| March 17, 2003 | |
| December 18, 2002 | |
| December 17, 2002 | |
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| November 22, 2002 | |
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| April 3, 2002 | |
| February 10, 2002 |
Older news Articles from the Eagle Tribune
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People pulled together during
flood
To the editor: On Saturday, May 20, I had the privilege of witnessing the overwhelming kindness of strangers along with the indomitable spirit of some incredibly strong flood victims. As a volunteer with the Trauma Intervention Program (TIP), I was called in by North Andover Fire Chief Dolan and Jeff Coco of Emergency Management. I was overwhelmed at how they brought together, with such precision, an outpouring of volunteer relief for the North Andover victims of the Flood of 2006. Not only were there "ordinary" citizen volunteers of all ages, but also many "professionals" including firefighters, police, equipment operators all who volunteered their beautiful Saturday for "friends they had never met before." The relief efforts on this day were concentrated in "The Woods" area of North Andover in attempts to cope with the devastating effects of Mother Nature. It all came together at 8 a.m. at the North Andover Fire Department where a group of over 100 willing souls assembled all with the purpose of helping strangers dig out from a catastrophe. The floor of the fire station was expertly organized with rows of buckets, mops, cleaning supplies, gloves, water and more. Volunteer cleaners were organized into groups, provided with supplies and assigned to a house damaged by the flood. I continued to feel overwhelmed at the fine-tuning of the organization that replaced chaos. There were front-end loaders, Dumpsters, trucks, food, drinkable water throughout the area. In the midst of all these Herculean efforts, it hit me that every person had a different, heart-wrenching story. Following are some of these stories of victims that I was privileged to meet: * There was my 90-year-old friend whose finished basement was obliterated. It had been totally remodeled and finished by her late husband whose handiwork she would no longer enjoy not to mention the numerous mementos and furnishings that she had treasured since her wedding and now were trash. * There was the lovely immigrant family with a 3-year-old daughter and two older siblings who have no family members they can turn to for support. Their basement which was finished and contained the home office from which they worked was demolished. And to make matters worse, their ranch-style home was destroyed upstairs as well. They lost everything. * There was the middle-aged couple whose son and family were staying with them in the basement, until they were able to move into their own home. The basement was destroyed and also the first floor of this Cape house. I watched in horror as their possessions were removed from their home by a professional clean-up agency. Occasionally items were just thrown out the windows that was the easiest way to get them out. And of course anything that had been hit by the flood waters had been contaminated since there was evidence of E. coli bacteria in the flood. * There was another young family with two small children the father a firefighter who routinely risks his life for strangers. The grandfather, also a firefighter, was assisting his son. He had come from work, evacuating people from the floodwaters to his "off" time helping his son and family who had lost everything. They too had a lovely ranch the flood didn't just destroy their basement, it invaded and devastated their first floor as well. * There was the exhausted young woman who could not take a break she was not only battling the ravages of nature, but she was also battling time. She was trying to clear out as much as she could while the assistance and the equipment was there. And yet on top of all this was her pressing concern for her fiancι who is sick. To be able only to say "I'm sorry" sounds so trite. And yet that summarized it no words could make it better for any of these victims. And during this tragedy I learned a lot. I learned flood insurance (if you have it) is not the panacea that I ignorantly believed. Even if these victims could afford to have flood insurance, it covers very little. It covers the structure and maybe the furnace, but it doesn't cover the contents of a home. And what is damaged in a flood? The contents. I learned that a lot can be accomplished under knowledgeable, compassionate leadership. I learned that the human spirit truly can be indomitable. I learned that there truly is kindness and compassion for "friends I had never met before."
RUTH CROW
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| Family's dog mauled by pit bull | December 4, 2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Local notes | October 22, 2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Butcher Boy weenie roast to aid rescuers | October 4, 2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A new era of 'duck and cover' | September 23, 2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Students get acquainted with different cultures | June 16, 2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| When crisis strikes, they care | May 11, 2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Frantic search ends on good note | February 7, 2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boy rescues neighbors from his burning home | January 24, 2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000 News Stories | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Faith, friends will help families heal | December 29, 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Local Family mourns son who died in hit-and-run | December 24, 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former cell monitor admits child sex abuse | November 17, 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Police: Man inflicts hours of terror | October 10, 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stress possible cause of tot's death | September 21, 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mother of three shot in home | September 3, 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ivan remembered as a kind, caring boy | August 27, 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Memorial for boy grows on beach | August 24, 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 crash victims still hospitalized | August 7, 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mom writes book for tragedy's smallest victims | June 19, 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prepared for the worst | May 11, 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Victims group wins highest national honor | April 29, 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 News Stories | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Surviving Y2K | December 22, 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Easing pain in Worcester | December 12, 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Methuen loses another angel | November 13, 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fire leaves 8 homeless | September 14, 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Report: Body, plane found | July 21, 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Haunting question has no answers | June 21, 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tech School students feel pain of loss | June 9, 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wife and husband heroes help trauma victims | May 23, 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fighting cancer a team effort | May 17, 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Father Jim on front lines of tragedy | February 28, 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hospital reviews security in wake of shooting | February 28, 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monday, May 29, 2006
