From the Citizen Soldier side: Many years ago, when I was in a National Guard Combat Engineer unit, we had a saying. Our saying was: "The four seasons of the Calif Army National Guard
1.) Floods. 2.) Fires. 3.) Earthquakes. 4.) Riots.
Now the fifth- War.
As I was driving home after my cop job today, stuck in the suckass traffic, I heard a story on the news that gave me a flash back. (not a bad one where I whipped out my .45 and starting shooting or anything...more like an old story that came back.)
Around our state there are at least 5 major wild land fires burning. If you've never been to California, you might think the entire state is on fire. Nope, just a few little spots, it's a big ass state. We could let half of it burn and still have a bunch left.
But the news said how the folks in one area were told they needed to evacuate. 5 of them knuckelheads didn't. Then they began crying for help. What these morons didn't understand was now that they waited, some fire fighters would have to risk their lives to go get them out. But, finally somebody in charge had the balls to tell them morons they had to do it on their own.
About 10 years ago, when I was on a flood mission on the Russian River. The locals were told: "It is going to flood. Period, no doubt, it's going to flood. You need to get out now if you are in a flood area because after it floods, we will not do any rescues."
Guess what. Several local dumbasses still called and asked to be rescued. All we had were old 5 ton dump trucks. My truck weighed 28,000 pounds- empty. When I drove a little ways into a flooded area, my truck started to move sideways.
I wasn't about to risk my crew, and myself to try to rescue some retards who waited until it was too late to get out when they were warned ahead of time to get out. Just because they were retards didn't mean we had to join the club.
(I'm sorry if you were under the impression that we all would do crazy shit to save stupid people.)
10 comments:
You're giving me hurricane Ike flashbacks...
It scares me how many people didn't evacuate for that storm. For all the devistation it caused, we got off easy...this time.
What a mess...
The next big storm might not be so kind...(if you call Ike kind, that is.)
Problem is, you don't know exactly how bad it will be until it's too late...
I have no sympathy for people who are warned that the chance is 100% IT WILL FLOOD? Duh.
I agree, you not only risk your life, but rescue workers as well...and use valuable resourses that other people who stayed for YOUR safety need.
California has burned every fall for 10,000 years. Ever wonder why the Indian tribes only lived on the coast or out in the Mojave Desert where there is nothing to burn? Richard Henry Dana (Two Years Before the Mast) wrote of the place burning down every September when he visited in the 1800's.
You know if you burn half the state, you would be left with half.. not a bunch. And since it is the lower half burning lets toss some fuel on the fire and let it go!
Nor CA, This is a fucking blog, I write the way I talk.
half of CA is a bunch, I'm required to be so precise when I work, so excuseeeee meeee. But I think we should just break off from the south.
Well, since being precise is so important, you could divide the State into four sections with half the State being in the South, half in the North, half in the East and half in the West. It would still be a bunch in all four sections of the half assed State.
CP, they can do whatever they want, when I retire, I'm moving away....
We all live some place that Mother Nature shows us her fury in so many ways. As a Katrina survior...not a "VICTIM", living on the beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast, we all know that it is up to us to evacuate. We did so for Katrina, as we have done countless times when huricanes threathen. I get so mad at people that don't, won't, or refuse to take their bodies out if harms way when nature is a true threat.
I feel your anger about those that refuse to heed the warnings, therefore, putting the RESCUE CREWS in harms way. Not right!
Again, I thank you for your undying support to my kids, Dave and Liz. Your words, your thoughts, and your constant comments are such a great source of commfort to all of us.
You will always be in my thoughts and prayers, sir!
Thank you and stay in touch....
I did forget to mention in our little flood, it was New Year's Eve and most of the folks were totally intoxicated and high.
A few were stoned for days, woke up on the second floor of their abode, and then called the fire station. "Wow man, the water is up over my ass, can you come rescue me?"
"NO. Go back to sleep, the fuckin' water is going down now."
CI, I like the way you talk a whole bunch...and I think you have a superdooper blog. ;)
Lamp, I just have to say...I'm so glad you're not a "victim" but a SURVIVOR of Katrina. Houston opened it's heart to help in that nightmare...but so many chose to be victims...and remain victims.
Oh,and CI... you,I believe, are a true public servant...who deals with lots of knuckleheads daily and keeps on keepin' on anyway, because you care. So thank you. CA will have lost a good man when you retire and move away.
CI - I've been reading your comments on other blogs for a long time now, but finally took the time to pop over to your little neck of the internet world and read a little bit. Thank you for your service - on both sides - civi and military.
As for the topic of your post - I've never been in a position of being told to evacuate, but if I was? I'd load up my shit and go.
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