Looking back
Weather experts said there was a 0.1 percent chance or less that a flooding event of this magnitude would occur in any given year. But the unimaginable did happen one year ago today in Kentucky Power’s southeastern region where a 12-hour deluge brought massive flash flooding and caused landslides as residents of Breathitt, Knott, Letcher, Perry and Pike counties slept in their beds.
This 1,000-year flood tragically claimed the lives of more than 40 people and left more than 23,000 customers without power. The National Guard was deployed to tackle the work of rebuilding washed-out and damaged bridges and blocked roads that prevented restoration efforts by crews. Once access was obtained, the heroic manual work to locate, relocate and rebuild parts of circuits took place.
By the end of week one, outages were down to 350 thanks to countless hours of problem-solving this disaster required and the arduous efforts by more than 900 crew members from Kentucky Power and our sister companies, AEP Ohio, APCo and I&M; our business partners and external resources.
Restoration and resilience
The Combs family are recipients of a new home being built with the help of funds provided by the AEP Foundation.
Thousands of businesses, organizations and individuals across the nation immediately jumped in to help provide supplies and monetary donations. Others went directly to the affected areas to assist with debris, water and mud cleanup and to help begin the extensive process of rebuilding the communities that were destroyed.
Just days after the event, the AEP Foundation donated $100,000 to four organizations working to address immediate needs of those affected, and Kentucky Power employees quickly organized donation collection sites and delivered truckloads of supplies directly to Letcher County. Throughout the year, employees continued volunteer efforts to assist with restoration processes through various organizations, like the Christian Appalachian Project.
Most recently, the AEP Foundation gifted $150,000 to the Housing Development Alliance (HDA), which Kentucky Power partnered with to provide funds needed to complete the construction of much needed housing for those who lost their homes in the floods.
One of the families in need of housing is the family of Josh and Wilma Combs. The Foundation’s gift will enable HDA to build a new home in Breathitt County for this family of seven. A groundbreaking ceremony recently took place at the construction site to celebrate the start of a new beginning for the Combses, who have had to move seven times since the flood took their home.
“It’s been rocky. We’ve experienced a lot of displacement and been all over the place,” Wilma Combs said in an interview at the ceremony. “It’s just been a blessing. We really expected this (process) to be much more complicated than it’s been. But these people here today made a lot of things happen that we didn’t think were possible.”
Cindy Wiseman, Kentucky Power president and COO, attended the ceremony to meet the Combses and participate in the first dig with the family, local officials and HDA leadership. She said the story of the Combses was a story of resilience.
“What they went through the night of the flood and over this past year would be difficult for anyone to endure,” Wiseman said. “But to meet Josh and Wilma and their children, and to see how positive and excited they are for their future, you can see they are incredibly resilient. I hope this will be the last place they call ‘home’ and that they have many years of wonderful memories here.”
Living for today
Standing in the spot where her future home will sit in a picturesque setting surrounded by trees and next to a creek, Wilma Combs looked around and said, “This looks exactly like the place where I grew up.” When asked if the flood and all that has happened since losing their home ever prompted considerations to move to a different area, Wilma was quick to say, no, and added that she wasn’t worried about the future.
“Tomorrow isn’t for us, it’s for God,” she said. “We know that God’s got us tomorrow, so we’re going to continue to be thankful and just praise God for all the wonderful people here helping us today.”
On this one year anniversary since the flood, we remember and honor the lives that were lost; those who lost their homes, memories and belongings; and those who worked day and night putting their lives on the line to restore power. While many are still working toward restoring their homes and lives, Kentucky Power will continue to partner and collaborate with organizations, like the Housing Development Alliance, to continue the work of putting these communities back to together.