As I sit at my computer tonight, I am facing north, and there is a window in front of me. Just a few minutes ago, I saw the red and blue lights of an emergency vehicle flash by. No siren. I went outside to check, and the vehicle had already made it to the west end of the block. I could not tell what was happening.
Showing posts with label emergency services. Show all posts
Showing posts with label emergency services. Show all posts
Sunday, November 5, 2017
Monday, December 28, 2015
Snowbound December 2015
So, with ample warning, we knew the snow would start late Saturday night, December 26, 2015, decrease Sunday early, then ramp up Sunday afternoon. Lubbock City has been declared a disaster area http://www.kcbd.com/story/30836950/mayor-robertson-declares-state-of-disaster-for-city-of-lubbock. And, Lubbock County http://www.kcbd.com/story/30839065/lubbock-county-declares-state-of-emergency has done the same, to enable the access to state resources to assist with recovery efforts. The major roads, loop, interstate, and state roads are cleared first, but the residential streets are rarely plowed, the snow and ice is just allowed to melt. This makes travel dangerous.
My work was cancelled today, and as of a few minutes ago, we have been directed to arrive late tomorrow, 11 AM, to allow for improved driving conditions. In the past, if I thought the emergency did not warrant the changes in work times, I have ignored them. I will do the same this week. I will also change my work times, if I think the official warnings and changes do not reflect my sense of safety. I hate to not report to work, but I will not endanger myself for official reporting times.
I hope everyone exercises good judgment and stays safe during the storm.
My work was cancelled today, and as of a few minutes ago, we have been directed to arrive late tomorrow, 11 AM, to allow for improved driving conditions. In the past, if I thought the emergency did not warrant the changes in work times, I have ignored them. I will do the same this week. I will also change my work times, if I think the official warnings and changes do not reflect my sense of safety. I hate to not report to work, but I will not endanger myself for official reporting times.
I hope everyone exercises good judgment and stays safe during the storm.
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Sensitivity
I want something to eat. That was the title of a post I made on May 8, 2015. As I went back and looked at it, I realized how insensitive that was. It was about a cat, a beloved pet to be sure, but a very spoiled, sick cat who is very sure she can ask for choices in food until she gets what she wants. She does not go hungry, unless I cannot figure out her choices. Or unless the infection in her mouth becomes bad enough that she no longer eats, and we have to go to the veterinarian to get another injection, and then she starts eating again.
Today, as I was hearing about the devastation in Nepal from the earthquakes, aftershocks, and aftermath http://edition.cnn.com/2015/05/13/asia/nepal-second-earthquake-ripley/index.html, I realized that my post about Sake and her eating problems was very insensitive. There are people in Nepal who do not have food, who do not know where their next meal will come from, and do not have a safe place to stay for the night or the next day.
I cannot imagine this fragility in lifestyle. It is beyond me. I have made a donation to the Breedlove Dehydration Plant http://www.breedlove.org/ in support of their efforts to provide food for people in Nepal.
I hope you do something to help the people in Nepal, too.
Today, as I was hearing about the devastation in Nepal from the earthquakes, aftershocks, and aftermath http://edition.cnn.com/2015/05/13/asia/nepal-second-earthquake-ripley/index.html, I realized that my post about Sake and her eating problems was very insensitive. There are people in Nepal who do not have food, who do not know where their next meal will come from, and do not have a safe place to stay for the night or the next day.
I cannot imagine this fragility in lifestyle. It is beyond me. I have made a donation to the Breedlove Dehydration Plant http://www.breedlove.org/ in support of their efforts to provide food for people in Nepal.
I hope you do something to help the people in Nepal, too.
Friday, April 24, 2015
Weather Damage
We had a single strong storm blow through Lubbock about midday. It was preceded by strong winds and blowing dust, and followed by strong winds and blowing dust. Sometime in all of that, the tree in my neighbor's front yard blew over, leaning against their house. I cannot see what damage was done, because the tree is still leaning against their house. Tree Loving Care http://treelovingcare.com/ is on hand, slowly removing all the little branches before they get to the large branches and trunk. This will probably be a logistics nightmare, because if they do this wrong, the branches and trunk can fall off the roof and into the window and wall beneath where the tree is leaning. Yikes!
Tree Loving Care cut down my very old and very leaning, half dead Lombardy Poplar. I had to wait for their service, although they told me they did emergency service as needed Fortunately, I did not have an emergency. They got to me before the winds got to my tree. They are expensive, but I left the gate open, they came, cut, and cleaned up while I was at work. They were not in a hurry to send me a bill, either!
I am sorry for my neighbors. but they are in good hands.
Tree Loving Care cut down my very old and very leaning, half dead Lombardy Poplar. I had to wait for their service, although they told me they did emergency service as needed Fortunately, I did not have an emergency. They got to me before the winds got to my tree. They are expensive, but I left the gate open, they came, cut, and cleaned up while I was at work. They were not in a hurry to send me a bill, either!
I am sorry for my neighbors. but they are in good hands.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
You Might Have to Live in Texas To Believe It
Emergent health care in Texas is not good. It has improved some over the years, but not much. The quality of care provided in our emergencies rooms is adequate if not good or better, but access to care is the problem.
For years, if someone was unable to demonstrate proof of payment and they present in an emergency room needing care, they were often turned away. Or, they were shunted to a different emergency room. Well, there are laws against that, especially for emergent, life threatening situations. But even for questionable situations, people are still turned away.
The front line emergency room staff are trained to be sure that payment is available before they welcome patients wholeheartedly. So, someone who needs hospitalization might be given xrays and prescriptions to take at home, instead of admission.
This may sound barbaric. In many respects it is. But, it is true. Part of the problem are the emergency room users themselves. Many do not have a primary care provider or urgent care clinic they prefer to use, so they use an emergency room for that type of care. Although education and fees have been used to stop this practice, it has not totally ended it.
Much of the problem is the broken health care system in the United States. Insurance companies choose treatment for people, not the health care providers. And there are so many hoops to jump through, no wonder the health care costs are so high. A perfect example is my recent use of insurance for physical therapy. While my health care provider could acknowledge my physical therapy authorizations, they were not done or managed by my health care provider, but by some other contract source. And you know each contract source has its own set of bureaucracy to support and has to justify itself, but really did little if nothing to encourage or support my health care.
I understand private insurance and government programs for health care billing is a night mare. I am sorry that is the case. Instead of insuring people receive timely and efficient care, care is delayed, and billing is so obfuscated that you do not know if your bill is correct or not!
So, who's to blame? I do not know? How do we fix it? I do not know. What I do know is that when insurance companies make health care plans and funding for emergency room treatment is more important than treatment, the American people lose.
