There is plenty to be nervous about

I would not say that I am afraid, for I am not; but I will readily admit that the incredible things happening with the weather and economy make me very nervous.  There is a huge difference between being afraid and being nervous.  One is counterproductive and the other is the natural reaction to uneasy situations.

Just four years ago I would have been working 20 hours per day finding relief supplies for tornado victims in the St. Louis area and flooding victims in southern Missouri.  I know my days of trying to “save the world” after every disaster ended some time ago, but I am still deeply impacted as I see images of destruction and hear reports of catastrophic flooding soon to cause untold problems in many areas.  Throw into the mix some of the worst wildfires Texas has ever seen and you have a truly troubling situation building.

I study weather and I have seen from multiple sources that the upcoming month of May will be MUCH COOLER than normal throughout much of the USA except along the Gulf coast.  The last two times this happened were 2005 and 2008 which were years that produced hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Wilma; and 2008 which produced hurricanes Gustov and Ike.  Many experts are already warning of the imminent possibility of multiple strikes by huge hurricanes along the United States coastline this summer.

For a very long time I used to study and try to understand economic concerns.  What is currently happening is so distressing that I no longer have the desire to try and figure out what is happening and about to happen.  Contrary to what media outlets are saying, there is a period of hyper-inflation just around the next bend.  We are already seeing it in the constantly rising prices for gasoline and food.

It is estimated that nearly 15% of all Americans have had to raid their retirement accounts to find resources for emergencies.  I know this is true for I am one of those 15% and am not proud of it.  But, when all other sources of income are removed, and expenses pile up; there is no place left to go but to the IRA or 401k that was supposed to provide income for 25 years or more after retirement.

Recent studies have indicated that the housing market for super expensive properties is rebounding and doing fine.  Those with plenty of money are spending it on lavish homes that cost well over a million dollars.  Those homes in foreclosure are also being purchased by people with money and then rented out to desperate people who have lost their homes.

Meanwhile those homes in the $100,000 to $600,000 range just sit there.  No one qualifies for a loan and no one has the money to pay the huge down payment to move up or down.  Most of us live in these kinds of homes and are stuck in them for many years to come.

I cannot do nothing about the weather or the economy so all I can do is pray for wisdom for those deeply impacted by both.  May God grant us all great patience and understanding so as to make the right decisions and have the means to help our neighbor, brother, parent or child in need.

Lessons NOT learned from Katrina; A Bigger Disaster Looms

When Hurricane Katrina smashed into the Gulf Coast almost three years ago, everything within me wanted to pile supplies in my ancient 1979 van and head down to help.  Unfortunately that was not available since my 87 year old mother lived with us and I was her official caregiver.  I prayed daily for those whose lives were devastated by the storm, and I knew from having lived down there the horrible impact that hurricane would have on countless lives.

As the images of destruction started appearing on television, the impact of the storm was far worse than anyone could have predicted.  Initially the majority of the news coverage was coming from the Mississippi coast where a 25’ storm surge had literally wiped buildings and homes off the face of the earth.  But then the levees broke in New Orleans and Katrina’s legacy would be forever changed.

Once the flooding of New Orleans started, the destruction in Mississippi became an afterthought.  While most of the nation’s attention was focused on the horrible and needless loss of life taking place in New Orleans, the unbelievable devastation in Mississippi was hardly noticed and the problems in Alabama were totally neglected.  Not to diminish the horrific loss of life in New Orleans, but the loss of property in other places was the story of Katrina as much as the senseless flooding of a city whose reputation preceded it.

Millions of people were in one way or another impacted by Katrina and a few weeks later by Rita.  The people whose lives were turned upside down by these storms had endured many storms and most of them saw no reason the storms of 2005 should be any different.  Even though experts had been warning of the looming catastrophe ready to swamp New Orleans; little had been done to prepare for a direct hit by a major hurricane.  The city’s trust was put in ancient levees and pumps that would take the water out of their city and put it back in the nearby lakes.

