We saw the devastation from recent wildfires in California and shook our heads in sympathy.

We saw homes destroyed by rare January tornadoes and were thankful to be spared.

Then the rivers started rising in Central Illinois.

The people coping with flooding along the Vermilion River and its tributaries aren't from some far off state. They are friends and neighbors; they relatives and co-workers; they are the people who stood in lines with us at stores during the holidays.

This area has always been quick to respond to those in need, from victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks to victims of Hurricane Katrina and the 2004 tsunami/earthquake. Now our help is needed just up the road.

People who would like to volunteer can contact Pontiac City Hall at (815) 844-3396. Monetary donations can be made to the American Red Cross of the Heartland, other disaster service agencies or relief funds being established in Pontiac. The Red Cross also could use items such as rubber gloves, disinfectants, mops and buckets for cleanup kits. Call (309) 662-0500.

Most Pontiac residents don't need to be told how bad the situation is. They need only drive down the street or look out the door.

But even for them - and definitely for the rest of us - the aerial photo in Thursday's Pantagraph helped provide the "big picture." It showed home after home encircled by water, streets turned into rivers, yards turned into lakes.

Yet, the "little picture" provides perspective, too. The close-ups help us understand the personal impact - such as the photo of the woman with a wheelchair and walker and a child carrying her Cabbage Patch doll.

Already, at least two lives have been claimed by the storm in the Pantagraph area. It could have been more if not for the fast work of emergency workers who rescued a woman from the swift waters of the Vermilion on Tuesday.

These incidents should serve as reminders to us of the need to be cautious around floodwaters and respect their sometimes hidden dangers. A lot of rivers and creeks are out of their banks. Remember the public safety warning: Turn around, don't drown.

We salute all the public-safety and emergency workers who have been involved in rescues and in assisting with safely evacuating those who are quickly being surrounded by floodwaters.

We commend agencies, such as the Salvation Army and American Red Cross of the Heartland, that are helping those displaced by the flood.

We hope that rain stays away and the water recedes quickly, before a hard freeze settles in.

We trust that Central Illinoisans will come to the aid of people in Pontiac and the surrounding area in their time of need.