For years, if someone was unable to demonstrate proof of payment and they present in an emergency room needing care, they were often turned away. Or, they were shunted to a different emergency room. Well, there are laws against that, especially for emergent, life threatening situations. But even for questionable situations, people are still turned away.
The front line emergency room staff are trained to be sure that payment is available before they welcome patients wholeheartedly. So, someone who needs hospitalization might be given xrays and prescriptions to take at home, instead of admission.
This may sound barbaric. In many respects it is. But, it is true. Part of the problem are the emergency room users themselves. Many do not have a primary care provider or urgent care clinic they prefer to use, so they use an emergency room for that type of care. Although education and fees have been used to stop this practice, it has not totally ended it.
Much of the problem is the broken health care system in the United States. Insurance companies choose treatment for people, not the health care providers. And there are so many hoops to jump through, no wonder the health care costs are so high. A perfect example is my recent use of insurance for physical therapy. While my health care provider could acknowledge my physical therapy authorizations, they were not done or managed by my health care provider, but by some other contract source. And you know each contract source has its own set of bureaucracy to support and has to justify itself, but really did little if nothing to encourage or support my health care.
I understand private insurance and government programs for health care billing is a night mare. I am sorry that is the case. Instead of insuring people receive timely and efficient care, care is delayed, and billing is so obfuscated that you do not know if your bill is correct or not!
So, who's to blame? I do not know? How do we fix it? I do not know. What I do know is that when insurance companies make health care plans and funding for emergency room treatment is more important than treatment, the American people lose.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Snowbound, Sort Of
The weather forecast yesterday included the possibility of light winter precipitation in Lubbock, with the heaviest amounts being to the south and east of Lubbock. The thought was the storm would hit late Sunday afternoon or even Sunday evening, Monday morning.
Well, I woke up and there was 2-3 inches of snow on the ground in Lubbock, and as of 8:25 AM, it was still snowing, although now, about 9:30 it appears to have stopped in Lubbock. True to the prediction, the amounts south and east of Lubbock are greater than the amount of snow we received in Lubbock.
The traffic is moving, and those going slow and easy will be okay, if they do not get taken out by a careless driver. There are accidents, closed roads, and air line cancellations. http://www.kcbd.com/story/11894446/area-delays-and-closings. I had a brief errand to run today, to get some things in the mail for NASW. Since the next pick up is not until Monday, anyway, I can drop off the items before I go to work in the morning.
So it is, that I can be "snowbound" and enjoy it.
I am thinking about the complaints that the Superbowl http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/48 is being held in New Jersey this year. The complaints include that that it is in an outside stadium in a part of the country that is sure to be cold, and could have snow and ice with which to contend. Well, this storm in the Southwest reminds of John Madden's http://www.biography.com/people/john-madden-9542594 comment about football "any given Sunday." Well, his comment referred to the fact that on any given Sunday, any team could beat any other team.
This snow storm reminds me that a snow storm can occur on "any given Sunday" in the South. Yet, in the South, a snow storm of just a few inches can cripple a city in the South: The South does not have the equipment to contend with a winter storm. People in the South do not always have the equipment, clothing and experience to deal with a winter storm. So, in my mind, it makes sense to consider that if the Superbowl is going to be in an outdoor stadium, there is no reason not to have it in the North, where people are accustomed to winter weather and are better equipped to deal with winter weather. Let's face it, even a Superbowl in a domed stadium in the South could face problems from winter weather. Look at what happened in Atlanta, Ga. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/29/us-usa-weather-idUSBREA0Q1DK20140129 recently.
So a few inches of snow can make me enjoy being "snowbound" for the day. If the Superbowl were to be held in the vicinity of this snow storm, there might be logistics problems involved. But no, no Superbowl in Lubbock. Just snow.
Well, I woke up and there was 2-3 inches of snow on the ground in Lubbock, and as of 8:25 AM, it was still snowing, although now, about 9:30 it appears to have stopped in Lubbock. True to the prediction, the amounts south and east of Lubbock are greater than the amount of snow we received in Lubbock.
The traffic is moving, and those going slow and easy will be okay, if they do not get taken out by a careless driver. There are accidents, closed roads, and air line cancellations. http://www.kcbd.com/story/11894446/area-delays-and-closings. I had a brief errand to run today, to get some things in the mail for NASW. Since the next pick up is not until Monday, anyway, I can drop off the items before I go to work in the morning.
So it is, that I can be "snowbound" and enjoy it.
I am thinking about the complaints that the Superbowl http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/48 is being held in New Jersey this year. The complaints include that that it is in an outside stadium in a part of the country that is sure to be cold, and could have snow and ice with which to contend. Well, this storm in the Southwest reminds of John Madden's http://www.biography.com/people/john-madden-9542594 comment about football "any given Sunday." Well, his comment referred to the fact that on any given Sunday, any team could beat any other team.
This snow storm reminds me that a snow storm can occur on "any given Sunday" in the South. Yet, in the South, a snow storm of just a few inches can cripple a city in the South: The South does not have the equipment to contend with a winter storm. People in the South do not always have the equipment, clothing and experience to deal with a winter storm. So, in my mind, it makes sense to consider that if the Superbowl is going to be in an outdoor stadium, there is no reason not to have it in the North, where people are accustomed to winter weather and are better equipped to deal with winter weather. Let's face it, even a Superbowl in a domed stadium in the South could face problems from winter weather. Look at what happened in Atlanta, Ga. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/29/us-usa-weather-idUSBREA0Q1DK20140129 recently.
So a few inches of snow can make me enjoy being "snowbound" for the day. If the Superbowl were to be held in the vicinity of this snow storm, there might be logistics problems involved. But no, no Superbowl in Lubbock. Just snow.
Monday, July 1, 2013
God Bless the Granite Mountain Hot Shots, Their Survivor, and Their Family, Friends and Community
The wildland firefighter Hot Shots http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/07/130701-hotshot-granite-mountain-fire-firefighters-arizona-hotshots-19/ are the elite, premier ground crews that fight wildfires. They are well trained and schooled in emergency procedures. They are required to have training that requires them to get into their wild fire shelters http://www.usatoday.com/interactive/2480299/ within 30 seconds. I was introduced to this concept in a murder mystery by Nevada Barr: Firestorm http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/nevada-barr/firestorm.htm.
These groups can be deployed throughout the country, and have, in fact, worked in Texas when we had horrible wildfires, such as the Bastrop fire http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastrop_County_Complex_fire.
Some years after I read Firestorm, I saw a program on PBS about the female Hot Shot groups http://video.pbs.org/video/2006599346 of the Apache tribe. I hope this link takes you to that show, about Apache 8. It is a really good show about the Hot Shots, if you do not know about them. If the link does not work, look for the Apache 8 on PBS.
