Chief Pender, West Alton residents again show strength in flood ordeal

WEST ALTON - Rivers Pointe Fire & Rescue Chief Rick Pender has not had an easy job in recent days in West Alton.

West Alton has been battling problems with flooding since late last month and has been one of the last for the waters to recede with both the Mississippi and Missouri rivers which intersect there causing problems.

Pender said a few people have built their houses up enough to where they weren’t flooding and those people made it back and forth in and out of West Alton via boat to their vehicles parked in space out of the water situation.

“About 75 percent of the people heeded the evacuation warning when the flood started,” Pender said. “This flood is definitely not too far from the problems we had in 1993. Unfortunately, I think people here have gotten used to floods. It seems this flood is different because it is in December. I think it is comparable to the 1973 flood.”

Pender said the Mississippi River filled the area on the western side of U.S. Route 67 going away from the Clark Bridge and that has also caused problems for motorists.

Pender joined the fire and rescue team in West Alton right after the 1993 flood. He said this flood is “stressful and taxing” on residents and because this came so quickly, there was really no time to prepare.

The chief said now the water simply has to “drain” in order for things to get back together in West Alton.

The majority of businesses in the area have faced difficulties, but some are forging through the problems. The good thing so far is no one has been hurt and Pender said West Alton residents will persevere through like they did in 1993 with this flood.

“We got everyone safely out of town that needed to get out,” he said. “I am proud of our efforts.”

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