Essential Estrogen

With each passing day a few more blocks of Cedar Rapids homes and businesses are inspected and opened to property owners. With each passing hour, the mountains of flood debris pile higher and friendships grow deeper.

"Cold water," shouts Amanda Brinker as she and her mom drive slowly up and down streets on the city's southwest side. "Do you need some cold water?"

The Brinker family is one of many that didn't suffer property damage in recent floods.

"We know how lucky we are," Amanda said. "We just want to do whatever we can to help those who are out here cleaning up this mess and trying to put their lives back together."

The Brinkers aren't alone. A husband and wife drive around distributing emergency kits from the Red Cross. A pickup with coolers of water, soda and beer trolls the neighborhood. Area students lug heavy furniture and soggy carpets out of homes.

"I couldn't sit at home, not when I knew there would be people who could use a hand," said Jason Blake, who plans to attend Coe College this fall. "Just look at all of this. It's devastating. What kind of a person would I be if I just watched it on the television and didn't come and help?"

Dan Lacey, a home owner in the flood affected area, points to the pile of ruined furniture, appliances, DVDs and other assorted household belongings that now rest on the curb in front of his home.

"Welcome to our garage sale," he jokes. "Today, everything is half price!"

As he and a friend take a break from clean up, he tells the story of the soiled American flag that flies from his porch.

"Dirty or not, that's where it needs to be," he said. "I took it down when we had to evacuate, but putting that flag out was the first thing I did when we were able to get back in here."

Although water still stands in lower portions of the Time Check Neighborhood on the city's northwest side and Czech Village on the southwest side, most the flood-affected areas have been cleared by the Urban Search and Rescue Teams. The downtown bridges, much missed by those trying to get from Point A to Point B over the past week, have re-opened. As of Wednesday morning, the city had only one reported case of looting and no loss of human life as a direct result of the flooding.

City officials warned in a news conference on Wednesday morning that damage has steadily increased as the inspection teams have been able to enter properties closer to the Cedar River.

"Those residents need to prepare themselves emotionally," said Dave Koch of the Cedar Rapids Fire Department.

A spokesman for St. Luke's Hospital said the facility's emergency department is beginning to see people with illnesses, such as diarrhea, that are believed to be flood related. Some residents that have re-entered the flood-affected areas are also beginning to develop the "chemical burn" rash on their lower extremities that has afflicted many of the emergency response team members.

Still, Cedar Rapidians are, by and large, pulling together and cleaning up the mess. A hand-crafted sign on 6th Street SW proclaims: "Huge Neighborhood Block Party 6-12-2009."