Rushing waters encased buildings in northwest Iowa. Families left homes behind as floodwaters swallowed houses. In June, widespread flooding affected numerous Iowa cities.
The June floods struck the state after two more Iowa cities were hit by tornadoes in April and May. Among the natural disasters, around 5,000 homes were damaged and more than 2,000 were destroyed.
Iowa RV industry members united in the natural disasters’ wake. RV businesses, including Bowling RV Sales, Inc. and Demco, are working together to procure 200 RVs to assist victims.
The companies are assisting in Iowa’s Disaster Recovery Temporary Housing Program initiated by Gov. Kim Reynolds. The Federal Emergency Management Agency works with Iowa officials to provide temporary housing, including RVs, for up to six months at no cost to Iowans who suffered severe damage to homes or whose homes were destroyed or deemed uninhabitable.
Bowling President and CEO Randy Bowling estimates that hundreds of individuals are involved in the program. Bowling reached out to Demco Plant Manager John Tatman regarding the program. Tatman offered Demco’s Spencer, Iowa, facility free of charge to store the RVs.
Bowling said Tatman “was more than gracious to give us the land that we needed, and the area that we needed to park the RVs.”
Nearly a month ago 75 RVs arrived on Demco’s Spencer property. Now Demco is housing 100 RVs and counting. Iowa dealers including Camp Site RV, Ketelsen RV, Leach Camper Sales, Herold Trailer Sales and Premier RV provided inventory. Dealers outside of Iowa also provided RVs. Minnesota and South Dakota Pleasureland dealerships and Noteboom RV in South Dakota shipped RVs to Iowa.
Three Bowling RV technicians inspected the RVs to ensure safety. Demco will store the vehicles until they are presented to victims. Iowans in Hawarden, Rock Valley and Spencer, including some Demco employees affected by the disasters, will receive the RVs.
According to Tatman, supporting the community is important for Demco.
He said, “We are very community-minded and want to do what we can to help our communities in both Spencer and in Rock Valley.”
The other 100 RVs procured for the program are stored in an abandoned airfield in Sioux Center, Iowa.
Victims without homes are currently housed in Rock Valley and Spencer campgrounds. More areas are being prepped to house victims.
Bowling said more RVs are expected to be delivered in the coming weeks. RV industry participants will continue to prepare the vehicles until they are delivered to victims.
