Post Your 1985 Flood Memories

[amayo]

It was just about 25 years ago that West Virginia experienced the worst flooding in it's history in the wake of Hurricane Juan. I was reminded of the role The Great 98 (WFGM) played in that event by a friend today. We were the only real lifeline for some folks and we were very proud to help.

We lost power for a time in the studio at WFGM but ran a long extension cord from building next door to run the STL, and board until we came back on line. I was doing nights and it was cold, dreary, and a little scary. But the calls we got from people thanking us made it all worthwhile.

We kept playing some music, but went to a mostly information format instead of any personality radio. We made copious use of AP copy, and were able to use the station to get information into some areas that were otherwise cut off. I can't tell you how many call we got from listeners in places like Parsons, Buckhannon, Elkins and other smaller towns asking for help or trying to reach family.

I'd love to know some of the experiences any of the old timers here could recall.

[Scott Reppert]

I remember three things about the '85 flood:

1. Ronnie Martin doing national bites for NBC.

2. One of my favorite establishments, The Brass Rail in Point Marion, PA, was never the same after the flood.

3. A gigantic rock in the middle of the South Branch of the Potomac River where I had spray painted my name probably ten years before and a landmark that I checked on to "make sure it was still there" was gone during my first inspection of the area after the flood. THAT is what indicated to me that that had been a truly monstrous flood...