November 12, 2018

FIRE 2 + UPDATE


Map: CAL Fire, via ABC10
           
·       I haven’t heard from my Friend Bobbie this morning.  She has hundreds of friends waiting for a call or message.  The list of notes on her Facebook site is growing.  She lives right in the middle of that map.
·       My friend Katy, who lives in Comptche CA writes, and I post with permission:
·       “How to help make sure you survive when you live in a rural area tips…#! Is your house number clearly marked on your access road to you property so fireman can find you? #2 can a fire truck drive down your driveway and TURN AROUND…if it can’t you need to widen out your driveway and parking area #3 if you have a water tank or water storage make sure a fire engine can hook into it…this usually involves an stanchion and a chain holding an adapter of some kind so the fire truck can suck up the tank’s water…all three of these ideas help firefighters defend your home…
·       Katy again: Hi there…when I DID think we were going to loose the house in a wildfire I took photo albums, cash, computer and a good bottle of Scotch…what I forgot was my paper address book (it’s not on computer) My car was loaded and ready to exit, but off to the side of the road so fire trucks could access the road…they did moments later. Daughter got home, loaded her stuff and the family photos in the hallway and her dad’s white Birkenstock work shoes for his nursing job…a uniform could be replaced, white Birk’s would have been harder. We’re assembling a 3 day  emergency supplies barrel (30 gallon) ex-olive container…water filter, food, blankets, radio/flashlights/batteries, food enough to carry a family 3 days after an earthquake sheltering in place. We’re also turning the church basement into a 30 person shelter with generator, food, water, fuel, radios, first aid supplies while organizing the community. Our daughter is in charge of the phone tree for east Comptche Valley and has a radio to communicate with the fire department. County sheriff told the community to figure on 2 weeks before we’d get outside help. Luckily we have doctors and health professionals who live here. Given wildfires I’m inclined to have my cash in a glass jar buried in the yard as having it in a barrel that could melt would be no good. When Tassajara Hot Springs above Carmel thought they were going to loose everything in a fire they wrapped up all their sacred texts and dug a hole in their biggest lawn and buried everything there underground…luckily they stopped their fire too…Katy
·       Two stories from the back country of California thanks to Katy.
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Nov. 13:
Bobbie is still home now with Calabasas and Hidden Hills being evacuated.  I love her, but she doesn't remember we are all out here worrying about her.  101 has reopened but the road through Topanga is still closed.  
George is ignoring his empty stomach by playing computer games.  I need to feed me before we head to surgery.  It's going to be an interesting day.
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  • Himself:  His queue looks really good today.  Tomorrow he is off work, and probably will take a few more sick days too.  He’s to get up every 45 minutes, walk, and do leg lifts and ankle exercises.
  • Myself:  Today: Laundry, cleaning, bank, grocery shopping for what I can carry up the stairs to feed him.
  • Reading:  Nothing.  The ugliness of the last book put me on hold.
  • Gratitude’s:  The heater.  It was 40 outside this morning.



11 comments:

  1. 40 outside here as well. WAter in the bird bath froze again so now I have to connect the heater...in the cold. Give a hug to Geezer from us who have worked through surgery and tell him to push and be patient...it is all about balance. Those fires are the world, they are what we will endure in decades ahead, or earthquakes, or floods, or mudslides or maybe a new comet hitting us somewhere. We are leaving behind a huge mess.

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  2. I'm thinking of you! May Bobbie turn up!!

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  3. I hope that Bobbie turns up safe. What a frightening thing those wild fires must be. I can't imagine.

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    1. She's still home, but the fires are getting very close this Tuesday evening.

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  4. Such practical things we don’t think about until it’s too late!

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  5. 40 seems very cold for San Diego! It was 42 here this morning, with frost on some roofs. Our heater ran throughout the night and into the morning. This afternoon, though, is golden. So beautiful that I worked in the yard and then just sat for an hour enjoying the warmth and the light.

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  6. Glad George doing well and you are managing, too. Everybody stay on your feet when you’re up — no fancy footwork or racing behavior.
    Hope good word from your friend, Bobbie, soon. Don’t know if my friends family all in the clear yet, or have house to return to either.

    Though I’m not in a rural area, I need to better consolidate my emergency items and other preparations. I was prompted some time ago to get a portable camping toilet with supplies when some problems I had at the time caused me to realize the “roughing it” approach I had been capable of most of my life — getting up and down — would be a much greater challenge — one more basic need along with food and water. Much to think and plan for that has a different perspective now that I’m aged.

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  7. I can only begin to imagine the trauma of it all.

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  8. I have been through a flood and many hurricanes but the thought of a massive fire is terrifying. Hope you hear from your friend soon and she is all right.

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  9. OMG... horrific. Thinking about our own home -- we have the land cleared over 200' away from the house and have removed a couple of the older, diseased oak trees that we felt were a risk. I will continue to think prayerful thoughts for those in harms way. Blessings to the firemen who are working to save lives and property.

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