Fund established to aid Canton flood victim

A full three weeks have passed since Canton native James Carmichael was forced to evacuate his home in Minot, North Dakota due to a devastating flood, and as of Sunday he was still under evacuation orders and his house was still sitting in several feet of water.

Air Force Captain James Carmichael

The late June flood, caused by heavy spring rainfall and snowmelt in neighboring Canada, was unlike anything the region had ever seen, shattering the previous high water mark set in 1881 by more than three feet.

Carmichael, a B-52 bomber pilot based out of Minot Air Force Base, has not seen the inside of his house since June 22 and still has no idea when he will be allowed to return. What he does know is that his neighborhood was one of the hardest hit — he described it as a ten on a scale of one to ten — with water from the nearby Souris River reaching the rooftops at the peak of the flood.

Currently staying in a friend’s basement, Carmichael said recovery efforts in Minot are only just getting underway and the scene is one of utter devastation. All told, more than 4,000 homes were damaged in the flood, and of those, as many as 3,200 are believed to be “extensively damaged or completely damaged.”

Carmichael, for one, is bracing for the absolute worst, and without any flood insurance, he would have little to soften the blow in the event of a total loss.

“It’s certainly possible that my house will be condemned and knocked down,” he said, adding that federal emergency assistance would only cover a small fraction of his losses at best.

“It’s not going to make me whole again, that’s for sure,” said the former Bulldog wrestler.

And yet despite what he faces in the months ahead, Carmichael has managed to keep a positive attitude and stay grateful for the support he’s received — both from his fellow airmen in Minot and his family and friends back in Canton.

In turn, many have reached out to the family with offers of assistance, and the Carmichaels have been touched by their concern.

And knowing that every little bit helps, they have decided to establish an account at the Bank of Canton where those who would like to donate may do so.

Any contributions are welcome and can be sent to the James Carmichael family account at the Bank of Canton, 557 Washington Street, Canton MA 02021 (Attention: Geri Ryan).

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=6601

Posted by Jay Turner on Jul 14 2011. Filed under News. Both comments and pings are currently closed.