This week, a tragedy has brought national attention to a team of hot shots, the Granite Mountain Hot Shots http://gma.yahoo.com/photos/granite-mountain-hotshots-1372692680-slideshow/ out of Prescott, Arizona. Of the 20 members of the group, 19 were overcome by fire at the Yarnell Hill Fire. http://www.abc15.com/gallery/news/news_photo_gallery/yarnell-fire-photos-wildfire-erupts-near-yarnell-ariz.
I cannot imagine the pain and grief that the family, friends and community of the Granite Hill Hot Shots are experiencing. From what I am learning, the Granite Hill Hot Shots were part of the Prescott, Arizona Fire Department http://www.cityofprescott.net/services/fire/. The lone survivor was deployed to move equipment, if I understand the story.
I cannot imagine this person's grief and survivor's guilt. God bless him and allow him to understand he has a mission, as a survivor, to help all of us understand what happened, and what could have been different.
I am so sorry for this community. This is a tragedy beyond understanding. It is so painful to consider. My heart and prayers are with this community, the family and friends of the hot shot heros. My prayers are also with the survivor, who will have to endure so much pain as a survivor. He will have relief, and guilt from the relief. God, give him strength and understanding.
To the community of Prescott, AZ, I can only say my prayers and thoughts are with you, and thank you. It is so difficult to have heros that give their all to help the rest of us.
These groups can be deployed throughout the country, and have, in fact, worked in Texas when we had horrible wildfires, such as the Bastrop fire http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastrop_County_Complex_fire.
Some years after I read Firestorm, I saw a program on PBS about the female Hot Shot groups http://video.pbs.org/video/2006599346 of the Apache tribe. I hope this link takes you to that show, about Apache 8. It is a really good show about the Hot Shots, if you do not know about them. If the link does not work, look for the Apache 8 on PBS.
This week, a tragedy has brought national attention to a team of hot shots, the Granite Mountain Hot Shots http://gma.yahoo.com/photos/granite-mountain-hotshots-1372692680-slideshow/ out of Prescott, Arizona. Of the 20 members of the group, 19 were overcome by fire at the Yarnell Hill Fire. http://www.abc15.com/gallery/news/news_photo_gallery/yarnell-fire-photos-wildfire-erupts-near-yarnell-ariz.
I cannot imagine the pain and grief that the family, friends and community of the Granite Hill Hot Shots are experiencing. From what I am learning, the Granite Hill Hot Shots were part of the Prescott, Arizona Fire Department http://www.cityofprescott.net/services/fire/. The lone survivor was deployed to move equipment, if I understand the story.
I cannot imagine this person's grief and survivor's guilt. God bless him and allow him to understand he has a mission, as a survivor, to help all of us understand what happened, and what could have been different.
I am so sorry for this community. This is a tragedy beyond understanding. It is so painful to consider. My heart and prayers are with this community, the family and friends of the hot shot heros. My prayers are also with the survivor, who will have to endure so much pain as a survivor. He will have relief, and guilt from the relief. God, give him strength and understanding.
To the community of Prescott, AZ, I can only say my prayers and thoughts are with you, and thank you. It is so difficult to have heros that give their all to help the rest of us.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Compassion Fatigue
I am watching The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/ coverage of the Oklahoma tornado outbreak. It is horrible Tonight, though, I am wondering about the broadcaster, Jim Cantore. He has been to so many disasters in the last few years, and I wonder what kind of toll this takes on him. He must be suffering compasson fatigue to some extent.
I am not being critical of him. I am just wondering how much he can take. I hope he takes care of himself, and that The Weather Channel helps him with debriefing and counseling if he needs it.
I am not being critical of him. I am just wondering how much he can take. I hope he takes care of himself, and that The Weather Channel helps him with debriefing and counseling if he needs it.
Moore, Oklahoma
There were multiple devastating tornadoes today. Most hard hit was Moore, Oklahoma, which was devastated in 1999 by a tornado.
The damage was massive, including 2 elementary schools, large stores, the medical center, and Interstate I-35.
There is little I can say tonight about how sickening the scenes are, how sad I am, how my heart goes out to the people affected, and my prayers are with them.
Once again, I feel very strongly that we need to put our money where our mouth is. The Salvation Army http://salvationarmyokcac.org/ and American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/ok/oklahoma-city are good choices. I have chosen Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma http://www.catholiccharitiesok.org/.
I am watching The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/ coverage. I have to wonder about the compassion fatigue that the weather reporters experience.
The damage was massive, including 2 elementary schools, large stores, the medical center, and Interstate I-35.
There is little I can say tonight about how sickening the scenes are, how sad I am, how my heart goes out to the people affected, and my prayers are with them.
Once again, I feel very strongly that we need to put our money where our mouth is. The Salvation Army http://salvationarmyokcac.org/ and American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/ok/oklahoma-city are good choices. I have chosen Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma http://www.catholiccharitiesok.org/.
I am watching The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/ coverage. I have to wonder about the compassion fatigue that the weather reporters experience.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Evacuation Lubbock
Bayer Crop Science http://www.bayercropscience.us/who-we-are/lubbock in Lubbock reported a hydrogen chloride gas leak late last night or early this morning http://www.kcbd.com/story/22201407/hazmat-crew-en-route-to-bayer-crop-sciences. Bayer Crop Science has a really good safety history.
Residents in the area of the leak were evacuated in the wee hours of the morning. Some went to relatives, some to hotels, some to the Salvation Army http://www.uss.salvationarmy.org/uss/www_uss_lubbock.nsf. Guadalupe Elementary School http://guadalupe.lubbockisd.org/ was closed for 5-9-13, as was the Guadalupe Early Childhood Learning Center http://www.guadalupecenter.org/EarlyChildhoodEducation. I am sure other businesses were also closed for the duration.
A HazMat http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hazmat crew from Dallas came to help with the clean up of the situation, and by tonight, that has been accomplished. People were allowed to return to their homes http://lubbockonline.com/local-news/2013-05-09/lubbock-residents-evacuated-during-chemical-spill-recall-scare.
The news has not reported any injuries as a result of the leak. It seems that by being proactive once the gas leak was detected, people were alerted, and the evacuation and containment procedures kept people safe.
Lubbock experienced a devastating, deadly tornado on May 10, 1970 http://lubbockonline.com/lubbock_tornado_home_page. It is my belief that because of that experience, the residents and government of Lubbock take disaster response very seriously. I know that during the Hurricane Katrina http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/special-reports/katrina.html evacuation and follow up, the city of Lubbock provided stellar assistance. So much so, that we were noted as a model for other communities, and told if similar storms or emergency situations occur, Lubbock will be a first place evacuation site. We have been put on notice for emergencies more than once.
Well, Lubbock is safe tonight. This is a blessing.
