Pressure Washers

If there was ever a tool or machine you need after a flood - it's got to be the pressure washer.  It should be listed as standard fair in any post flood disaster where communities need help.  A friend and I, along with another kind helper dropped off by the hatchery crew spent the day helping a flooded couple begin to clean up.  The house is real bad and the furniture all destroyed, they are trying to sort out if it will livable again.  We needed to start somewhere so we decided to completely gut the workshop because it had a lot of valuable tools, is large, has plywood walls and concrete floor that we could wash.  It would be an important psychological gain that we have a clean space again, but also a valuable place to put stuff that is salvaged from the house.

Hydro meter, still working!

My friend had experience already, he's been to two other houses and done this routine, he had the ultimate tool - a three foot rubber squeegee on a long broom handle - what a tool for pushing 2" of fine river silt muck on the floor.  We set up a 32' long table of plywood under a covered overhang and moved all the stuff onto the table.  The big stuff like saws and welding equipment we put on the lawn and a trailer.  When the shop was empty, we turned the power off,  powered up two pressure washers and began the wash down, right from 6" below the ceiling to the floor and out the door.  The windows were a real pain, every time I thought I had them clean there would be more silt show up in the frames. Finally we could see results, concrete floor and wood walls.  Our extra helper sorted out 100's of beautiful wrenches and sockets, Snap on and Craftsmen.  He laid them all out on a shelf on wood sticks so they will dry and not rust anymore.  Myself and the other pressure washer master had to force ourselves to blast water at big electric motors on saws and drill presses until the water started running clean out of the motors.  Another friend said you have to do it - and hope they dry without damage, the silt has to go it's too abrasive.

By the end of the day we had declared victory.  There was order and cleanliness in the workshop.  The ladies were busy sorting out clothes that are salvageable and our washer is going 24/7 (at least it feels like it).  Our neighbor is laying out treasured photos from another flooded friends house on any flat surface we have to try to save them - she has filled all the flat surfaces in her own house. So much work, but it has to be done.

Another day of great warm weather in the Bella Coola Valley, we even had some westerly wind which really helps to dry things out.  Too bad the forecast is for rain for the next few days now, some more dryness would have been nice.  October is the 'between' month in Bella Coola.  Between the best month September and the worst month - November.

And to end with a happy note - Highway 20 - The Freedom Highway has won the Great Canadian Song Quest - it's officially Canada's favourite highway in British Columbia, I can't wait to hear the song.  Grizzly