Knott Co. principal and students reflect on anniversary of July 2022 flood

HINDMAN, Ky. (WYMT) – Hindman Elementary School saw heavy damage from the July 2022 flood.

Principal Brandi Sims said when she woke up on July 28, 2022, she had no idea the long term impact the storms from the night before would have.

“We didn’t know what we didn’t know,” said Sims. “We had never been through a situation like this and really never dreamed that it could happen to that magnitude.”

When she and her daughter heard about the damages they immediately went to the school. Cambree Sims, who was going into third grade at the time, said her school was unrecognizable.

“We saw the busted glass and then we came inside and it was just like you couldn’t get into the offices because like the doors were just like covered with like books and stuff,” Cambree said. “Then you could see like the water line from from how high the water got.”

She said all she could think about was how they could possibly go back to school in a month.

“I thought we were gonna have to like tear down the whole entire school and build it back,” she said. “I thought we weren’t gonna get to go to school.”

However, with the help of the community Hindman Elementary was able to open their doors for students on Sept. 19, 2022.

“Looking back on it I don’t know how we did it, but I can remember being here many long nights,” said Principal Sims. “So many people came together to help us rebuild so quickly.”

She said at the time they had no floors and the furniture was all donated. Now, two years later they are adding the finishing touches to the school and hope to have a sense of normalcy this coming school year.

Principal Sims said they learned a lot from the flood.

“Even as far as you know, high grounds and low grounds,” she said. “So preparing for an event like this in the future in the event students were in the building. We’re much more aware of safe spaces to get our students and so yes, we have definitely learned a lot through this process.”

She said the process has felt slow and frustrating at times, but when reflecting and looking at the bigger picture she is proud of how far they have come.

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