Event Records

We are extremely lucky these days that at times of great distress there always appears to be someone around with a phone , a camera or drone.

While we do not want to capture personal moments of stress that are intrusive , it is useful to capture the truth.

The raw event recorded for future reference when the clouds have gone and the sun has emerged to show us the way.

I have been watching coverage of Gabrielle 3 years on .So much of the devastation  was  captured and some of the footage is valuable in reviewing scenes that were raw at the time but explain the event as it happened.

Of course once you have watched something on you tube the algorithms choose to stack up more of the same.

For a long time I could not watch the coverage as it was too raw, too effective in stirring the memory. too effective in taking me back to the tragic day.

Following the event I chose not to attend local meetings held to discuss the disaster and point the finger. I predicted that the meetings would not achieve much if emotions ran riot and misunderstandings boiled over .

There were so many factors to consider and personnel involved were  nervous about repercussions and over excited  ratepayers.

It was with great interest that I watched coverage of some of the meetings held in the local hall .Great attendance and a fractious atmosphere. I had lived here for 40 years and watched many people come and go but the number of strangers in the room surprised me.

A situation  like this  explained how knowledge and experience didn't count. Everyone was an expert .

Having been angry at the council staff for some time I suddenly felt a bit sorry for those in attendance. 

The angry mob wanted someone to blame. There is always someone with a lot to say and there is always someone with a loud voice that commands attention.

The staff explained away and  my predictions were confirmed  .In fact they had little understanding of what had happened and why. Already the solutions they were proffering I could see were faulty.

At this early stage there was fear that another event may happen. People were on edge.

I myself was trying to understand why we had been flooded as the scheme we generously funded for many years,  did not protect us.

It took considerably more searching on my part to put all the pieces together. I could not have imparted the understanding to the crowd  attending those meetings at that time and doubt I could now.

Frustrating.