It’s been one week since a catastrophic flood hit Globe in Arizona's Gila County. The water rose to 20 feet in some parts, devastated homes and businesses and killed at least three people.
Now, the tight-knit community is coming together to clean up and support those who need it most.
Globe’s main drag is lined with historic buildings that have been there for more than 100 years. Many of them are home to small local businesses.
Outside an antique store on Wednesday, volunteers sifted through piles of dishes and trinkets, hosed them off in plastic tubs and tried to figure out where they belonged.
Lisa Bittner is a longtime Globe resident who came out to help.
“We were just looking around to see who needed what and these guys were in dire need because that’s a whole bunch of stalls,” Bittner said. “That’s all consignment. So, each stall is probably about 6 feet by 5 feet. Take it out, clean it, put it back in.”
Every item was caked in thick mud, the front windows were busted out and inside, heavy duty fans were running to help dry out the moisture.
During the flood, several cars floated down the overflowing creek bed behind the shop. Crews pulled some out and stored them in a nearby alley.
A few doors down, Bittner points out one of Globe’s most beloved restaurants, La Casita. It’s been run by the same family since 1947.
“There was about 40 people in there they said and three of the waitresses I heard did get washed out, but they all are OK — bruised up but doing OK,” Bittner said.
Some tables and chairs were salvaged, but the booths were destroyed and the building will require some repairs.
Molly Cornwell is with the Globe Downtown Association.
“The creek goes around and gets them from the backside and it had come in through the back, through the kitchen, so the customers were unaware, the waitresses were unaware,” Cornwell said. “It just like blew through and the water came through the restaurant and blew out the front windows.”
Most of the businesses downtown don’t have flood insurance because it’s so expensive.
“On average, people are saying it was anywhere from $10,000-15,000 per year to get flood insurance,” Cornwell said.
Cornwell started a GoFundMe to benefit the businesses and building owners in the historic district.
“I set it at $5,000 because I thought, ‘It’s something. It’ll help,’” Cornwell said. “It just keeps self-increasing.”
That fund has grown to more than $15,000 in donations. Other businesses have started their own individual fundraisers, and other resources are pouring in from all over.
“Chewy just brought a semi full of dog food and supplies,” Cornwell said. “Home Depot came with a truckload of shovels and you know, bigger companies have just said ‘what do you need?’”
Those who are able to have been giving out free food and water to cleanup crews, volunteers and anyone in need.
But Cornwell said many are still reeling from what was a terrifying event. She was standing inside the historic train depot, where days after the storm, people were still scrubbing mud off floors and walls.
On the night of the flood, a family had rented the depot for a baby shower.
“We had checked in with them and they were doing great and then when it started to rain, checked in again, and they said they’re doing great, but ‘a little bit of water’s coming in,’” Cornwell said. “I think about 8 minutes later, I missed a call.”
She called them back to find out a lot more water was coming into the building, the parking lot had turned into a swimming pool, and cars were starting to float toward the front windows.
“I said ‘Is it really that bad?’ He said ‘Oh, it is.’ And then I could hear all the screaming in the background,” Cornwell said.
The door to the staircase was locked so someone broke its glass window to get everyone upstairs to wait out the storm. Then propane tanks from a yard up the road were swept away by the rising waters.
“All those propane tanks were coming right down Broad Street and they were hitting and they were blowing off gas,” Cornwell said. “So they all were smelling gas thinking the building was going to explode, and it was pretty traumatic for them.”
Luckily, everyone at the baby shower came out unscathed, but others were not so lucky.
Lindsay Leos said her boyfriend had stopped at a convenience store for a soda and was chatting with a police officer when a young boy came up asking for help.
“The cop shined his light at him ,and this kid was just covered in blood,” Leos said.
His house had filled up with water, and his only option was to bust a window to get out.
“When he busted out the window, it didn’t get all the glass around it, and he just cut everything,” Leos said.
Leos said bystanders used her boyfriend’s belt as a tourniquet to keep the child from bleeding out.
Bittner said it’s just one of many stories of how the town came together in a crisis.
“If this would’ve happened elsewhere, who’s to say what the community would’ve been like? Everybody’s pitching in,” Bittner said.
Residents can find more details about the help available on Arizona Emergency Information Network.
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