Stay safe out there in Southern Texas!!!

reading the posts from our guys here on Tundras.com, the briefings at work, news on tv and the radio....I feel useless.

 

My unit was activated and sent down there. I'm stuck up here. I would go down in a heart beat if allowed.

 

maybe but the last time the state activated the air and army national Guard was when katrina hit

 

Please believe me when I say this rant is in no way to detract from the loss of lives nor property...it's just my experience with storms, nothing more, nothing less, and it's just my opinion from personal experience. There is no intent to detract from the devastation that south Texas is dealing with.

-Having lived through 2 hurricanes I can say that some of the hardest bites to swallow are during the aftermath. Knowing what needs to happen but crippled communities, road blockages, lack of power, overload on responders, and local utilities not being able to get to the affected areas is very difficult not to be frustrated about.

Everyone is working diligently to assist but all is slow going. Removal, repair, and accessing doesn't happen quickly, and for those that cannot do for themselves are even more "crippled."

The hurricanes I've ridden out are absolutely childish in comparison to Harvey so I can only imagine what the aftermath and rebuild will consist of. The storm itself brings an enormous amount of adrenalin and heartbreak, but once the water starts to recede the endurance nightmare kicks in.

I feel for everyone that's been devastated, though sometimes during these trying times the true colors shine, communities are truly brought together, and will form bands of brothers that will live strong and close.

Yes, there is terrible loss, but I've learned to try and find any positivity I can during destructive times like this. Sorry if this offends anyone but I can't help but watch the responders, the citizens, and all that have committed themselves to South Texas to be of benefit.

I was in the oxygen and respiratory therapy field during the last storm I was mandated to ride out, and we had 3500 oxygen patients that were out of power, backup cylinders, and couldn't get around without assistance. 20 hour days for 2 weeks straight in 4x4 trucks lugging chainsaws, oxygen cylinders, and liquid O2 was the most intense couple weeks I've ever spent. There were people in critical condition, some had perrished, and some really didn't need us.....but we had no way of knowing which to triage.

I'm very surprised only 11 have been found without life during Harvey so far, and I have to contribute the number of people with boats that can access people as an enormous blessing.

My hat goes off to those that have been ordered to help, those that have chosen a profession to be of assistance, but the local citizens deserve a massive amount of appreciation as well.

Sorry for the rant, but the magnitude of what's happened, and will continue to happen, is heartbreaking. I just needed to share, and I really wish my physical presence was a possibility after the water recedes, when some of my experience could be of assistance.

 

I believe the death toll this far is 15....one of which i know was an officer who was working who was caught in flood waters and down

 

Terrible

 

Thanks Mike....Brother will be moving to a house in Corpus, where they can stay as long as they need to. Makes it much easier on them, with her elderly parents living with them, too. Situation well in hand. And as I said in my reply to your PM, very little damage to any of the houses in the country club neighborhood where he lives. He was so fortunate where so many others have lost everything. Rockport is definitely trashed, but good!

 

I'm no fan of nor apologist for the likes of Joel Osteen, but from what I hear, this entire story is a fabrication. He did not open his doors to flood victims because the church itself was flooded. That's the latest from what I've read.

 

You might get your chance yet.....If the European model is once again on target, as it was with Sandy and Harvey, the entire eastern seaboard is in jeopardy from Irma.

 

I won't....my knee is jacked up from deployment. that's why i didn't get to this time. But my fellow security forces members are as is most of my wing. those of us in thecrear are sending the gear needed and supplies for our guys down there that are helping.

 

Now see? You're not useless at all!! Not in the least!

 

Thanks but i still feel like it. I want to be in the middle of everything

 

Yes, I understand that. but your support in the rear is important, too. I just hope you can get that knee better.

 

Make sure to wear masks down there as they have started spraying chemicals and poisons to combat the so called Zika scare. By the way, isnt Zika patented?