KJAN Lends A Helping Hand
Jim Field broadcasts at KJAN Radio Station located in Atlantic, Iowa. The radio station is located between the Nishnabotna River and another small creek. 13.18 inches of rain fell in the Atlantic area on June 13th and 14th, 1998. The National Weather Service had predicted that it would rain on the 13th, but no one thought that it would rain that much and result in a flood.
When the flood started Jim Field was in Griswold broadcasting because the flood had already started there. He received a call from the radio station and the person at the station said he'd better get back to the station before the water got too high. It was already challenging to get out of Griswold because the flood water was already deep. The radio crew drove through high water and it ruined the van's engine. (Don't drive in flood water!)
Jim Field and other KJAN employees worked hard to sandbag around their station so flood water would not get in. Later the National Guard and crews from Omaha and Council Bluffs came to help sandbag. None of the equipment got wet or destroyed so they were able to continue broadcasts. They gave advice about how to act during a flood and announced lots of personal messages over the air. People didn't have cell phones and needed to contact their families to say they were safe. Jim and his crew helped them do this. KJAN played a helping role in the flood of 1998 by covering the story and spreading the word.
Visit KJAN Radio Station website
Sheryl Buroughs' Flood Notes
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Watch out! high water ahead!!!
Flood Photos