here we go again

[marathoner452]

In the last 5 minutes I've turned down a disaster deployment that leaves tomorrow and accepted a possible deployment leaving Sunday.  I can't miss my sister going off to college, I just can't.  And all I know about it this time around is that I'm going south.  No news other than that.  Wow.  Just wow.  And right before the 1-year anniversary too.  I think now I can forgive myself for not jumping on a disaster deployment last fall.  Updates as events warrant.

Marathon training can wait.

~Bethany

EDIT:  Ernesto is now a tropical storm.  It's still a long ways from landfall though, maybe a week so a lot could happen between now and then.  I'm not even sure if that was an official deployment request or just a chance for them to guarantee that they'll have the manpower IF something happens.  They're being really careful this year.  Once again, updates as events warrant.  And I got my driver's side mirror clipped off as a car tried to escape the police.  Half a dozen state troopers and a helicopter, but that's another entry.

Comments

[black-op.livejournal.com]

Good luck, God bless,
Here or down South.

[batemanenroute.livejournal.com]

Whereabouts?

Travel well.

[xclassicstarx.livejournal.com]

It's amazing how devoted you are to all the different opportunities for relief/disaster/volunteer work. Good luck and stay safe.

[ratkrycek.livejournal.com]

Whoa.

Stuff me in your suitcase, yeah?

Travel safe; be safe.

And go, you. :)

[marathoner452.livejournal.com]

If I could I would, believe me. I have a feeling this one's going to involve a lot more waiting and you'd be good company.

The really cool part is that obviously they trust me again. Whatever happened back in July must've blown over or something. I'm not sure what happened actually, but I'm not going to question it.

~Bethany

[ratkrycek.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've been following Ernesto so it's cool to see my hunch was correct. I can see why they're being careful - I forget what drunah or drunah said the storm strength threshold was for NOLA evacuations this year, but it wasn't all that high.

But I guess it needn't be for folks to get out of there. All those people in the FEMA trailers... which don't do well in tornadoes and I imagine wouldn't stand up that well to a hurricane.

Let us hope Ernesto doesn't get as strong as Katrina, or hit dead on, or goes offcourse, or peters out, or goes to Florida or Texas. LA and MS don't need it just now.

But let's hope - well, how can I say I hope it's still a deployment for you, without wishing destruction to somebody, somewhere? Or maybe your chapter's renewed faith in you is enough for now.

[marathoner452.livejournal.com]

I think the fact that the Frederick chapter people trust me again is good enough. I still hope I get to go, but being able to run the race, stuff myself on etouffee, and just hang out out and catch up on reading for a week or two wouldn't be bad either. Sometimes all I want is lazy-summer-time, like my icon.

Good thing I have absolutely no control over it at this point. All I can do is obsessively follow the weather forecast and get started on building a huge fan to keep Ernesto away from the Gulf Coast.

~Bethany

[ratkrycek.livejournal.com]

Meanwhile, here's a fun website for you: http://sleepinginairports.com/

[ratkrycek.livejournal.com]

And my current readibg: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0609803700/104-8757871-7208737?v=glance&n=283155

[realrosebud.livejournal.com]

there's a diaster down south? i don't recall hearing about it/

[marathoner452.livejournal.com]

There isn't one...yet. But Ernesto just became a tropical storm this afternoon and could threaten the Gulf Coast. It's hard to tell, but they're just so vulnerable to anything right now that I can see why the Red Cross is being super-careful and deploying us ahead of time.\

We call that a "pre-landfall deployment." Bring a good book, make some friends, and be prepared to wait and wait in Atlanta or Houston and stay glued to the news.

~Bethany

[black-op.livejournal.com]

Atlanta as in GA? I'll be there next week for DragonCon. You should definitely attend just in case they need you.

[roadwarrior220.livejournal.com]

I had a bad feeling about this--the season was going too well.

Please keep me posted--I don't know how much access I'll have to the internet, so call me as soon as you hear anything. And be safe.

I'll have to make you your etouffee when you come back, if you do go.

~Adam

[roadwarrior220.livejournal.com]

And I saw that chase thingy on the news tonight--you okay? That'd shake me, I can tell you that.

~Adam

[marathoner452.livejournal.com]

That was on the NATIONAL news? I got clipped by someone who made the national news? Since I didn't get hurt, that's pretty cool.

6-8 police cars and a helicopter, and I just found an article on it here: http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/9741279/detail.html.
Turns out it was a woman who checked out of the Holiday Inn on Rt. 40 in Frederick, left a purse full of drugs, went back to get it and saw the police, then fled until they finally caught up with her in PG County. That's pretty wild.

Scary, too. She came within inches of my car. There's nothing you can do to prevent an accident when something like that happens. She was going 100 mph at one point according to the article.

Well, you can't say my last day at work wasn't eventful.

~Bethany

[ratkrycek.livejournal.com]

Ending like it started, neh? :)

Now I really want to finish my DSHR classes. :(

[ratkrycek.livejournal.com]

You forgot Adam's in MD now. Ha ha.

*points and laughs*

[marathoner452.livejournal.com]

Hahaha, even your cat's laughing at me.

~Bethany

[ratkrycek.livejournal.com]

That's Corey's cat, Broken, actually. But it's perfect for times like these. :)

[roadwarrior220.livejournal.com]

Remember, I'm in Maryland now...I see these things. :-P

~Adam

[quick-step.livejournal.com]

Strange, but I thought about you when I read about that police chase. Even though I know a few people in that area...

Good luck with your deployment. I hope Ernesto isn't too bad, though things don't look encouraging. We don't need a hurricane anywhere these days, but especially not the mid-Gulf coast.