Veni Vidi...

Vomiti

Proud To Serve

For those who want to see my team (I am almost dead center in the middle row):

I am very proud to serve with DMAT CA-11, NDMS, and my country.

Back Home

I just got home from deployment yesterday. We first went to Atlanta, staging in anticipation of Ike landing in Miami. Then it changed course, crossing over Cuba as a strong Cat 4 storm, into the Caribbean Ocean, and then back over Cuba one more time before setting its sights on the Galveston, TX region very early Saturday, September 13th. There is A LOT of damage in Texas and Southwestern Louisiana. Not just Galveston, but Beaumont, Palestine, and other cities also. Houston also sustained major damage from hurricane Ike. In fact, the tallest building in Texas had most of its windows on one side completely blown out, most likely due to a pressure gradient caused when Ike pushed on the other side of the building.

We ended up at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston on Saturday, after Ike made landfall, providing care to the special needs population that arrived, primarily by ambulance and bus. It was a wonderfully fulfilling and successful mission for us.

The armada of ambulances, staged and ready to transport patients to local hospitals, and for long distance transport to San Antonio.

Never Forget

It was seven years ago today that this nation was attacked by terrorists. It changed many of our lives in ways we are still discovering. We traded some of our openness and freedoms for what we hope is enhanced security against further attacks; TSA screening everything we own when we board a plane, "LiveScan" fingerprinting and increased background checks for simple things such as employment, RealID coming up, and more.

It was on September 11, 2001, after the attacks, that I made the decision to join DMAT CA-11. I had tried to join the military years and years ago, but they wouldn't take me, since I was missing a kidney. I have always felt a strong need to give back to my country. I remember filling out the application that day, and have been a member of this team since then. Interestingly enough, my application sailed through in record time (Karma?).

Today I sit in a hotel in Dallas, waiting with my team and many others for Hurricane Ike to make landfall. Whether we move before it moves in, or afterward, is up to the folk well above my level. Some teams are out there evacuating patients, others like us, are waiting for our missions, which will eventually occur.

Please take time today to honor those who died as a result of these horrid acts. And take special time for those who died trying to save so many... the firefighters, EMTs, and police. They truly died serving their country on that day. If you don't already volunteer, consider it. It doesn't need to be DMAT... local non-profits are always looking for volunteers.

Training and Stress

While Hurricane Ike decides what to do, we are here training. It seems like busywork, and to some extent it is, but there are aspects to deployments that need reinforcement. Even to those of us that are deployment "veterans" (i.e. those who have been on a 2 week mission in austere settings before), you can't learn enough of some subjects. For the new folk, it may be their first introduction to a subject while out in the field. So, if you hear me referring to training, realize it is for a very good reason!

Stress can be a big problem on deployments. So, we are given downtime for obvious reasons. It lets us "let our guard down", stand down, cool down, whatever you want to call it. Sharing a room can be a stressor for some people who are more accustomed to having a hotel room by themselves. Eventually, living in a tent, a gym, or other location can (and will) add to stress. I am writing this entry during a 1-hour period of downtime.

So, just to let everyone know, I am doing fine. Kicking back in my room right now! Another training at 3:00pm... (Eastern time, that is)

Hurry up and wait

Well, we made it to Atlanta yesterday. Red-eye flights are fun... NOT! I can't sleep on planes. I've tried, nothing helps, even diphenhydramine only makes me drowsy. Every noise or vibration keeps me awake (Yes, I have tried earplugs). So, we made it to our hotel, got checked in (Checking in 35 people takes a bit of time!), and got to our room. Switched rooms, when there was a plumbing issue (Toilet leaking). Got dinner, and got to bed. Some of my teammates went out for a little while to wind down... I didn't need that. My bed is so friggin comfortable, I was out in moments! I am going to thoroughly enjoy this time here, since I believe in the "No good deed goes unpunished" principle. Chances are, once Hurricane Ike hits, we will be sleeping on cots in or on our sleeping bags (Been there before!).

More to come later!

Deployed to Atlanta

Well, my team (DMAT CA-11) has been deployed. We will be on our way to Atlanta to pre-stage for the expected landfall of Hurricane Ike. We are leaving at (get this) 12:25 AM on a flight to Houston, then on to Atlanta.

Finishing packing my gear... hope I don't miss packing something important. I use lists, but all of us manage to forget something!

Activated

Tonight, I got activation orders, effective 11:00 am tomorrow. Will let you know when/where/etc as I know.

Holding pattern

I am still waiting to see if I am deployed. In the meantime, life goes on...

Hurricane Gustav

... is making landfall as I write this entry. I am currently anticipating being deployed in the near future (24-48 hours) to the region. Depends on the amount of damage, the needs of the evacuees, and what NDMS decides to do. For those of you who are curious, there are teams that have been "pre-deployed", and are staged (waiting) in safe locations in nearby states. Others are already handling special needs populations that were evacuated to Dallas and other areas.

I just heard on the news (NBC) that the storm surge is topping one of the levees. Not good, folk. There is also a barge and a boat on the loose in one of the canals. They can actually damage the levees.