KMG_365 Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I get the feeling that my buddy Ed is going to have a busy week! "A" marks the spot: Don't look now, but . . . : Hang in there buddy! I hope you enjoyed the UnRally . . . and welcome home! Link to comment
Firefight911 Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Should take care of the brush fires. Link to comment
Lawman Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Maybe his bike will finally get washed... Link to comment
Whip Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I just talked to Eddd. He sounds like he's lookin forward to it. Link to comment
smiller Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 He sounds like he's lookin forward to it. Anything would be an improvement over a Texas summer. Link to comment
eddd Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Yes, it looks more and more like we are going to take a direct hit. I just got back from a state-wide emergency management conference call. We'll have two more of those today: 4:30 and 9:30 tonight. Then the planning will be over and the work will begin. On the plus side it is predicted to be a category 1 , sustained winds around 100 with gust to about 115. Lots of rain possible, 4-8" over the entire area with the possibility of 15-20" in certain areas. We look to be on the north side of the storm, which always receives the most rain. On the negative side it is predicted to be a catergory 1 , which means very few will evacuate. That leaves us with lots of people who will require assistance. Lots of trees down, lots of debris, power outages, and lots of flooding in isolated areas. Of course these storms are very unpredictable and it may take a turn to the north or south and leave us with some moderate wind and a few inches of rain. That type of thing has happened many times over the years to the point that I haven't installed boards over my windows yet. I'm waiting until the 4:30 conference call to see if it is necessary. And Phil, you are right about the brush/grass fires. Of course the heavy rains will lead to a huge increase in vegetation, especially grass, which will dry out and provide a huge fire load somewhere down the road. I'll try to keep you posted. Link to comment
Whip Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Don't forget to take some pix of the storm!!!! Link to comment
rogera Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Hey Eddd, Don't forget to pick up a couple of bags of ice. Nothing worse the drinking warm beer in the dark. I hope it misses you. Link to comment
tallman Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Fingers crossed that it is not a serious damage storm and all come out OK> Link to comment
Calvin (no socks) Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Find a dry stream bed and take mo' pictures.... I'm the same way on boarding up the windows... Lemme see the wind first.. then I'll act. BTDT Link to comment
eddd Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 The boards just went up. Dolly is on her way for a visit. Link to comment
KMG_365 Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 The boards just went up. Dolly is on her way for a visit. Dude, looks like a direct hit amidships! Ironically, I wore your department T-Shirt you gave me to work yesterday. I know you and your folks will be busy--be well and come home safe! ILWGH Link to comment
Lets_Play_Two Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 "sustained winds around 100 with gust to about 115." Smal1 quibble...that would be a category 2 hurricane!! Right now winds are 75 mph sustained. Good news is that hurricane force winds only extend 15 miles from center. Be safe!!! Link to comment
Mike05 Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Ed, Stay safe. Feel like "drying out" after the storm, cmon up & spend a few days with us in Dallas. We can do that valve adjustment.....again Mike & Joyce Link to comment
Bullett Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Take care, Ed, we'll be thinking about you. Link to comment
hopz Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Well, you guys in South Texas have lots of "flat" so tie down the dogs and just let her blow. Good luck and tell us about it when you can. Bob Link to comment
eddd Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Thanks for the kind words and thoughts. We are currently just riding out the storm, which at this point is little more than a very strong rain and wind storm that just keeps on going. I've been able to move easily from my house to the EOC, Emergency Operations Center. The power went out to most of town with the first band of wind and showers. Not sure what happened there, conditions were nowhere near the point that we should have lost power. Of course, we have power at the EOC and fire station. I have power at my house in town because I'm on the local electic cooperative system. I see the power loss as being the biggest problem for people...and they won't begin to work on restoring power until the storm passes which could be late this evening. One of the TV stations sent a lead reporter to our EOC. Now this isn't one of those reporters who are low on the totem pole and have to stand out in the driving rain to pay their dues. The one who showed up was perfectly madeup with every hair in place. I told everyone at the EOC that we'd should agree to an interview but only if she would conduct the interview outside in the driving rain. There is a possibility that the eye will move over town. That's about it for now. I better head back to the EOC. Link to comment
BeniciaRT_GT Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Ed, I hope all goes well and there aren't any problems Y'all can't handle quickly with all the folks that stayed. Take care of yourself! Link to comment
BFish Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 hang in there texans! Radar Looks like a cat 2 with some serious rain. Link to comment
Whip Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 It looks like the Dolly had her sights on Eddd the whole time....and she has real good aim. Hang in there Eddd. There's gonna be a lot people needin your help. Whip Link to comment
eddd Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 We are still in a holding pattern in the EOC. We are on the south side of the storm, which should be the drier side, but not with Dolly! We are hunkered down for a few more hours, but we are able to move around if needed...a couple of emergency medical calls, moving people to the shelters, and I got home to make a hot meal for the staff at the EOC. Lost power at the house just as I was finishing up preparing lunch. Had to finish in the the garage using my generator. Link to comment