Residents in the area of the leak were evacuated in the wee hours of the morning. Some went to relatives, some to hotels, some to the Salvation Army http://www.uss.salvationarmy.org/uss/www_uss_lubbock.nsf. Guadalupe Elementary School http://guadalupe.lubbockisd.org/ was closed for 5-9-13, as was the Guadalupe Early Childhood Learning Center http://www.guadalupecenter.org/EarlyChildhoodEducation. I am sure other businesses were also closed for the duration.
A HazMat http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hazmat crew from Dallas came to help with the clean up of the situation, and by tonight, that has been accomplished. People were allowed to return to their homes http://lubbockonline.com/local-news/2013-05-09/lubbock-residents-evacuated-during-chemical-spill-recall-scare.
The news has not reported any injuries as a result of the leak. It seems that by being proactive once the gas leak was detected, people were alerted, and the evacuation and containment procedures kept people safe.
Lubbock experienced a devastating, deadly tornado on May 10, 1970 http://lubbockonline.com/lubbock_tornado_home_page. It is my belief that because of that experience, the residents and government of Lubbock take disaster response very seriously. I know that during the Hurricane Katrina http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/special-reports/katrina.html evacuation and follow up, the city of Lubbock provided stellar assistance. So much so, that we were noted as a model for other communities, and told if similar storms or emergency situations occur, Lubbock will be a first place evacuation site. We have been put on notice for emergencies more than once.
Well, Lubbock is safe tonight. This is a blessing.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Prayers to West, Texas
On April 17, 2013, there was an explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/key-facts-plant-explosion-west-texas-18990641. The authorities treated it as a crime scene, and are slowly opening up zones to allow residents back into their homes. They are not saying it is a crime. They are using crime scene techniques to help understand what happened, and to protect the citizens of the community.
West http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hgw06 is a small town, about 17 miles north of Waco, off of I-35. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West,_Texas.
This was a horrific tragedy, flattening a large section of the town, costing lives, causing injuries, and disrupting the town.
There are no words to describe the sadness this event causes me. This last week has been a week of sadness in the news.
Prayers go out to West, Texas and those who have been affected by this tragedy.
Many who lost their lives were First Responders. This makes sense: they had responded to the fire that lead to the explosion.
Once again, thank you to all First Responders. Many of your days are quiet, but you never know when you will be in a situation in which you are putting your life on the line.
West http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hgw06 is a small town, about 17 miles north of Waco, off of I-35. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West,_Texas.
This was a horrific tragedy, flattening a large section of the town, costing lives, causing injuries, and disrupting the town.
There are no words to describe the sadness this event causes me. This last week has been a week of sadness in the news.
Prayers go out to West, Texas and those who have been affected by this tragedy.
Many who lost their lives were First Responders. This makes sense: they had responded to the fire that lead to the explosion.
Once again, thank you to all First Responders. Many of your days are quiet, but you never know when you will be in a situation in which you are putting your life on the line.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Winter Storm Nemo
I have said before that I like The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/. In fact, The Weather Channel and sports are the two reasons I have cable TV. And, one of the reasons I do not want to switch to satellite TV, is the last time I had satellite TV, we did not get "Local on the 8's" forecasts.
I like it that The Weather Channel has started naming winter storms. I wonder what the expectation was when they decided to do that. By that, I mean, how many storms they thought they would name each winter season. Well, this year, they have gotten well into the alphabet, with winter storm Orko being talked about in the mid west today.
So I was pretty much glued to The Weather Channel during Super storm Sandy. I am as not involved with watching Nemo. I have heard from some of the family in the Northeast. Most, so far, are okay, but with this much snow and wind, power outages could occur at any time, and that would be the biggest concern for my family members, I think.
Earlier this year, in fact, one week ago today, on Ground Hog Day, Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring. That, notwithstanding Nemo, could still happen. But, we shall see.
The thing about a snow storm, and today's weather casting resources, people can prepare: People could fill their gas tanks, buy food, leave work early, or go to work early. Although the affected states and areas have or have had travel bans, people can still walk, ski, or snowshoe through the snow.
Snow removal becomes a priority, especially because that is required before electric power crews can get in and restore downed lines and systems.
Snow storms effect the economy: businesses shut down, snow removal workers get paid overtime, winter sports sites are not easily accessible until after the snow removal has been accomplished. Those are some of the obvious effects.
So, now to winter storm Orko.
I like it that The Weather Channel has started naming winter storms. I wonder what the expectation was when they decided to do that. By that, I mean, how many storms they thought they would name each winter season. Well, this year, they have gotten well into the alphabet, with winter storm Orko being talked about in the mid west today.
So I was pretty much glued to The Weather Channel during Super storm Sandy. I am as not involved with watching Nemo. I have heard from some of the family in the Northeast. Most, so far, are okay, but with this much snow and wind, power outages could occur at any time, and that would be the biggest concern for my family members, I think.
Earlier this year, in fact, one week ago today, on Ground Hog Day, Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring. That, notwithstanding Nemo, could still happen. But, we shall see.
The thing about a snow storm, and today's weather casting resources, people can prepare: People could fill their gas tanks, buy food, leave work early, or go to work early. Although the affected states and areas have or have had travel bans, people can still walk, ski, or snowshoe through the snow.
Snow removal becomes a priority, especially because that is required before electric power crews can get in and restore downed lines and systems.
Snow storms effect the economy: businesses shut down, snow removal workers get paid overtime, winter sports sites are not easily accessible until after the snow removal has been accomplished. Those are some of the obvious effects.
So, now to winter storm Orko.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Power Outage
It was about 3:15 PM today, when I heard a poofy kind of pop, and the power went out. I went out the front door to check with my neighbors. The two houses to the west did not have power, either, and neither family had a cell phone with them. I told them I would call into the power company, Lubbock Power and Light http://lpandl.ci.lubbock.tx.us/.
When I made the call, the dispatcher said a technician was working on another call, but would be sent to us next. Less than an hour and 15 minutes later, power was restored: the LP&L dispatcher called and checked on my status. Power was restored. I then checked with my neighbors. Power was restored.
We take our utilities for granted. Water, electricity, gas. I have written in the past about calling the fire department because the motor of my heater burned out, and an I wanted to be sure there was no smoldering fire in the heater closet. The response was almost immediate, and I did not receive a bill.
Today, the power was restored. I know there will be no cost to me, because any service outside of the box on my house is tended to by the power company.
I am so grateful for the community services from which I benefit. I am willing to pay taxes for these services.
When I made the call, the dispatcher said a technician was working on another call, but would be sent to us next. Less than an hour and 15 minutes later, power was restored: the LP&L dispatcher called and checked on my status. Power was restored. I then checked with my neighbors. Power was restored.
