LEE COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Lee County residents faced devastating flooding just last February that led to evacuations and impacted several local businesses, but the community's resilience helped most operations recover quickly.
"We got right at three and a half to four feet right there in Main Street," Mayor Scott Jackson said.
Jackson reflects on how quickly the situation developed during the flooding event.
"The water was coming up pretty quick," Jackson said.
Even though two and a half feet of water inside forced a Valero gas station to shut down for three to four months, Jackson tells LEX 18 most businesses were back fully operational within 10 days.
The mayor credits improved equipment and local contractors for the faster recovery time compared to previous flooding events.
"We got equipment now that can speed up the process, we have a local contractor doing amazing work," Jackson said.
Streets were clear within three days of the flooding, according to Jackson, demonstrating the community's improved response capabilities.
However, the psychological impact of repeated flooding events weighs on residents' minds.
"You kinda start to get worried about what may come," said Tyler Phillips from Lee County Search and Rescue.
For Phillips and Jackson, memories of floods leave a lasting impact on the community. Roughly five years ago, many streets in Lee County were submerged under six to seven feet of water during a particularly severe flooding event.
Since then, the community has made significant improvements to their flood response coordination.
"We got better ways of being coordinated, and I was raised here, I've seen high water but I've never seen water like we had in 2021," Jackson said.
Like Jackson, Phillips praises the community for its resilience in facing repeated challenges.
"It's nice to see folks be prepared, and look towards the future and not let our past hardships try to weigh us down," Phillips said.
Moving forward, local leaders remain committed to innovative solutions for ongoing challenges working with the Beattyville Alliance. Phillips notes collective help from the community through donations significantly impacting rescue efforts.
"We had one inflatable boat, we've upgraded now to two, one motorized and one man-powered so we can be a little bit more maneuverable.
We try to hit every challenge with a fresh idea and a good solution," Phillips said.