KMG_365 Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 Hold the fort, Ed! Wowser! Link to comment
hANNAbONE Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 sENDING sOME prayer your way Edddd.....hang on, brutha.. Link to comment
Knifemaker Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 don't forget to take some pix of the storm!!!! Remember the RULES without pics it didn't happen..... Ride it out big guy....You can do it....We do it here in Florida... Link to comment
eddd Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 Just a quick update. Winds and rain are abating. Lots of wind damage and flooding. We made a quick sweep cleaning trees and moving some people to shelters prior to dark. Too dangerous to continue operations now. We'll be back at it at first light...only responding to serious emergencies through the night. Link to comment
Huzband Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 Good on ya, Eddd. Who needs FEMA, anyway? Link to comment
eddd Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 Here's another quick update. Got some rest last night...until we got a call to provide mutual for a warehouse fire in neighboring Brownsville at about 4:45 AM. Difficult access, no city water in that area, trees and debris partially blocking the limited access we had...tough start to the day. Power is out and could be for days. Flood waters receeding. Various state task force teams moving in to help local entities. And private citizens taking it upon themselves to help remove trees and debris. That was great to see. It freed us to attended to other tasks. Thanks for your thoughts and prays. Link to comment
Firefight911 Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 Good to hear the updates from you Ed!!! Thanks and don't hesitate to call me for some mutual aid! Link to comment
MikeRC Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 Hey Ed, keep up the good work. Nice meeting you in John Day, hope to cross paths again. Maybe Spring Torrey next year? Mike Cassidy Link to comment
Whip Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 Did ya get any pix???????????????? ...and is this a bad thing....when your working in Pipe Creek * THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR... PIPE CREEK AND 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF BANDERA FALLS BY 130 PM CDT... Link to comment
Francois_Dumas Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 Damn, been following the storm on the news and Internet and missed this thread ! Hope you're all okay ! Link to comment
Effjay Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 Hey Ed, was there a run on hip waders in Los Fresnos? I see AP photographer David Phillip captured a shot of at least one local looking for high ground (bottom right corner of my local newspaper front page - no not the story about your Cowboys training here! Jeff mod edit: link deleted at request of OP Link to comment
eddd Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 Pretty amazing to see a photo from my little town in a California paper. Here is the fire station of the next town to the east. Laguna Vista sits on the Laguna Madre, which is the large bay just inside the barrier island that is South Padre Island, which is on the Gulf of Mexico. They had their trucks parked in Los Fresnos so at least those weren't damaged. You can see what is left of the doors piled in front of the station. Obviously that pile of door debris is not large enough to account for all six doors. Who knows where the rest ended up. I only took a couple of pictures, just too busy. Some small parts of town have power restored, but not my house. It wasn't too bad the first couple of days because it was cooler than normal from the storm. Today was hot and muggy. It will not be comfortable until the power is restored and my A/C is doing its thing. The storm is gone but its effects are everywhere. Flooding continues as the rain water that fell to the west moves east and adds to the flooding we already had experienced. I spent the better part of the day at one of the ice/water/food distribution sites. If you ever have your choice, take the job unloading the ice from the trailer over unloading the water or food boxes. It got pretty hot inside the trailer that carried all the pallets of food and water. I sweat it out as fast as I could drink it in. More of the same tomorrow. Link to comment
Effjay Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 Ed, I'm very glad to hear you are doing OK in the aftermath of Dolly. That's the last time I'll link to a newspaper frontpage image here - seems it refreshes each day rather than locking in on the image-of-the-day... Live, post and learn. Stay dry and cooler my friend. (Forum moderator - please delete VC Star weblink in post 366988 if possible) Jeff Link to comment
Francois_Dumas Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 Glad you're okay Ed, also glad I don't live there ! Phew !! Link to comment
eddd Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 Quick update before heading back to the food/water distribution: My power just came back on after four days, but it is a only a little bright spot. The flooding destruction is really depressing. Some of the outlying areas continue to have water levels RISING! It is very dishearting to see houses sitting in what has basically become huge lakes. To try to put this in perspective: The effected area is the size of West Virgina. The state distributed 112 tractor trailers of ice and 112 tractor trailers of water in one day! This is in additon to food and now cleanup kits. Getting back to normal is a long way off for many. Gotta go help hand out supplies. Link to comment
Twisties Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 Wow. Ed, This story is not getting out. Amazing. Thanks for keeping us abreast. How's your home as far as damage? Take care of yourself out there, Jan Link to comment
KMG_365 Posted July 26, 2008 Author Share Posted July 26, 2008 To try to put this in perspective: The effected area is the size of West Virgina. Dang. My best to you and thanks for your service to your neighbors. Link to comment
eddd Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Wow. Ed, This story is not getting out. Amazing. Thanks for keeping us abreast. How's your home as far as damage? Take care of yourself out there, Jan The news media has moved on which is typical in this sort of event. No nore wind-driven rain for the cub report to stand in, so it is on to the next news story. I had no damage other than my young trees left way off plumb. Not really worth mentioning compared to what has happen to so many others, most of who had little to begin with. Link to comment
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