We take our utilities for granted. Water, electricity, gas. I have written in the past about calling the fire department because the motor of my heater burned out, and an I wanted to be sure there was no smoldering fire in the heater closet. The response was almost immediate, and I did not receive a bill.
Today, the power was restored. I know there will be no cost to me, because any service outside of the box on my house is tended to by the power company.
I am so grateful for the community services from which I benefit. I am willing to pay taxes for these services.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Disaster
Hurricane Sandy blew through the northeast last weekend and Monday. The aftermath is horrific. The disaster is wide spread, the recovery slow and frustrating. There is a lot of criticism at the delays in the recovery effort. But the reality is, no matter how much pre-positioned help there is, no matter how much help is imported after the storm, no matter how much money is pumped into the rescue effort, a disaster this wide spread, with this magnitude of destruction, is going to require a long time for recovery.
We are a society of quick fixes. We expect that. And, when it is possible, that is good. But it is not always possible.
If I were a survivor of Hurricane Sandy, I would want my life normalized as soon as it could be. I would have little patience for delays in help, insurance assessment and payment, government and public services being restored.
But only so much can be done safely in a short period of time. It just takes time.
We are a society of quick fixes. We expect that. And, when it is possible, that is good. But it is not always possible.
If I were a survivor of Hurricane Sandy, I would want my life normalized as soon as it could be. I would have little patience for delays in help, insurance assessment and payment, government and public services being restored.
But only so much can be done safely in a short period of time. It just takes time.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Hurricane Sandy
I am a fan of The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/. I will tell you that I get news and sports information from The Weather Channel, frequently.
But, I know that they over dramatize weather events to create interest in weather events, to increase ratings. That is a part of television strategy.
And, I know they sometimes miss the significance of weather events. In 2005 Hurricane Katrina http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/special-reports/katrina.html hit New Orleans. The Weather Channel covered the story, but underplayed the damage until the levees did not hold, and the city was inundated.
They tried to get it right for hurricane Rita, the same year, http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/special-reports/rita.html, but lets face it, they had missed it and could not recoup their expertise.
In 2008, The Weather Channel downplayed the significance of Hurricane Ike http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Ike. After all, it was a category 2 hurricane when it made landfall. They did not get it right in regards to the extent of the damage Ike caused in Galveston.
In 2011, The Weather Channel overplayed the effect of Hurricane Irene on New York City, and the Mid-Atlantic coast. When Irene missed NYC, The Weather Channel breathed a sigh of relief, but missed the greatest impact of Hurricane Irene inland in Connecticut, Massachusettes, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Canada.
This year, they are following Hurricane Sandy. The Weather Channel is advocating emergency preparation. It is advocating seeking safe ground, safe shelter, and preparation for power outages, water emergencies and who knows what else.
But, they are admitting that people are not as seriously concerned about the warnings they are receiving as they were last year. It really is not the fault of The Weather Channel. Weather; prediction is not an exact science, so what is offered to the public is the best information available. But, if the prediction is not fulfilled, the next time a prediction is made, it is often discounted.
With Hurricane Sandy, The Weather Channel is encouraging emergency preparedness in the Mid-Atlantic states. This time, however, it is not discounting the possible severe effects inland in New York, New England, and eastern Canada.
You have to admit that the Weather Channel is not perfect in their predictions, but they do try to learn from their mistakes.
But, I know that they over dramatize weather events to create interest in weather events, to increase ratings. That is a part of television strategy.
And, I know they sometimes miss the significance of weather events. In 2005 Hurricane Katrina http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/special-reports/katrina.html hit New Orleans. The Weather Channel covered the story, but underplayed the damage until the levees did not hold, and the city was inundated.
They tried to get it right for hurricane Rita, the same year, http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/special-reports/rita.html, but lets face it, they had missed it and could not recoup their expertise.
In 2008, The Weather Channel downplayed the significance of Hurricane Ike http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Ike. After all, it was a category 2 hurricane when it made landfall. They did not get it right in regards to the extent of the damage Ike caused in Galveston.
In 2011, The Weather Channel overplayed the effect of Hurricane Irene on New York City, and the Mid-Atlantic coast. When Irene missed NYC, The Weather Channel breathed a sigh of relief, but missed the greatest impact of Hurricane Irene inland in Connecticut, Massachusettes, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Canada.
This year, they are following Hurricane Sandy. The Weather Channel is advocating emergency preparation. It is advocating seeking safe ground, safe shelter, and preparation for power outages, water emergencies and who knows what else.
But, they are admitting that people are not as seriously concerned about the warnings they are receiving as they were last year. It really is not the fault of The Weather Channel. Weather; prediction is not an exact science, so what is offered to the public is the best information available. But, if the prediction is not fulfilled, the next time a prediction is made, it is often discounted.
With Hurricane Sandy, The Weather Channel is encouraging emergency preparedness in the Mid-Atlantic states. This time, however, it is not discounting the possible severe effects inland in New York, New England, and eastern Canada.
You have to admit that the Weather Channel is not perfect in their predictions, but they do try to learn from their mistakes.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
A Precarious Beginning
I did not sleep well the night of September 24, 2012. I awoke several times starting about 2:30 AM September 25, 2012. I moved from bed to sofa to bed. I was up and reading before the alarm rang. I was still tired and went to bed for a while. Then, I got up and got ready for work, as usual, including the cat feeding ritual.
I thought I made the rounds in the house, securing doors and windows. Part way to work, I decided I did not check the back bedroom windows. I did not remember opening them the night before, but I decided to return home to double check: All was locked tight.
We are having a big accreditation survey at work next week. Everything has to be clean and in "tip top" shape. High priority is placed on cosmetics, and first impressions, so the parking lots needed to be cleaned. We have two parking lots: The larger, west parking lot is close to the building entrance, where there are many reserved spots, and handicapped parking, but extends far to the west of the building entrance. I park in the east parking lot, which is much smaller, and further from the building entrance.
The west parking lot was closed as of 4 AM 9-25-12 for cleaning, and later, striping. Because of this, when I arrived, a little late for work on 9-25-12, parking was chaos. I thought I found a spot, near a small ditch just north of the parking lot, but in the grass. I pulled in. But decided I was not off the tarmac, and rolled in a little more. Thunk. Major Thunk. I could not move forward or back. I got out, and saw that I had landed on the cement collar above a culvert used to drain the ditch. The car canted down, and the left rear was off the ground.
I scrambled out the driver's door, to see the problem, then in then out, a couple of times. I finally used the passenger side to get my cell phone, so I could make some calls for help, and let my co-workers know I would be late for treatment team.
A co-worker was sure we could lift the car and push it back, and rallied some others to help. I was worried about the car rolling forward, and hurting people, and they were pushing but not lifting, so that was useless.