Little had been done along the coast of Mississippi to prepare for a major storm.  From the time casinos brought new wealth to the Mississippi coast, there had been a great building boom which had seen huge numbers of eating and lodging places spring up along with other businesses catering to the influx of gamblers who would flood the area, especially on weekends.  Gulfport and Biloxi were two cities which experienced great growth during the past twenty years and many other smaller areas were getting ready to join in the boom. 

No one ever thought a storm would actually come in with a 25’ storm surge.  Everyone knew it “could” happen, but nobody believed it ever “would” happen.  The apathy and arrogance which ran rampant in both New Orleans as well as the Mississippi coast was staggering.  Everyone from the top elected officials down to the individual home owners thought they were invincible.  Building codes were lax and official preparations for a major disaster were merely words on pages and never practiced. 

The perfect storm of Katrina was not so much in the physical storm as it was in the combination of a fierce storm, public apathy and spiritual filth.  Between the evil of every kind and nature which fills New Orleans with a spiritual stench that can be smelled for miles and the greedy commandeering of the Mississippi coast by huge casinos; the entire area had become a cesspool of spiritual iniquity.  In one sense, it is truly amazing that the number of fatalities from Katrina weren’t fifty times what they were.

Little has been learned from Katrina in the almost three years since it hit.  The first things rebuilt in Mississippi were the huge casinos.  The rationale was that jobs and income needed to be provided.  Anyone believing that can buy some property I have for sale on Mars.  New Orleans made a huge attempt to make sure the nation knew that Bourbon Street was still open and not wiped out by Katrina.  All that led New Orleans downhill to begin with was quickly back up and running.

If another major hurricane came ashore next month in the same areas as Katrina, the results would be about the same.  Although new building codes and regulations prohibit the building of homes and businesses directly along the coast unless able to withstand a gigantic storm surge; if nature decided to push a true category FIVE hurricane into the area the results would be catastrophic. 

I remember when there was the possibility of a hurricane in the late summer of 2006 talking to the various charities doing the rebuilding work.  I asked what would happen if another storm came in and wiped out everything again.  Their response was that they would start over and do it all again.  This struck me odd then and still does.

How many times will man insist on defying nature?  Man is intent on building his dwellings and businesses on top of fault lines, next to volcanoes, in the middle of huge forests with histories of fires, along rivers that flood, and worst of all—along the coastlines where tropical storms and hurricanes hit somewhere almost every year.  The absolute most insane thing is to build a huge city BELOW SEA LEVEL and then depend on pumps and levees to keep the water from one of the biggest lakes in America from swamping the city during a major hurricane.

Man’s stubborn stupidity and beligerant arrogance allows him to receive the recompense of his error which is appropriate.  Jesus said that the person who builds their house upon the sand is a fool, for the storms come and wash it away.  People who build houses on flood plains, fault lines, deep in forests which are prone to burn, on the sides of volcanoes and directly along the coastline of areas known to be prone to hurricanes must live with the risks attached to their choices.

Don’t we all tire of seeing destroyed homes rebuilt time and again in disaster prone locations?  Between private insurance and government help, these people have been able to get away with doing this for years.  I am glad to see one major insurance carrier after another back away from even offering insurance to those who insist on building homes directly on the coast of Florida and Mississippi.  I think the same thing should be done in regard to flood plains and other disaster prone areas.

Hey, it is free country and if a person wants to build a home on top of the New Madrid fault, they should be allowed to.  But, if they do, they are responsible in full for any damages and rebuilding costs.  If a person insists on living on the Mississippi coast, they should be allowed to, but with the understanding they pay for any damage to their property and rebuilding expenses.  If a person wants that cabin deep in the woods of any one of our Western states, they should have it; with the understanding they are responsible for any expenses if it burns in one of the yearly forest fires.

People need to take responsibility for their decisions instead of expecting everyone else to pay for their privilege to live in a scenic, yet disaster prone area.  If a person has enough money to build their dream house in a place that could be wiped off the map next week, they have enough money to rebuild it over and over again if they like that place so much.  I think New Orleans and the Mississippi Coast are pretty much in this category.

