With the first drops of Hurricane Irene soaking streets and heads, D.C. and Alexandria residents scrambled to find sandbags to keep out the water expected overnight. At RFK Stadium, more than 200 cars lined up before 9 a.m. to get the sandbags the D.C. government promised at noon. Workers arrived at 9, and surprised by the long line, started distribution immediately. The crew handed out 6,000 sandbags by 3 p.m.
Even in the mad rush to keep homes dry, at least one D.C. resident was praising a neighbor’s kindness.
Georgetown resident Ellen Hilburn wheeled her cart to RFK Stadium Saturday, only to have the cart’s wheel break off when she got there. The 40-pound bags were too heavy for her to carry. She was about to give up when a stranger offered her his red Radio Flyer wagon.
“He was just going to give it to me!” Hilburn said, adding that she plans to return the wagon. “They always say people are nice in snowstorms, but I guess they are in hurricanes, too.”
People swarmed the sandbag trailer in Old Town Alexandria Friday, leaving officials helpless to follow the previous plan to make sure Alexandria residents got five bags each — there were so many people they couldn’t check IDs or count bags.
Alexandria gave out more than 10,000 sandbags — the most the city has ever given out, spokesman Tony Castrilli said.