Other folks gathered. The correctional officers offered to get some chains and see if they could drag me out. I talked about it. More co-workers gathered, including my supervisor and several other social workers. The more we talked about solutions, the more I decided I needed professional assistance.
I called a nearby wrecking service. Their price was outrageous, but after talking to the correctional staff who had ideas about hauling the car out, I decided to spend the money, and have the extraction done safely and correctly. I did not want anyone hurt while helping me, and I did not want my vehicle harmed any more than it was.
The wrecker service told me they would send someone shortly, but there was a mileage charge because I was outside the loop. They are located outside the loop, and the prison is located less then 2 miles from their yard. I argued, but the dispatcher said "this is the way it is." I needed their help.
One of the security officers took pictures on his phone. I asked him to send them to me, and he did! Thank you!
The car looks precariously perched, but really it was solidly stuck on the collar of the culvert.
The wrecker service sent a truck out shortly, and the technician was great! He was very supportive and soothing to me. He scoped out the situation, looked at the options, and extricated the car from its predicament. The Vue was resting on its frame on the culvert's concrete collar. When he moved it, there was no oil or other liquid visible, so I think nothing was broken. After the wrecker driver extricated the car from its precarious perch, he moved it to a safe place. He said he did not see scratches or damage under the car when he placed the chains. He did not charge me mileage.
One of the security officers asked me to drive the around in the vacated parking lot, to be sure it drove safely. The wrecker driver thought it was okay. My director rode with me and we both thought it was okay. When I drove home and sometimes hit high speeds, it was okay.
My boss stopped on her way in to work, and agreed to adjust my time to give me credit for being at work. Several colleagues stopped and offered support and commiseration. The social workers who stopped asked if there was anything they could do to help me, work wise. Many security officers stopped and wanted to help, but realized they probably could not. The warden came out and apologized that the area was not marked.
Later in the day, a co-worker told me she recently hit a roadside mailbox, with no immediate problems, but some leakages appeared a couple of weeks later, so that is good to know. I will watch for later damage.
Throughout the day, co-workers check on me and asked about my car. This is not the first time I have had a personal emergency at the prison. And the same concern and support has been there, each time. I am reminded, over and over again, how close a community we are: people look out for and take of people because we are "all in this together."
I went through a wide variety of emotions the day this happened: Fear, embarrassment, despair, relief, uncertainty, manic joy, contentment, relief.
I am very blessed: I am safe and uninjured. My vehicle seems to be okay. I do have the economic resources to pay for professional services, although I would rather not. I have wonderful support from co-workers and friends.
God loves me and reminds me that no matter how serious or dire the situation, he has provided me with the wherewithal to deal with it. I am blessed.
I thought I made the rounds in the house, securing doors and windows. Part way to work, I decided I did not check the back bedroom windows. I did not remember opening them the night before, but I decided to return home to double check: All was locked tight.
We are having a big accreditation survey at work next week. Everything has to be clean and in "tip top" shape. High priority is placed on cosmetics, and first impressions, so the parking lots needed to be cleaned. We have two parking lots: The larger, west parking lot is close to the building entrance, where there are many reserved spots, and handicapped parking, but extends far to the west of the building entrance. I park in the east parking lot, which is much smaller, and further from the building entrance.
The west parking lot was closed as of 4 AM 9-25-12 for cleaning, and later, striping. Because of this, when I arrived, a little late for work on 9-25-12, parking was chaos. I thought I found a spot, near a small ditch just north of the parking lot, but in the grass. I pulled in. But decided I was not off the tarmac, and rolled in a little more. Thunk. Major Thunk. I could not move forward or back. I got out, and saw that I had landed on the cement collar above a culvert used to drain the ditch. The car canted down, and the left rear was off the ground.
I scrambled out the driver's door, to see the problem, then in then out, a couple of times. I finally used the passenger side to get my cell phone, so I could make some calls for help, and let my co-workers know I would be late for treatment team.
A co-worker was sure we could lift the car and push it back, and rallied some others to help. I was worried about the car rolling forward, and hurting people, and they were pushing but not lifting, so that was useless.
Other folks gathered. The correctional officers offered to get some chains and see if they could drag me out. I talked about it. More co-workers gathered, including my supervisor and several other social workers. The more we talked about solutions, the more I decided I needed professional assistance.
I called a nearby wrecking service. Their price was outrageous, but after talking to the correctional staff who had ideas about hauling the car out, I decided to spend the money, and have the extraction done safely and correctly. I did not want anyone hurt while helping me, and I did not want my vehicle harmed any more than it was.
The wrecker service told me they would send someone shortly, but there was a mileage charge because I was outside the loop. They are located outside the loop, and the prison is located less then 2 miles from their yard. I argued, but the dispatcher said "this is the way it is." I needed their help.
One of the security officers took pictures on his phone. I asked him to send them to me, and he did! Thank you!
The car looks precariously perched, but really it was solidly stuck on the collar of the culvert.
The wrecker service sent a truck out shortly, and the technician was great! He was very supportive and soothing to me. He scoped out the situation, looked at the options, and extricated the car from its predicament. The Vue was resting on its frame on the culvert's concrete collar. When he moved it, there was no oil or other liquid visible, so I think nothing was broken. After the wrecker driver extricated the car from its precarious perch, he moved it to a safe place. He said he did not see scratches or damage under the car when he placed the chains. He did not charge me mileage.
One of the security officers asked me to drive the around in the vacated parking lot, to be sure it drove safely. The wrecker driver thought it was okay. My director rode with me and we both thought it was okay. When I drove home and sometimes hit high speeds, it was okay.
My boss stopped on her way in to work, and agreed to adjust my time to give me credit for being at work. Several colleagues stopped and offered support and commiseration. The social workers who stopped asked if there was anything they could do to help me, work wise. Many security officers stopped and wanted to help, but realized they probably could not. The warden came out and apologized that the area was not marked.
Later in the day, a co-worker told me she recently hit a roadside mailbox, with no immediate problems, but some leakages appeared a couple of weeks later, so that is good to know. I will watch for later damage.
Throughout the day, co-workers check on me and asked about my car. This is not the first time I have had a personal emergency at the prison. And the same concern and support has been there, each time. I am reminded, over and over again, how close a community we are: people look out for and take of people because we are "all in this together."
I went through a wide variety of emotions the day this happened: Fear, embarrassment, despair, relief, uncertainty, manic joy, contentment, relief.
I am very blessed: I am safe and uninjured. My vehicle seems to be okay. I do have the economic resources to pay for professional services, although I would rather not. I have wonderful support from co-workers and friends.