Fires, Floods and Fears of Hurricanes; Disaster Update 7/1/08

FIRES

As of early this morning, over 1,400 fires were burning in California with no relief in sight.  Many of these fires have been burning for over a week with new ones starting daily.  With the weather forecast calling for a chance of more dry lightning, there is a crisis of epic proportions brewing in paradise.  Even now, there are air quality warnings in effect for much of the Bay area as the smoke from fires settles over the area.  The fire near Big Sur may prove to be especially devastating due to the loss of tourism during the normally busy summer. 

Every tanker used to fight wildfires in the United States is currently in use in California.  This is very troubling since the fire season usually doesn’t peak until the end of July and first of August.  This summer could end up being one of the most physically and financially taxing in many years.  President Bush has already declared California a disaster area and thus eligible for federal help.

FLOODS

Now that the levee has broken at Winfield, Missouri, the flood of ‘08 will be hard pressed to keep its position at the top of the headlines.  As the rivers slowly fall and the extent of the devastation in Iowa, Indiana and Illinois (along with Missouri) begins to be apparent; the full scope of this disaster will shock anyone with eyes to see.  Unlike tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes; flooding generally does not physically destroy buildings.  Floods creep in, do their dirty work and sneak out.  The damage done by floods is not seen looking at a dwelling from the outside.  The damage is internal.

Not only does furniture and other personal effects need to be replaced after a flood; of much greater importance is the replacing of ruined carpet and drywall.  If said items are not replaced, there is almost a dead certainty of black mold growing.  One of the problems with a major flood along a river a wide as the Mississippi is how long it takes for the flood waters to recede.  In flash flooding, the water comes up and goes down quickly.  In major river flooding it take a long time for both the water to rise above flood stage as well as to drop below it.

FEARS OF HURRICANES

The hurricane season has completed its first month with only one very minor named storm.  Is this unusual?  Not at all would be the correct answer.  Although not unheard of to have a hurricane in June, it is very rare.  The components needed to develop and grow a storm into hurricane strength are usually not there in June.  July is when the various pieces of the hurricane development puzzle start coming together and August through September is usually when the greatest threat of hurricanes striking the United States exists.

Those entrusted with trying to see what the next few months hold are very concerned about the potential for at least one major hurricane hitting the East Coast of the United States.  Most experts are expecting at least one direct hit and possibly two or three by the time the season winds down in October.  Areas from Texas to Florida should be ready to deal with potential development by mid-July and North Carolina and points north by August.  This is NOT  a year to take the hurricane threat lightly.

CONCLUSION

This has been an exceptionally difficult year for states such as Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana.  Many of these states have been hit with repeated disasters starting with ice in December and continuing to the present flooding and violent storm damage.  Missouri saw horrific flooding in the southern part of the state this spring and now has seen disastrous flooding along the Mississippi River in the northeast part of the state.  So far, the only silver lining has been that the Missouri River has not reached levels anywhere near the floods of 1993 and 1995. 

Iowa was buried with record snows this past winter and then inundated with incredible storms this spring and early summer.  It is no wonder that when areas were hit with a half foot of rain a few weeks ago, the inevitable result would be massive flooding.  Earlier this year Arkansas was hit repeatedly with deadly tornadoes which claimed many lives and caused extraordinary damage.  Also this spring the major rivers in Arkansas reached historic levels and caused extensive damage.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

It has been a rough year for middle America and the year is only half over.  Although the emphasis now switches to the western fires and potential hurricanes in the southern and eastern United States; I pray all remember the all those who will still be suffering in middle America when the rest of country sits down to Thanksgiving dinner.  It takes time to recover from tornadoes and floods even when on a small scale.  It takes “forever” to recover from repeated disasters impacting thousands upon thousands of people covering almost one third of this country.

