Let's Pull for Gibson

**SHORTY** · May-09-2010, 3:35pm

Did Gruhns get hurt like Gibson? It will hurt a long, long time in all the music world. Pray for all.

**MikeEdgerton** · May-09-2010, 4:39pm

Gruhn's is dry.

**pager** · May-10-2010, 1:30pm

I just spoke to a friend of mine that works at the Gibson Main plant in Nashville. He said the main plant is toast. Also lost the kiln with all of that wood that was stored. He said he feels it will be a very LONG time before we see any new Gibson instruments out of the Main and OAI plants. I pray they can recover from this. I am also praying for all of the people that lost everything they had. Homes, jobs. This is a horrible tragedy.

jillian

**Mandoist** · May-10-2010, 4:28pm

Pardon my ignorance....but I have to ask:

With all the warnings, and basically the 'writing on the wall' regarding advance notice of the Cumberland sure to overflow, why no pre-flood rescue attempt at Gibson?

If it's the same thing I heard from others ("It's flooded here before, but nothing like this") ...well, I don't get it? Not when so much is at stake.

**...and Master of None** · May-10-2010, 7:58pm

From what I've heard the waters rose a lot faster than anyone anticipated, or could reasonably be expected to anticipate. I believe there were some people who were stuck in traffic on essentially "high and safe" parts of the interstate that ended up drowning when the water trapped them and then rose to where they were and swept them away before they quite realized what was happening.

This was also a relatively quick event - it's not like they'd been watching a hurricane develop and approach for ten days and still did nothing... Nor is it like they lived in an area that is below sea level and depends on dikes and pumps for daily existence...

Once the realization hits that things are way, way worse than anyone expected, do you really ask your employees to abandon their efforts to save their own homes to come to the most dangerous part of the city and save the plant? Tough call any way you look at it.

**MikeEdgerton** · May-10-2010, 8:07pm

Originally Posted by Mandoist

Pardon my ignorance....but I have to ask:

With all the warnings, and basically the 'writing on the wall' regarding advance notice of the Cumberland sure to overflow, why no pre-flood rescue attempt at Gibson?

If it's the same thing I heard from others ("It's flooded here before, but nothing like this") ...well, I don't get it? Not when so much is at stake.

There is a flood plane that lines the Cumberland and it's tributaries. Those areas have flooded in the last 500 years. They had what were thought to be known limits. The flood extended so far beyond where anyone thought it could flood that there really was no time to plan for anything. The Opryland complex is next to a river and that would be fair game for flooding under extreme situations. That was the small part of the Gibson operation, the OAI stuff. I seriously doubt that anyone would have predicted that the main plant would be flooded. This is being called a thousand year flood. Most of the area flooded was not considered flood prone and thus people in those areas cannot even buy flood insurance. It's not something that anyone could have prepared for.

**Big Joe** · May-10-2010, 9:20pm

The front that came through essentially stalled over middle Tennessee. We knew it was going to rain, and there was the possibility of minor flooding in low lying area. No one considered the rain we got or the other issues that may have contributed to the rapid rise in the water level. Things like getting more than twice the rain in a 48 hour period than ever before in recorded history (since Noah), or the Corps of Engineers releasing 5.4 BILLION gallons of water through the dam on the Cumberland River only a short distance from the Opryland Hotel. The storm system stopped over us and went nowhere for 2 days and left us with continued torrents of rainfall. When it began moving again, it moved relatively fast.

A flood like this was not seen or expected by anyone until it was too late to do anything about it. The one thing about floods, if you are familiar with them, is that they can come on very fast with no way to respond once it becomes apparant it is happening. It has been considered not a 100 year flood, but a 1000 year flood. How could you imagine such an event or respond to it? No one could imagine 10 foot of water in the Opryland Hotel or water flowing through the Opry Mills Mall, or the Grand Ole Opry stage floating. Every major road into or out of the area were flooded. That included the Interstated. The roads were under water and there was no way to escape. While we may not like that it happened, there is no one to blame. Like many things we face, life happens.

**jim_n_virginia** · May-10-2010, 9:36pm

I read the waters rose 10 feet in hours! When water rises that fast your lucky to escape with your life and a few valuables that you can carry. You can get swept away by water while you are in your car trying to get away.

This was like a freak weather accident no one was ready.

What makes me mad is the little coverage it has gotten! Nashville needs mass relief like Haiti got!

**big smiley guy** · May-10-2010, 9:42pm

I'm sure the Gibson name will live on no matter what. Hopefully, for their sake, it will soon be under some new top management. Gibson has made some "interesting" decisions over the years but they've also made some classic instruments as well.

**EarlG** · May-10-2010, 10:12pm

Originally Posted by Mandoist

Pardon my ignorance....but I have to ask:

With all the warnings, and basically the 'writing on the wall' regarding advance notice of the Cumberland sure to overflow, why no pre-flood rescue attempt at Gibson?

If it's the same thing I heard from others ("It's flooded here before, but nothing like this") ...well, I don't get it? Not when so much is at stake.

They were a victim of nature, it's not their fault. I think we'll all be amazed how fast they start producing instruments again. Good old American work ethic and know how will kick in.

**Piper** · May-11-2010, 5:54am

Always managed to establish my residences and businesses beyond flooding danger. Conscious effort by me to avoid problems. Every business has risks and some businesses take more risks than others. Some weeks are groaners for your business and some are bell ringers. You pays your money and takes your choices (chances).

**Scott Tichenor** · May-11-2010, 7:14am

Originally Posted by Mandoist

Pardon my ignorance....but I have to ask:

With all the warnings, and basically the 'writing on the wall' regarding advance notice of the Cumberland sure to overflow, why no pre-flood rescue attempt at Gibson?

If it's the same thing I heard from others ("It's flooded here before, but nothing like this") ...well, I don't get it? Not when so much is at stake.

I think I see the answer to your question in the first line you wrote.

Perhaps you can share with us this version of your personal conspiracy theory as you see it from afar.

**Piper** · May-11-2010, 9:18am

Originally Posted by Scott Tichenor

I think I see the answer to your question in the first line you wrote.

Perhaps you can share with us this version of your personal conspiracy theory as you see it from afar.

Of course the person asked this question can step up and answer the question if he/she sees it appropriate, but I don't see any reference to a "personal conspiracy theory." In my world, adults are permitted to and encouraged to have differing opinions. Many times if we look at "natural disasters" we can find the warning signs. Recent flooding in many areas has been caused by over development and poor land management and use causing run off. In my area, we have taken the step of requiring collection ponds where over development has caused the danger of flooding. I think this is the type of thing that Mandoist is alluding to. Not sure what caused the flooding in Tenn. but it would be appropriate to ask about the warning signs and what could be done in the future to prevent such problems.