God loves me and reminds me that no matter how serious or dire the situation, he has provided me with the wherewithal to deal with it. I am blessed.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Weather Stories
As I have mentioned, I spent a great deal of time watching The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/ this past week. I would not say that The Weather Channel is my new best friend, but maybe I resumed relationship: When there are serious weather events, I spend a lot of time watching The Weather Channel. I check in with The Weather Channel almost every morning, and frequently get my news flashes from The Weather Channel.
I do not think that their weather reporting is better than any other service. But they do continuous coverage during a serious weather event, and sometimes, that is what I want. (When CNN http://www.cnn.com/first started, they did continuous coverage of the news, and I liked that, too. They still do some for breaking news coverage, but not like they did.) I do not watch much of the other programming on The Weather Channel. Most of it does not appeal to me.
I was impressed, during the coverage of Isaac, about a comment one of the broadcasters made: Paraphrasing, the gist of his comment was New Orleans is low lying country, the storm was going to produce a lot of wind and rain, and no matter what precautions and preparations were made, there WOULD be flooding. Well, duh! Finally someone on The Weather Channel was honest and real. A lot better reporting than sometimes in the past:
I do not recall anyone reporting, before it happened, that they foresaw the danger of the levee breech in Katrina in 2005 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina. There were plenty of people, after the fact, who talked about having forecast or predicted such a disaster. Maybe they did, maybe they did not. No matter. It happened. I have the sense people let their guard down, since the storm had passed, and this added to the problems.
In my opinion, in 2008, The Weather Channel downplayed the seriousness of Ike http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Ike, which was "just" a category 2 hurricane. But forces converged and Ike literally destroyed parts of Galveston. Storm surge, tides, wind and rains again compiled a devastating force.
In 2011, Hurricane Irene http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Irene was followed as it churned up the Atlantic Coast. The coverage was good. However, at one point, it highlighted on battening down and preparing New York City. When the impact on New York City was nominal (no flooded subway system, Manhattan was not flooded) it was if the broadcasters took a collective sigh of relief and disappointment (no major catastrophe to report). It seemed to me that they then under-reported the impact as Irene continued on into New England and Canada, until the horrific impact became known, and provided headlines again.
I understand that The Weather Channel is not just providing a service reporting the weather. They are looking for headlines to increase their viewership in a very competitive media market. So the disasters are the stories they want to report. The reporters seem to really get excited about being able to report weather stories that include danger and disaster. The reporters seem to express concern for the survivors and victims of these storms, but they also seem to be pumped about reporting the serious conditions, and indeed are looking for that to report.
Reporting possible weather disasters has to take a fine edge: Certainly people need to be warned. However, if watches and warnings are frivolous or continually inaccurate and problem situations do not materialize, people will stop taking the warnings seriously, and eventually ignore them. Calling for evacuations is a drastic step to take; yet, ignoring these evacuations orders repeatedly proves that people end up in harm's way, and emergency responders then put themselves in harm's way to rescue those who ignored evacuations orders. Evacuations are costly to individuals and communities, and some people may feel they do not have the resources. And, many people feel it just can not happen to them, be it a tornado, earthquake, flood, hurricane or snowstorm.
In my mind, the most responsible tact to take is a factual reporting of the weather conditions, and reminding people that they can not prevent weather. Their preparations should be to protect and take care of themselves, what ever that involves. And, no matter how good weather predictors try to be, they are not perfect, and unexpected weather conditions can occur with no warning. Weather just happens.
I do not think that their weather reporting is better than any other service. But they do continuous coverage during a serious weather event, and sometimes, that is what I want. (When CNN http://www.cnn.com/first started, they did continuous coverage of the news, and I liked that, too. They still do some for breaking news coverage, but not like they did.) I do not watch much of the other programming on The Weather Channel. Most of it does not appeal to me.
I was impressed, during the coverage of Isaac, about a comment one of the broadcasters made: Paraphrasing, the gist of his comment was New Orleans is low lying country, the storm was going to produce a lot of wind and rain, and no matter what precautions and preparations were made, there WOULD be flooding. Well, duh! Finally someone on The Weather Channel was honest and real. A lot better reporting than sometimes in the past:
I do not recall anyone reporting, before it happened, that they foresaw the danger of the levee breech in Katrina in 2005 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina. There were plenty of people, after the fact, who talked about having forecast or predicted such a disaster. Maybe they did, maybe they did not. No matter. It happened. I have the sense people let their guard down, since the storm had passed, and this added to the problems.
In my opinion, in 2008, The Weather Channel downplayed the seriousness of Ike http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Ike, which was "just" a category 2 hurricane. But forces converged and Ike literally destroyed parts of Galveston. Storm surge, tides, wind and rains again compiled a devastating force.
In 2011, Hurricane Irene http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Irene was followed as it churned up the Atlantic Coast. The coverage was good. However, at one point, it highlighted on battening down and preparing New York City. When the impact on New York City was nominal (no flooded subway system, Manhattan was not flooded) it was if the broadcasters took a collective sigh of relief and disappointment (no major catastrophe to report). It seemed to me that they then under-reported the impact as Irene continued on into New England and Canada, until the horrific impact became known, and provided headlines again.
I understand that The Weather Channel is not just providing a service reporting the weather. They are looking for headlines to increase their viewership in a very competitive media market. So the disasters are the stories they want to report. The reporters seem to really get excited about being able to report weather stories that include danger and disaster. The reporters seem to express concern for the survivors and victims of these storms, but they also seem to be pumped about reporting the serious conditions, and indeed are looking for that to report.
Reporting possible weather disasters has to take a fine edge: Certainly people need to be warned. However, if watches and warnings are frivolous or continually inaccurate and problem situations do not materialize, people will stop taking the warnings seriously, and eventually ignore them. Calling for evacuations is a drastic step to take; yet, ignoring these evacuations orders repeatedly proves that people end up in harm's way, and emergency responders then put themselves in harm's way to rescue those who ignored evacuations orders. Evacuations are costly to individuals and communities, and some people may feel they do not have the resources. And, many people feel it just can not happen to them, be it a tornado, earthquake, flood, hurricane or snowstorm.
In my mind, the most responsible tact to take is a factual reporting of the weather conditions, and reminding people that they can not prevent weather. Their preparations should be to protect and take care of themselves, what ever that involves. And, no matter how good weather predictors try to be, they are not perfect, and unexpected weather conditions can occur with no warning. Weather just happens.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Charitable Giving
I have a set of charities to which I donate regularly. And, I also donate for specific and special reasons: in memory of someone; in memory of a deceased pet; because of a special event or disaster. For example a couple of years ago, the local Salvation Army http://www.uss.salvationarmy.org/uss/www_uss_lubbock.nsf extended their shelter hours during a very cold spell. Because of natural disasters like Katrina, Rita, Irene, or Isaac. For the holidays. If a social service organization does something I especially like, I support them with a donation.
