opinion

Floods: Not Enough People Doing Anything By David F. Moore Any kind of insurance frequently has its puzzling aspects to us laymen, but when I ponder Federal Flood Insurance programs, I really get puzzled. When the concept of flood insurance first started, the idea was that those insured would get bailed out when they got wet, but that future flooding would be less severe. The reason for that was that towns were supposed to take regulatory actions to make sure new developments didn't get built in part-time rivers. Like so many great ideas, it lost something in the translation from theory into reality. There has been, overall, a striking lack of effective action toward zoningprotection in floodprone areas, and another facet of the concept also has been pretty scarce. This is the idea of "floodproofing" existing developments. THERE ARI? SEVERAL ways of floodproofing a house of a development. You can build a levee or dike to guard against occasional high waters. Or else you can literally Jack up a house and put more fill beneath it so as to raise its elevation beyond the height of a likely flood. At any rate.'the system is not working all that well. That's why we need strong flood plain protection, why we need strong wetlands development regulations and why we need stormwater controls which take tKe maximum advantage of natural geological and geographic features and a minimum of storm drain piping. The idea is to keep floodwaters from moving along so fast, rather than helping to speed them on their way. Slowing the water gives it more time to soak into the ground, and less ability to do damage. RECENTLY I SAW some very wise suggestions from a pair of experts with the Illinois Division of Water Resources, all aimed at making federal flood insurance more meaningful, especially in terms of benefits gained per dollar spent. The men from Illinois. French Wetmore and Neil Fulton, note that currently American flood victims get over half a billion dollaft per year in benefits. They recommend a series of "non-structural" modifications to current practices. For one thing, they argue, some existing rules should be changed so that federal aid can be focused on promoting building protection. As it is, federal funding will continue to be spent on repairing existing buildings so that they can be once more in full repair when the next flood hits them. THEY CALL ALSO for changing the National Flood Insurance Program rating system to recognize and encourage local emergency preparedness and building protection programs. A rating system taking these things into account would be more consistent with the private insurance industry. They suggest creation of a flood hazard mitigation fund, probably from the federal flood insurance premiums paid from a state. This fund could be passed through state hands to local governments willing to undertake comprehensive flood hazard mitigation programs. Finally, they see a need for two things: more research and more public information programs on floodproofing and other protection measures. As things stand now, everybody talks about floods, but not enough people are doing the right things about them. Nationally, we've annually paid $525 million to flood victims, of which $360 million is a direct federal subsidy — tax money, not insurance premiums. We should bear in mind that we taxpayers who have elected to live where we are safe from flooding are contributing big bucks to those who have chosen to live in or near the water. (Moore is executive director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, a private, nonprofit organization in Morristown.) f V J |J — -|V ^ J 11 Robtetwd Ewrry WtatoMday By Tb. Sotmv. Corpora** 9X>. Boa *30 Capa May Coort Ho*-. H J. 9*210

Joseph R. Zelnik Bonnie Reina Gary L. Rudy John Dunwoody Darrell Kopp

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Saowovi Corp 1984. All right* r*»»rv»d All property right* (or the •ntiro contont* of this publication »ho1l b« th* properly of the Seowcrve Corp. No port horoof moy be reproduced without prior written content. DEADLINES News & Photos Thursday Advertising Friday — 3 P.M. Classified Advertising Friday — 3 P.M. 465-5055 For News or Advertising Information Neither partic-ipatina edverlirier* nor the publisher* of the HER ALD AND LANTERN will be mpooublr or liable for mi» information mirphnl.. typorcrmphieaJ error*, etr in any i**ur. The editor rr*er»e« the right to edit an) letter or article* submitted for publication. Towt—kip ^ M LANTERN 0 V J

'Are you telling me that the future of our economy will be determined by how well Rainbow Bright dolls do in the j market place during the Christmas buying season?'

