Sometimes, it takes a disaster to remind us who we really are. The good news is, even amidst the loss and suffering so many experienced in the Kaua`i floods, our local community is a tight one defined by open communication, cooperation, generosity, and love. All of these qualities were the basis for the relating our government, land owners, media, service organizations, and residents were doing with their publics.

This column is not about how things could have been done better. It’s simply an observation of how well things were done. Photos and stories were submitted to and posted by the newspapers, which brought the Westside and North Shore somehow closer together. The radio stations kept us informed and worked around the clock to let us know what roads to stay off of, how to be safe, and what was open and closed. Even the O`ahu TV world came to Kaua`i and made the rest of the state aware of our plight. Those who used the media to inform and help, including the County, State, utilities, shelter workers, volunteers, reservoir owners, and regular, everyday good Samaritans, gave us all a sense of comfort that they were handling whatever came along.

We honor all of those who worked together with a sense of selflessness, flexibility, and trust to make Kaua`i a model in terms of natural disaster response. Once again, the true nature of Kaua`i and her people shone through, even in the darkest days and heaviest rains. Kaua`i aloha at its best.

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