ice storm and all the havoc that it has caused. We haven't been able to know what was being told, as our power didn't get restored until 2:30 Wednesday afternoon. We are some of the lucky ones in Marion to have this wonderful item returned to us. Never take it for granted. So many thanks go to the utility workers from everywhere that have come to our aid, as our own men that have worked day and night.

Crittenden County, as in olden times, have worked together as friends and neighbors and shared heat, water and phones, if we were lucky enough to have it. Neighbors that lives out in the rural areas, have worked hours and hours with their own farm equipment just to help clear the roads to make them accessible to vehicles. The first few days the state and county roads were impassible to traffic, trees were falling as fast as they could clear them. Our State Road Department has worked around the clock for days just trying to clean the highways, also the County Road Department has done the same. Today the two road departments are working together to clear the rural road to the little river town of Weston. I hope they realize how much their hard work is appreciated.

1 comment:

Cherbear said...

I agree! Kudos to all the workers out there! Those men and women worked so hard around the clock and so many of us shrug it off and dont think about the time and effort they are putting into this. It has been nearly 2 weeks now and these workers are still at it, and i hope noone ever takes anything for granted. I have repeatedly stopped and thanked all the city workers as well as the Ku, Kenergy, national guard, and others out working this disaster. This storm was a rough one but we made it though and it made us stronger. It also made us grateful and feel blessed as well. that is me speaking for my family, i hope everyone feels the same way.
Thanks,
CherBear