MONROE – David Friedman didn’t rush to protect his home when floodwaters swamped his Monroe neighborhood.

Instead, he rushed to help others.

Friedman, 64, was one of about 100 volunteers with American Red Cross who helped Snohomish County residents during last week’s Election Day flooding, Red Cross spokeswoman Abi Weaver said.

Friedman didn’t even try to go home until Tuesday night, hours after the Snohomish River jumped its bank next to his home and small farm on Ben Howard Road.

Floodwaters kept him from getting home until Wednesday. He finally made it by walking in the wake of a neighbor’s tractor, he said.

His two goats, two dogs and three cats were safe.

“I have some cleanup to do, and there’s some possible damage around the front door and the fireplace,” Friedman said. “Mostly it’s going to be big-time cleanup.”

Weaver said Friedman’s story stands out because he offered to help others before taking care of his own needs.

The Red Cross wouldn’t be able to do much without its core of volunteers, Weaver said.

“It’s an inspiring story to know there are people in our community who are there to help us when we need them the most,” she said.

The Red Cross was scheduled to close its emergency shelter in Granite Falls today. A new center to provide further assistance to flood victims was scheduled to be opened Monday at the Church of the Nazarene at 322 W. Main St. in Monroe.

Friedman, who retired from a career in medical imaging in 2000, joined the Red Cross following Hurricane Katrina. He has a daughter and two granddaughters who lived in New Orleans and were forced to evacuate, he said.

During last week’s flooding, he helped allocate donations and volunteers to different areas of the county, he said.

Friedman also kept an eye on other homes in his neighborhood, even leaving bottled water for a stranded elderly couple.

“I was so busy at the Red Cross, I didn’t even think about my place,” he said.

Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or spesznecker@heraldnet.com.