DARRINGTON — Record amounts of winter rain cause a massive flood in Darrington. Fast-moving water washes out both roads into the mountain community, leaving residents completely isolated. The swift currents carry people downstream.
This is the scenario 37 rescue and relief agencies are planning to practice Sunday.
Around 250 people, a helicopter and 30 newly-trained Community Emergency Response Team volunteers are expected to participate in the mock flood on the Sauk-Suiattle reservation, just north of Darrington, according to Dennis Fenstermaker, chief of Snohomish County Fire District 24 in Darrington.
“The flood last year isolated Darrington for about 36 hours,” he said. “We were without any sort of outside assistance … This drill gives us a chance to practice something that is real life. This isn’t just made up. This is something that could happen.”
Darrington has played host to emergency drills in the past, but this is the biggest in recent years, Fenstermaker said. It’s also the first time the Sauk-Suiattle tribe has participated.
The tribe is eager to practice its emergency plans, Watershed Manager Scott Morris said. As part of the drill, which begins around 1 p.m., the reservation will be evacuated. The swift water rescue of a dummy is also planned. To make the drill as realistic as possible, actors are scheduled to pretend to be flood victims.
“The tribe’s reservation is right by the Sauk River. Some of the yards go right up against an old channel of the river,” Morris said. “We wanted to pick a likely scenario and flood is the one we’re most concerned about.”
Reporter Kaitlin Manry: 425-339-3292 or kmanry@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
