Just like a schlocky Disney tune…
A week ago southwest Lousiana was still hearing the departing howls of Hurricane Rita. Today I am sitting in my office/disaster operations center/barracks. A 25-KW diesel generator is singing sweet song in the background, providing an island of light and air conditioning.
On the work side of things, we’ve turned our office into a barracks for our technicians. We’ve got crews from Baton Rouge and Houston in addition to my own small local bunch. We have about 1600 square feet of air-conditioned space, offices, and last night we had ten people stretched out in various parts of the floor with air mattresses and sleeping bags.
The company sent us a shower and laundry module, two shower stalls, a water heater, a washer and a dryer. We scooted it into place in our shop. The shop is about 2500 square feet. today we’re supposed to be getting two 5-ton chiller units and another generator. The plan is to turn our shop into a barracks for even more technicians who will be out there trying to bring the petrochemical plants back on-stream.
Yesterday one of the main 230,000-volt transmission lines was back in service. I personally participated in tying one of our customers back to the utility line. My techs watched another plant go back on that line. Their plant has in-plant generation that is now supplying power to the southwest Louisiana power grid.
Amazing progress is being made in storm recovery in the local area. All the main roads and many secondary roads and side streets are now completely clear of downed trees and debris. Of course, “cleared” might mean that a four foot diameter tree trunk is cut off smooth right at the curb of the street, but you CAN drive down the street.
A quick look around the are shows me that Duke Energy from North Carolina is doing a tremendous job of repairing the distribution grid to the town. I suspect that we will soon see parts of the town returning to utility power. That’s gonna be nice. These generators sure are noisy.
A lot of businesses are open now, too. Each one has a generator blatting away. Gas stations open to waiting lines. The local Lowe’s has been open for several days now, and the various industrial supply houses are open. People are in pretty good humor, laughing and joking about the situation. What else is there to do? Cry? Demand that the GOVERNMENT come straighten out the mess? Blame George Bush?
There’s not a hotel room to be had in a hundred-mile radius of here. Every inhabitable room is occupied by some group of emergency workers or another. The housing situation is so bad that one big refinery is actually having 500 trailers brought in to house the workers needed to get them back on line. Expect to see that in your next gasoline or heating oil purchase…
We’re on the way back. The place won’t look the same. You don’t knock down hundreds of century-old oak trees and NOT change the way the place looks. There’ll be a LOT of new roofs on houses. And just as I’ve told people about Hurricane Audrey in 1957, today’s kids will be telling their grandchildren stories about how they came through Hurricane Rita in 2005.
And you as a grandpa will have some tales to tell too! When assistance comes your way to help with your personal losses, I’m sure you’ll accept graciously because you know the flip side of the “help coin.” You have helped others, now let them help you. The giver feels good about it, as you know. Don’t deny your friends that gift. Godspeed in your recovery.
Shortly after Katrina hit I heard a fellow call in to the radio show from outside New Orleans, where he was driving through an area of tree-fallen devastation towards his home. As he was feeling depressed from all the damage his 6 year old son riding with him said “Daddy, look at all the trees that are still standing.” And of course, he was correct – we see the downed trees, but even in most of the worst hit areas MOST of the trees are still standing.
Sorry to hear about your house, but your attitude is inspiring. Drove over the Calcasieu River I-10 bridge the other day and saw the sad sight of all those boats jammed into, over and under the railroad trestle – was one of them yours, or did your boat fair better than your house?
For the life of me I cannot believe we have not begun impeachment proceedings against bush. He has committed treason against the people of the gulf coast and is getting away with it!
The American people should be embarrassed they allowed a joke like bush to win. Of course he won based on the horrific fear that a couple of lesbians or gay guys might marry, raise good children, and threaten his sham of a marriage so…
Impeach bush.
When its all over and you look back it will be with a great deal of satisfaction in having been part of that tremendous recovery. I know having been there years ago thru floods and ice storms putting phones back into service. Its amazing how the American workers can get things done, makes you proud. And remember what Indigo said.