WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Local leaders met with Senator Maria Cantwell and Rep. Rick Larsen over the weekend to discuss the response to last week’s flooding in the region.

They met Saturday, representing small cities in Whatcom County and offices of emergency responders to do a debrief in Everson following historic flooding.

Sheriff Donnell Tanksley opened his introduction with pointing out how the county needs better infrastructure to serve the community as flooding continues to affect the region.

“We need help,” Tanksley said. “I don’t think the state can help us. I think this is national government help that we need to make sure that, especially in Whatcom County and these areas, that our first responders, our fire stations, or search and rescue [are supported] because we know it might happen again. Four years ago we said that this was a ‘hundred year event.’ Here we are four years later.”

Other leaders echoed the sentiment of something needs to be done to protect the region against more catastrophic flooding.

The Everson and Nooksack mayors said that though research has studied ways to protect the riverside communities for decades, more needs to be done to protect them.

Lummi Chairman Anthony Hillaire added that whenever flooding occurs in the county, their reservation can become an island which can create numerous problems for the nation.

“[In] 2021, the levy broke and we became a complete island. We had to boat in our doctors, we had to boat in groceries, we had to do everything we can to take care of our people and we followed through on that,” he said. “At that time we were really adamant that we need to raise Slater Road.”

Nearly all of those represented asked Sen. Cantwell and Rep. Larsen to work for federal dollars to help the county and its citizens.