I am sure those who have lost everything to storms and floods would greatly appreciate your prayers and any help that you could send via your favorite charity.  Many groups are working as hard as they can to help as many as possible.  They are all spread very thin and have pretty much exhausted their resources.  If you want to help, please contact the American Red Cross, Salvation Army or numerous small independent charities working I disaster areas.

 

 

 

Tornadoes, Floods, Fires and Drought: 2007 and 2008?

Having witnessed the devastating effects of numerous kinds of natural disasters, I can say that regardless of the way in which nature vents her fury, man’s edifices don’t fare well.  In a matter of a few weeks last spring, I surveyed the damage done by tornadoes in three separate places.  The only thing different with each situation was the location.  In each case, the physical damage and mental anguish was identical regardless of the community.

A tornado, more than any other meteorological event, is unique in its compact yet incredibly destructive character.  Even the largest tornadoes on record rarely are greater than one mile in width.  From that perspective, a tornado is an exceedingly small force.  Although a tornado is compact, it is ferocious and tenacious.  A tornado doesn’t come close to impacting as many people as a hurricane; but those it does impact suffer more violent damage than most people who endure hurricanes ever have to deal with.

It is interesting to note that next to sustained winds over 100 mph and the storm surge; the thing most to be feared with a hurricane coming ashore are the tornadoes that many times erupt near the eye wall of major hurricanes.  No one can definitively say for sure, but it was estimated that there could have been 50 or more tornadoes accompanying both hurricanes Katrina and Rita ashore back in 2005.  Local people who lived through both of those hurricanes claim there were hundreds of tornadoes but the weather experts deny that is possible. 

Regardless of how many actual tornadoes happened; the damage on the ground would indicate there were multiple tornadoes touching down for short periods of time in multiple locations.  Even after a hurricane hits, the damage caused by a tornado will still be unique.  Talking to people who were huddled in their homes or in shelters while those storms roared by, many of them described sounds and sensations tornado victims always speak about.  Personally, I believe there is much not understood in the realm of tornadoes associated with land falling hurricanes.

This past week as I was driving up I-44 toward St. Louis from Springfield, I happened to look out the window and saw where a small tornado had hit a two weeks ago.  There were the always present blue tarps hiding roof damage on numerous homes.  There were piles of rubble where barns stood previously.  Somewhere in the path of damage was a family suffering with the unexpected loss of a loved one who was killed by the tornado.

Just a couple of weeks ago we basked in 70 degree warmth for a few days here in Missouri.  Sure enough, when a strong cold front came roaring through, the first tornado watches of 2008 were posted and Missouri had the distinction of having watch number one for the year.  January tornadoes are very rare anywhere in the United States, but extremely rare in Missouri.  Even so, when the watches and warnings started flying, I knew we would be in for a long evening.

A wise person can decide not to build a home near the Gulf or Atlantic coastlines; thus eliminating the possibility of a hurricane destroying the home.  A wise person can decide not to live on top of a fault line and thus avoid earthquake damage.  A wise person can decide not to live on the side of a mountain thus avoiding forest fires and mudslides.  A wise person can decide not to live on the banks of a river or stream, so as to avoid the inevitable flooding all moving bodies of water experience.

Yes, a wise person can decide to live in a location immune from many natural disasters, but not tornadoes.  Just about anywhere is a prime location for a tornado to hit.  Certainly “tornado alley” in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas are more prone to twisters than say Idaho; but other than living on top of Pike’s Peak, nowhere is immune from the possibility of a tornado happening.  Where exactly is one supposed to live if they are sincerely desirous of escaping nature’s wrath?  About the only place might be Vermont, but even that state has its share of wild winter weather events.

Far too many times, the attitude shown toward those whose lives were uprooted by a tornado is that they did something wrong by living where they chose to live.  Nowhere is this ridiculous attitude more prevalent than towards those living in the middle of the country.  “Who wants to live in Kansas” was the refrain I heard for years when people heard I grew up in the state.  All Kansas used to be known for was tornadoes, Indians, Dorothy and Toto, wheat and endless treeless flat land.  Now at least it is also known for basketball and football teams.