I have been watching a lot of the television coverage of Hurricane/Tropical Storm/Tropical Depression Isaac on The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/. They have, at times, talked to American Red Cross workers, and talked about how easy it is to donate to the American Red Cross: you simply text http://www.redcross.org/search/index.jsp?_DARGS=/jspf/modules/nav/primary-navtemp.jsp and it will result in a $10 donation, which will show up on your phone bill. I think that is really great. I suspect, especially when that first was introduced, they received an increase in donations. We love technology and what it allows us to do. I sent in an idea to The Weather Channel: to add a link on their home page so people who check it can donate to The American Red Cross or the Salvation Army (one or both.) We shall see if that gets added.
I was getting ready to write a check to the American Red Cross for Isaac relief, but checked my emails first. As I am on the board of the local Catholic Charities organization http://www.cclubbock.org/index.html, I receive a weekly newsletter from Catholic Charities USA http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/. They set up a special donation opportunity to help with Isaac relief, so I decided to donate through them, instead.
Not very long ago, the director of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Lubbock, commented that when there is a local emergency, the local Red Cross and Salvation Army get good publicity for their disaster aid. But almost always, Catholic Charities gets called, but does not get the publicity that the other two agencies get. I wonder what we can do about that.
I have been watching a lot of the television coverage of Hurricane/Tropical Storm/Tropical Depression Isaac on The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/. They have, at times, talked to American Red Cross workers, and talked about how easy it is to donate to the American Red Cross: you simply text http://www.redcross.org/search/index.jsp?_DARGS=/jspf/modules/nav/primary-navtemp.jsp and it will result in a $10 donation, which will show up on your phone bill. I think that is really great. I suspect, especially when that first was introduced, they received an increase in donations. We love technology and what it allows us to do. I sent in an idea to The Weather Channel: to add a link on their home page so people who check it can donate to The American Red Cross or the Salvation Army (one or both.) We shall see if that gets added.
I was getting ready to write a check to the American Red Cross for Isaac relief, but checked my emails first. As I am on the board of the local Catholic Charities organization http://www.cclubbock.org/index.html, I receive a weekly newsletter from Catholic Charities USA http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/. They set up a special donation opportunity to help with Isaac relief, so I decided to donate through them, instead.
Not very long ago, the director of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Lubbock, commented that when there is a local emergency, the local Red Cross and Salvation Army get good publicity for their disaster aid. But almost always, Catholic Charities gets called, but does not get the publicity that the other two agencies get. I wonder what we can do about that.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Mandatory Evacuation
I have spent a large part of my vacation watching The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/ broadcast of Tropical Storm/Hurricane Isaac. I know that there have been areas of mandatory evacuations, yet some people did not evacuate, especially in Plaquemines Parish. http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/plaquemines-parish-long-history-disasters-17109583. And, a nursing home did not evacuate. What does a mandatory evacuation order mean? Get out.
I get it. I do not want anyone telling me to leave my home to the ravages of nature and hoodlums. I want to think I can cope no matter what. I can imagine a couple of scenarios in Lubbock, Texas that would require an emergency evacuation. I can imagine my initial instinct to want to stay, and try to take care of my home. But the truth is, sometimes, I am not as self-sufficient and powerful as I want to be. And I need someone with more information, power, and authority to take care of me.
I understand that the logistics of evacuating nursing home patients is difficult, but it is a lot easier if it does not have to occur when the storm requiring it is putting its full force energy into the area. I think the administrators of any nursing home in Plaquemines Parish that did not evacuate when mandated, and had to be evacuated in the midst of the storm, should be investigated.
My hope is that everyone who did not comply with the mandatory evacuation order is now safe. More importantly, my hope is that everyone who tried to rescue those non-compliants is also now safe. The rescuers are true heroes and to them, I offer my thanks and prayers.
I get it. I do not want anyone telling me to leave my home to the ravages of nature and hoodlums. I want to think I can cope no matter what. I can imagine a couple of scenarios in Lubbock, Texas that would require an emergency evacuation. I can imagine my initial instinct to want to stay, and try to take care of my home. But the truth is, sometimes, I am not as self-sufficient and powerful as I want to be. And I need someone with more information, power, and authority to take care of me.
I understand that the logistics of evacuating nursing home patients is difficult, but it is a lot easier if it does not have to occur when the storm requiring it is putting its full force energy into the area. I think the administrators of any nursing home in Plaquemines Parish that did not evacuate when mandated, and had to be evacuated in the midst of the storm, should be investigated.
My hope is that everyone who did not comply with the mandatory evacuation order is now safe. More importantly, my hope is that everyone who tried to rescue those non-compliants is also now safe. The rescuers are true heroes and to them, I offer my thanks and prayers.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Hurricane Isaac
Maybe I am being too picky, maybe I have too much time on my hands because I am on vacation, but not much appealed to me on television today. But, I have spent a lot of time watching The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/ coverage of Isaac, which is just a tropical storm, but moving slowly, and causing its own share of havoc because of the wind and deluge of rain.
I think that the pressure is on for The Weather Channel. They missed the storm surge significance of Katrina http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina in 2005. They down played the danger from Ike http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Ike in 2008, and like the Galveston Hurricane in 1900, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1900_Galveston_hurricane, Ike was devastating to Galveston.
Unlike what happened in 2005 with Katrina, instead of waiting for the disaster and request for emergency services, the current plan is to put the emergency services in place ready to respond. Evacuations are being called for early.
The Army Corp of Engineers http://www.usace.army.mil/ has re-developed levees and gates and expresses confidence that they will hold. As one of the forecasters has said, no matter how strong the gates and levees are, and no matter how well the pumps are working, if the storm stalls and drops enormous amounts of rain, the pumps will not be able to keep up.
The amount of effort, energy and money it takes to be prepared for a storm like this is unimaginable. But if all that saves one life, it is well worth it.
I think that the pressure is on for The Weather Channel. They missed the storm surge significance of Katrina http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina in 2005. They down played the danger from Ike http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Ike in 2008, and like the Galveston Hurricane in 1900, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1900_Galveston_hurricane, Ike was devastating to Galveston.
Unlike what happened in 2005 with Katrina, instead of waiting for the disaster and request for emergency services, the current plan is to put the emergency services in place ready to respond. Evacuations are being called for early.
The Army Corp of Engineers http://www.usace.army.mil/ has re-developed levees and gates and expresses confidence that they will hold. As one of the forecasters has said, no matter how strong the gates and levees are, and no matter how well the pumps are working, if the storm stalls and drops enormous amounts of rain, the pumps will not be able to keep up.
The amount of effort, energy and money it takes to be prepared for a storm like this is unimaginable. But if all that saves one life, it is well worth it.
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