Local woman rescued from flooded house

Jamey Robinson helps a stranded resident to safety during the Floods of 2010

75 year old Mary Furnald of rural Mahaska County was rescued yesterday by Jamie Robinson of Mahaska County Emergency Management and Sheriff Paul DeGeest. She had been stuck in her home since Saturday when her house started to fill with water. By Sunday, the road was covered and all rooms in her home had been flooded.

Sheriff Paul DeGeest was notified by a concerned  friend of Mary’s and he went right out to assess the situation. He also brought the sheriff possy’s boat.  “Once we got to the residence we found the water to be up to the road, since there was so much clutter between the road and the house we were unable to utilize the boat.”

Degeest and Robinson were able to convince Mary to leave her house. After helping her get some belongings, turn off the power to the residence and fight their way past floating appliances, Mary and her cats and some belongings were loaded up. The cats were reluctant to leave as well, and it’s well known now that at least one of them was not declawed.

Furnald is being assisted by Emergency Management as she has no family in helping her with contacting FEMA.