When the unprecedented tornado wiped the town of Greensburg, Kansas off the map last spring, there was an outpouring of concern in this country that was unique and inspiring.  For the first time, people wanted to help after a Kansas tornado tragedy instead of criticizing the victims for living in the wrong state.  For the first time, the United States of America really got behind the cause of rebuilding a tornado devastated city in Kansas.  For the first time, America proved what it could do when it sets its preconceived prejudices aside and rallies to help a city in Kansas.

Unfortunately, what happened in Greensburg was not duplicated in numerous other areas severely impacted by last spring’s disastrous tornado season.  Many more populated places than normal were devastated by major tornadoes or tornado outbreaks last year.  Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, New Mexico, Indiana and Kentucky are just some of the states which suffered catastrophic tornado damage last year.  Americans have extremely short memories.  Most have long forgotten the horrible tornadoes that plowed through Alabama and Georgia last March, including the one that killed numerous high school students in Enterprise, Alabama.

Last year, in addition to the outrageous tornado outbreaks, there were abnormally high numbers of both flash floods as well as regular floods reported.  Historic flooding took place in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.  Major flooding took place in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Kentucky and many New England states.  The cost to repair flood damage was enormous.  Yet, floods never capture the public’s attention because they are not as dramatic as piles of rubble after a huge tornado or hurricane.

While parts of the country were enduring record floods, other parts were suffering through unprecedented drought.  The states of Georgia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky and Virginia all experienced record breaking drought that in many locales still is going on.  Last spring, before the summer rains helped, Lake Okeechobee in southern Florida had reached record low levels.  Last spring, fires raged in the swamps of southern Georgia sending dense smoke through much of the northern half of Florida.

Last summer, horrific forest fires raced down the dry canyons outside San Diego and Los Angeles, California destroying thousands of homes in the process.  Again, in October a second fire almost burned Malibu off the map.  Also last summer, huge fires burned unchecked for months in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.  Although summer fires happen almost every year in the western states; the decade long drought has made them worse than they used to be.

Early this winter a series of storms pounded the coastline of Washington and Oregon with winds normally associated with a category 2 hurricane.  The damage was also roughly equivalent to a hurricane.  Millions of people were without power for long periods of time between Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington.  Within a week, the entire middle part of the country was paralyzed with an ice storm never seen before.  Oklahoma was especially devastated by so much ice, it took the power companies weeks to get everyone’s electricity back on. 

Although it turned out to be another very quiet hurricane season (as far as the United States coastline), there was still one small hurricane that made land fall in almost the exact same place as Hurricane Rita did in 2005.  The area was still recovering from Rita, so the damage was worse than would normally be expected with a category 1 hurricane.  Even twenty-four hours before land fall, there were no warnings and no one expected the storm to blow up as it did immediately before hitting land.

2007 was a very active year weather-wise in this country.  If the average American were asked if the weather was “wild” the past year, most would shrug their shoulders and say they didn’t know.  This is because there was little wild weather in the populated northeast part of the country.  Even though there was a tornado that hopped through New York City; most people there would no longer remember it unless their house was damaged.   In the absence of a huge hurricane, blizzard, ice storm or terrorist attack; the people in the Northeast cannot relate to the suffering experienced elsewhere in this country.

Images of demolished buildings in Kansas, ice on broken trees in Oklahoma, rivers swallowing up whole cities in Texas, entire towns blown away by a tornado in North Dakota, blackened hills and charred ruins where houses once stood in California and dried up lakes in Florida mean little to millions of people whose only daily concern is fighting traffic and seeing if their sports team won or lost.  I hate to say it, but until a major natural disaster strikes the populated areas of the East Coast again; most people there will have little compassion for those suffering elsewhere in this country.

