SNAFU with Ed Helms S4E4: Paul Scheer and the Johnstown Flood
Oct 29, 2025
Paul Scheer, a renowned comedian and podcaster, joins to explore the tragic tale of the Johnstown Flood. They uncover how a country club's dam modifications led to disaster and discuss the chaos of that fateful day in 1889. Ed shares compelling details on the dam's breach, the flood's terrifying speed, and the subsequent fire that trapped victims. The duo reflects on accountability and the evolving safety measures that followed. Plus, they gaze into the 1926 silent film that depicted it all, complete with impressive miniature effects.
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Growth And Cut Corners Create Risk
- Rapid industrial growth and infrastructure changes can create cascading failures when safety is deprioritized.
- Small convenient modifications at the South Fork Dam compounded into a catastrophic system collapse.
Rich Club Turned Dam Into A Resort
- Ed Helms narrates how wealthy club members altered the dam to build a resort lake for leisure fishing and roads.
- They removed safety pipes, patched leaks with straw and mud, and added a fish screen that blocked the spillway.
Warnings Failed When It Mattered Most
- Extreme weather plus snowmelt overwhelmed local waterways and telegraph lines, creating a rapid, isolated crisis.
- Warning systems failed because telegraph lines were down and prior false alarms had desensitized residents.
