UPDATE:
I finally got the call about 11:30 this morning PDT. I'm officially deployed to hurricane Gustav as a FEMA Disaster Inspector. I leave at 7 AM in the morning for Dallas. All packed and ready to go. Motel booked, vehicle booked, flight booked, boarding pass in hand, banking done, bills paid.
Nothing left to do but wait now. I'm a bit excited! I didn't sleep all that well last night waiting to hear the final word. Been a scramble today getting my local jobs covered by others.
Looks like New Orleans will get their butt kicked again from what I'm seeing on the weather maps. Heavy storm surge looks like it will pound southern Louisiana in addition to the high winds. Currently, Gustav is a Cat-3 to 4 with hurricane force winds out to 65 miles from the center and tropical storm force wind out to 220 miles. It's moving north west at about 18 mph but should slow as it approaches land. It is about 200 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi now.
Dana
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Gustov Hits the South
Hello Everyone!
The big news today is hurricane Gustov that is coming in out of the gulf somewhere in the LA and TX coast area. I'm waiting with baited breath too. You see, I'm a FEMA Disaster Inspector and I've been alerted via email to get ready to deploy. Not sure yet where or IF I'm going. Waiting for the call today. It will be either Texas or Alabama if I'm deployed per what I've been told so far.
I'm madly creating lists of things I'll need to take for a potential 30 day deployment. Think about it. What would you bring along if YOU were going into a disaster area for 30 days? Will there be rooms to rent, cars available for rent, phone service, internet, even food and drink? It will be an adventure for sure!
We are "independent contractors" so we must foot the bill for food, lodging and car rental while we are there. Essentially, all living expenses. An all this must be done with only a few days notice. Of course, we are paid well for doing this, the potential income is pretty substantial but the hardships are there too. And then there is the help flow aspect of the whole process. I will be helping a lot of people get their life back together if they are impacted by the storm damage. This is important and rewarding work in itself aside from the money. I know that FEMA got a black eye on Katrina but this time they have gotten their sh** together and are manning up way in advance of the storm. Things should go better this time.
I've been told that I will be flying into Dallas/Fort Worth area and then staging at a suburb called Desoto, TX until deployed. After that, who knows. If I have Internet service, I will be able to blog this whole experiance here as it unfolds. I will be taking my computer and broadband access card along to keep my life on track as much as possible. I pretty much run my life on the "Net" so I'm hoping that can continue. If not, drop back 5 yards and punt!
Stay Tuned to this channel, I'll be blogging about this adventure as much as possible right here on "Thoughts from A Boomer"
The big news today is hurricane Gustov that is coming in out of the gulf somewhere in the LA and TX coast area. I'm waiting with baited breath too. You see, I'm a FEMA Disaster Inspector and I've been alerted via email to get ready to deploy. Not sure yet where or IF I'm going. Waiting for the call today. It will be either Texas or Alabama if I'm deployed per what I've been told so far.
I'm madly creating lists of things I'll need to take for a potential 30 day deployment. Think about it. What would you bring along if YOU were going into a disaster area for 30 days? Will there be rooms to rent, cars available for rent, phone service, internet, even food and drink? It will be an adventure for sure!
We are "independent contractors" so we must foot the bill for food, lodging and car rental while we are there. Essentially, all living expenses. An all this must be done with only a few days notice. Of course, we are paid well for doing this, the potential income is pretty substantial but the hardships are there too. And then there is the help flow aspect of the whole process. I will be helping a lot of people get their life back together if they are impacted by the storm damage. This is important and rewarding work in itself aside from the money. I know that FEMA got a black eye on Katrina but this time they have gotten their sh** together and are manning up way in advance of the storm. Things should go better this time.
I've been told that I will be flying into Dallas/Fort Worth area and then staging at a suburb called Desoto, TX until deployed. After that, who knows. If I have Internet service, I will be able to blog this whole experiance here as it unfolds. I will be taking my computer and broadband access card along to keep my life on track as much as possible. I pretty much run my life on the "Net" so I'm hoping that can continue. If not, drop back 5 yards and punt!
Stay Tuned to this channel, I'll be blogging about this adventure as much as possible right here on "Thoughts from A Boomer"
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
"Doing Your Duty", Jury Service
Yesterday I had to report to the Los Angeles Superior Court to be a part of the "jury pool". Talk about "hurry up and wait", this was the epitome of that concept.
Instructions on the paperwork say "Must arrive by 7:30 AM and enter through such and such door only". Well, at 7:30 AM, they opened that door only to tell up to go around the side to another door where we got to wait some more.
Once in the "Jury Assembly room", we wait a while longer while they get it together and wait for stragglers. (the last finally showed up at 8:30 AM!) The clerk runs through all the info about what is going to happen, how to fill out the form, (which was supposed to be done already) and talks about reasons that might be valid for excusing from service or postponing it. Blah Blah Blah.....
Finally, at about 10:00 AM we get called up to the court room for MORE instructions and more "weeding out". Remember, I've been here since 7:30 AM!
First, we get to meet the lawyers and the principals in the upcoming trial and listen to what is essentially their opening arguments so we can get a feel for the trial issues.
Then the Judge explains his estimate of how long this particular trial will take.
He estimates this case will take 22 trial days! Counting the various holidays and other commitments he has, this case will run all the way into October. Holy Crap! I can't be off work for this long. I will be pushing a shopping cart by the middle of September!
The Judge explains his process for culling out those with "extreme financial hardship" claims and proceeds to do so. He also explains that he is one of the few that allows this during his selection process. Others do not do this and if he excuses someone today, it's a crap shoot if they might get worse from another Judge and trial since they do not allow for financial hardship excuses.
Long story short - I am able to get excused and, after lunch, return to the "holding pen" for another assignment. Here I sit for another two hours or so and finally, at around 4:00 PM, we all get released. Yeah, that's the end of it. No more requirement to serve for another year.
Later, Dana
Instructions on the paperwork say "Must arrive by 7:30 AM and enter through such and such door only". Well, at 7:30 AM, they opened that door only to tell up to go around the side to another door where we got to wait some more.
Once in the "Jury Assembly room", we wait a while longer while they get it together and wait for stragglers. (the last finally showed up at 8:30 AM!) The clerk runs through all the info about what is going to happen, how to fill out the form, (which was supposed to be done already) and talks about reasons that might be valid for excusing from service or postponing it. Blah Blah Blah.....
Finally, at about 10:00 AM we get called up to the court room for MORE instructions and more "weeding out". Remember, I've been here since 7:30 AM!
First, we get to meet the lawyers and the principals in the upcoming trial and listen to what is essentially their opening arguments so we can get a feel for the trial issues.
Then the Judge explains his estimate of how long this particular trial will take.
He estimates this case will take 22 trial days! Counting the various holidays and other commitments he has, this case will run all the way into October. Holy Crap! I can't be off work for this long. I will be pushing a shopping cart by the middle of September!
The Judge explains his process for culling out those with "extreme financial hardship" claims and proceeds to do so. He also explains that he is one of the few that allows this during his selection process. Others do not do this and if he excuses someone today, it's a crap shoot if they might get worse from another Judge and trial since they do not allow for financial hardship excuses.
Long story short - I am able to get excused and, after lunch, return to the "holding pen" for another assignment. Here I sit for another two hours or so and finally, at around 4:00 PM, we all get released. Yeah, that's the end of it. No more requirement to serve for another year.
Later, Dana
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)