The Houston Ike Report From Lockdown

[Megotu]

I just spent several days in a Lockdown situation at the Houston Emergency Center. Got 2 days off and start back on 12 hour shifts Wednesday night.
A few observations...
If your life depends on an electrical device and you are told a Hurricane is coming into town...Leave. Just leave. Do not call me 2 hours after landfall while Ike is stomping buildings flat (sorry about that Teach) and tell me that your power is out and your oxygen concentrator is not working. There were several hours where we were not sending out ANY emergency vehicles no matter what was happening. For anything other than Immediate Life Threatening Level reponses like Childbirth and CPR, we made a listing for the event and told them that we would call them back later and see if they still needed help. For the Life Threatening Ememrgencies at that time, we were allowed to try and help them with our pre listed Medical Instructions for up to 20 minutes. For CPR type emergencies, the last line was, after 20 minutes try to console the caller.
Nothing like sitting for 16 hours straight at a monitor and talking on the phone to people. Sleep a couple of hours, eat a Heater Meal, shower and get back in the mix.

[AUSSIE-Rebooted-AMM]

Thanks for the insights from the inside!! Keep up the fantastic work you do. Folks need people like you!!!! Cool Bill!

[SUP-Ronin]

In an emergency, regular policy is out the window. You have to handle things accordingly and do the best you can. Sounds like you did. Way to go and thank you.

[Megotu]

Oh and though nobody asked, yes my family and I made it through okay. I had rented a large SUV and had it packed if she needed to escape in a big hurry with the 4 yr old and the 2 yr old. It is especially tough going into an emergency situation knowing you can't be there for your family. They lost power for about 14 hrs and we just got phone/DSL back Tuesday. Still no AC since it is a big central unit for the complex, but we have a few days of temperate climate. Still on bottled water because of the "Boil Water" instructions.

[EmergencyIan]

Triage works. You do your best. Emergency Medical Services (which didn't really exist 40 years ago) and general Emergency services are much better than what peolple would have had acess to 40 years ago.

- Ian

[EmergencyIan]

I'm happy to hear that you and your family made it through pretty good, Bill! :)


- Ian

[Hulk]

Good to hear you and the fam are doing OK. Thanks for checking in!

[cjefferys]

Glad that you and your family are ok. And keep up the good work! It must be tough having to help take care of other emergencies while worrying about your own family at the same time.

[saucerful]

wow, it's nutso over there these days. glad you and family made it through to the other side. i hope you get some real rest soon

[theantiquetiger]

I can just imagine what is going on over in Texas right now. We were hit with Gustav two weeks ago and this place is still in chaos, people still with out power, flooded homes, etc. The pictures I have seen coming out of Galvesten, they have a LONG time before any normalcy sets in.

[Flynne]

Damn, I didn't even know you and your family were down there, Bill. Good to hear that you and yours are OK.