Our Readers Write Futile Trip For Flu Shots To The Editor: This is in reference to your write up ( Health, B-T Nix Free Flu Shots') in the Nov. 14 issue. It is my conclusion from the article that Cape May County does not want to spend the money for free flu shots, as our neighboring counties do. I do not know who gave you the information from' Burdette Tomlin Hospital, that because of a lack of interest on the part of the people last year, that they would not give the flu shots this year. LET ME EXPLAIN what happened last year as a person who went to get the free flu shot. This, of course, can be verified by many other people from this area. There were fifty or more persons already gathered at the Wildwood Community Center on the day the flu shoots were to be given. We signed the release paper and were told to wait until our name was called, as the doctor had not arrived yet. I know I sat there for one hour, while a group of other Senior Citizens said they had been there for an hour and a half to two hours. The nurse finally came out and informed us that the doctor would be unable to come and give the shoots and we should leave. I know this was a futile trip for all these Senior Citizens, who had to make arrangements to get to the Center transportation wise, plus the loss of their time. All these people know this to be the truth. THE CAPE MAY COUNTY Public Health Advisory Committee says, "Flu shorts are against its policy." I'd like to ask the Committee, if that is the real reason, or, is it the matter of money? I quote County Health Officer Louis Lamanna, "The county ordered the vaccine in March, but the manufacturers had problems, and it was not available." I would like ask Lamanna two questions: (1) Why did you order the vaccine, if you did not intend to use it? (2) How come our neighboring counties had no trouble getting their vaccine from the manufacturers? I AM SURE there must be a few doctors in the community who would willingly give an hour or two of their time to give the shots at a small fee. I now ask, what is your real reason for not giving these shots, when they are given in every state in the Union? CAL TAYLOR Rio Grande (ED. NOTE: The vaccine ordered by the county in March was intended for distribution to the county nursing homes, not to the general public .) Whither Big Mac? To The Editor: I think I've found the reason for all the traffic problems in Cape May. Going over the big bridge into Cape May, there is a sign for McDonalds on the side of one of the buildings, telling people to follow the signs to the ferry to get to McDonalds in North Cape May. The only problem is, when you get past the McDonlds sign and over the little bridge, there are no signs for the ferry. So now all of the thousands of tourist looking for. the North Cape May McDonalds drive aimlessly around Cape May causing big traffic jams. Hope you'll look into this problem and see that the matto* is taken care of so Cape May traffic will run smoothly once again. CHRIS KELLY Cold Spring \

The Golden-Edge - Give Embryo Chef a Chance By DOROTHEA F. COOPER Soooo! He's retired! And after all those years of being Queen of the Roast, who thinks she could give Julia Child a lesson in nouvelle cuisine, he's now with you 24 hours a day. .>• Be glad and rejoice that you ha\!e him, underfoot or any way at all. There are lots of wodows out there who have nothing but memories left. One of my relatives has recently been put out to pasture, after years and years of doing the same job, day after day, except on weekend# that was monotonous, boring and a long road from ho* which had to be traveled in spite of weather, indisposition or used-up sick days, j He is not one of the worlds greatest fix-it-uppers, and he [ has the enlarged thumb to prove his inexperience with a ' hammer. So what to do? AFTER TONGUE-IN-CHEEK approval of his wife, he has found his niche. He is now one of the canniest shoppers today, and can tell you the price of any item in any supermarket. (Think of all the tedious hours his wife is saved, the long lines at the check-out counter, with impatient shoppers inflicting shopping-cart heels. ) He has discovered the kitchen, a talent for mixing abd sauteing aqd gently folding in whites of eggs, kneading a mean loaf of bread. And loves it! AS YOUR SPOUSE has probably told you, if he has the nerve — and ignorance — the world's greatest chefs are men. Make him prove it! Give your embryo chef a chance. Granted, he may not be a whiz with neatness, scouring pots. And if your a person who can't bear the feeling of sugar on the floor, forget it. Remove youself from the sond of anything relative to the kitchen, even if your home is so small you can hear a cat walking across the sidewalk. r If you can take a walk, great ! Or read that spicy novel you've been putting aside! or do your meditating — . whatever. Enjoy yourself and be happy in the knowledge that you have been instrumental in creating a master, and find out that food (other than yours) can be beautiful. And be proud when he asks for your favorite recipe. Coverage Appreciated To The Editor: Thank you for the coverage of our newly-formed Alzheimers Support Group. Fourteen people came as a result of your help. The need for understanding and friends is so great that our meetings will be monthly — every second Tuesday — in the Social Services Building in Rio Grande. CLARA HUBACHEK Rio Grande Letters Welcome «nTile.,?eraldr an^,Vafltern welcome letters to the editor SE^aUS*0 ,ntfr?st- 0rig'nals. not copies, are requested. Writers must sign name, address and phone

ZELNIK VACATIONING — Tired and testy, suffering from loss of appetite and dry skin, columnist Joe Zelnik this week exercised a clause in his contract permitting him a week's vacation when the ocean water falls to SO degrees. Zelnik wired this photo of himself on vacation as a substitute for his column, which resumes next week.