Roadway Becomes Riverbed

Big Sister Creek in Evans Center reached flood stage around 1pm on Saturday, January 24, 1999 as ice jammed up behind the bridge near the intersection of Route 5 and Bennett Road.

The creek water now flowed through back yards, through the intersection and down Bennett Road carrying tons of creek bed, debris and ice chunks with it. Residents were caught off guard as the water level in the street and in some houses rose to over three feet. People were prisoners in their homes as their basements and first floors flooded, leaving no safe escape route.

Soon after, the Evans Center Fire Company was called into action to manage traffic, provide scene safety and rescue helpless occupants.

Evans Center Chief Dennis Allen first ordered his Marine 1 unit - a swift water rescue boat - to retrieve the occupants of 945 Bennett Road. Captain Ken Hontz and Fire Fighters Bruce Green Sr. and Tiger Schmittendorf walked and then rowed Marine 1 down Route 5 to the residence around the corner on Bennett Road. The water level was up to their thighs as they stepped into the ice-cold water in the first floor of the two-story apartment building.

The fire fighters carried three infants - all under the age of one, and assisted two mothers into the boat. The fire fighters quickly realized that due to the increased speed of the current, they would be unable to negotiate their way back up stream to the intersection and decided to paddle downstream. Although the boat is designed for swift water action like this, the shallowness of the water and the large chunks of debris made it difficult to utilize the engine for controlling the boat.

Not far downstream, the roadway turned into a raging river - creating a harrowing experience for both the rescuers and the people being rescued. The current carried the boat off the road and into a swift moving body of water between two houses heading through back yards towards Big Sister Creek.

Fortunately, the fire fighters were able to stop the boat before it got into open water and landed alongside one of the homes.

"Thanks to the hard work and experience of the fire fighters, the rescue operation was completed successfully," said Chief Allen in his written commendation for the fire fighters. "It is with great pride that I can report this act of heroism from these three members of our department."

The infants survived unharmed and the two women were observed for possible signs of hypothermia and released at the scene. Evans Center fire fighters, assisted by the Angola, Brant, Eden, Highland, and North Evans Fire Companies and the Evans Police and Town of Hamburg Water Rescue Units went on to rescue and evacuate over 50 people before the water receded more than 16 hours later. Cleanup efforts continue today.

A greatly abridged version of Evans Center's Annual Installation of Officers Dinner was held at their hall later that evening before fire fighters quickly insisted on jumping back into service.