The surging water washed away almost everything in sight... dorm rooms, mobile homes and cars. Most of the victims were swept away as they slept. The Kelly Barnes Dam, the lake behind it swollen because of torrential rains, gave way in the early morning hours. It was a Sunday. It was a couple of weeks before the last body was found. Most of the victims were students and faculty members --- and family members.
Barry Church was Emergency Management Agency Director in neighboring Habersham County.
"It was a very tragic situation and we went over to assist Stephens County," Church recalled recently. "And, that still brings back memories. We had personnel that stayed there on the ground with them for almost a week."
In addition to taking 39 lives, the flood caused nearly $3 million in damage. It prompted the inspection of every earthen dam in the state and a year later the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began a national dam safety inspection program.
Church is retiring and will briefly discuss the flood as well as his 37-year career as Habersham EMA Director, Saturday morning at 5:05 on Northeast Georgia "This Week" on WDUN NEWS TALK 550, like AccessNorthGa.com, a part of Jacobs Media Corporation.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2007/11/203716