Saturday, June 23, 2012

"AGNES" and ME

   Today marks the 40th anniversary of the 1972
Tropical Storm Agnes Flood that caused an
estimated Billion dollars damage in northeastern
Pennsylvania.
    I "cut my teeth" as a newsman during that
disaster while serving as both a reporter and the
Public Information Officer for Luzerne County
Civil Defense.
    Now I'm getting to relive the experiences!
    It's much better as "history!"
    My old friend Brian Hughes called the other
day to ask if I would recount my memories of
"Agnes" in an interview for his "Sunday
Magazine" program. for Cumulus media.
     The Hoyt Library invited me to discuss the
flood before a live audience.
     And WBRE/WYOU took me back to the
Luzerne County Courthouse to talk about what
I did and saw during the days before, during, and
after the Wyoming Valley was covered by the
muddy waters of the Susquehanna.
     There are millions of stories that could be
told about the "Agnes" disaster.
     Like the time our Flood Emergency Radio
Network missed one of its broadcasts because
two kids saw the Army Field Telephone line
that carried our signal between the CD headquarters
and WYZZ Radio and used it as a Jump Rope!
    Or the time Mike Stevens had to talk his way
passed an armed Army Reservist so he could
do his volunteer shift with that Emergency Network!
    Some have been told and retold.
    A few are probably still secret...and that may be
a good thing!
    As for my recollections, you've already missed
the library presentation. But WBRE's "Agnes
Anniversary Special" airs at 7:30 tonight.
    You can catch my radio interview on "Sunday
Magazine" on, as you might expect, Sunday
morning at 5am on Great Country 93.7,
 5:30am on 97BHT, 6am on 97.9X, 6:30am
 on magic 93 and 7am on WARM 590 AM.
    Hope you'll catch one of those specials and
that all of your NEWS is good!














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