Whatever wonderful things come out of the Greensburg, Kansas tornado tragedy, I hope and pray they do not end there.  I pray that anytime a community in this country is devastated by a force of nature, images will emerge quickly and be plastered on the Internet.  I pray the major news organizations devote at least some of their precious newscasts to the plight of people whose entire lives were just turned upside down by earthquakes, wind storms and forest fires.  I pray the major charitable organizations respond as quickly and in force as they did in Greensburg.  I pray the average American is aroused by the images of destruction and suffering and finds within himself the motivation to help those in need either financially or by volunteering to help clean up or rebuild.

It is hard for someone to understand what a person goes through when they lose everything they have worked a lifetime to gain.  It is hard for others to grasp the unbelievable suffering that is associated with the loss of one’s home, its contents and especially a loved one.  It is hard to comprehend the scope of a disaster that may affect upwards of a million people or more.  It is hard to capture the hardships people must endure who have no electricity or water.  It is hard to experience all these things unless you have seen, heard and been through it yourself.   

This past year more Americans than ever before got a taste of disaster relief, for they found themselves in the middle of one.  I sincerely pray that as nature once again starts unleashing her fury in the coming months that we remember to help and pray for those who through no fault of their own, found themselves in a natural disaster’s path.  After all, that is what America is supposed to be all about; neighbor helping neighbor and everyone helping anyone who needs it.     

Surviving an Ice Storm; December 2007

Unless one has lived through a major ice event, there is no way to describe the impact that would begin to communicate how bad things get.  It is not so much the icy roads, although they certainly cause accidents and at times prohibit travel at all.  It is not the cold, for the temperatures are hovering right around the 32 degree mark.  The problems being faced by all of us directly in the path of this event is power outages and tree damage.

This past Sunday morning we were awakened at about 4:00 a.m. by a violent thunderstorm.  This would not be unusual except that the temperature at the time was 26 degrees.  All the heavy rain quickly turned to ice, especially on tree branches.  By 6:00 a.m., huge tree limbs began crashing down and we lost power about 6:30 a.m.  Why do ice storms cause power outages?  The answer is quite simple.  As ice accumulates on tree branches and limbs, the weight of the ice increases to the point the branch or limb snaps and comes crashing to the ground.  If there happened to be a power line near, it goes to the ground also.  In a matter of a few seconds, power goes out to all those “down line” from where the incident occurred.  When this same scenario starts being repeated over and over again, the outages start multiplying rapidly to the point whole neighborhoods and cities lose power.

If the roads are covered with ice, then the power company trucks cannot get out to fix the problems.  They must wait for the road crews to put chemicals or sand on the roads.  This all takes times.  Once the crews make it to the site or sites of the problem, it many times is a maze of broken tree limbs and wires all tangled together.  The situation must be dealt with great caution due to the power of electricity.  There can be no “quick fixes” allowed.

We were without power (the first time) from 6:30 a.m. Sunday until around 9:00 p.m. that evening.  15 hours is a long time to go without power.  We, thankfully, have a generator but since I had been remiss and had not started it for well over a year, it took me many hours to finally get it going.  By late morning we had enough power to run the pump for our well, the sump pump and a few outlets.  Later in the day I got my small generator running I used to take in my van when I travelled.  It provided just enough power to run two low wattage space heaters.  As difficult as our situation was, we were in heaven compared to hundreds of thousands of people who have no generator and are still without power. 

If you live in an area prone to hurricanes, tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, ice storms or earthquakes; I highly recommend you “INVEST” (and it is an investment) in a generator and have it professional hooked up to your home’s circuit breaker.  That way, if the power goes out for any length of time, all you have to do is start the generator and then flip a few switches near your “breaker box”, and you have enough power to run things such as a well (if you have one), a sump pump (very important) and outlets for the refrigerator, lights, computer and possibly a small space heater.  For a substantial investment, generators can be installed that run on propane and automatically go on whenever the power goes out.  These generators allow hospitals and other emergency facilities to keep limited power during “blackouts”.

If you don’t have the $2,500-3,000 do get a big gasoline generator wired to the circuit breaker; please at least get a generator that can have heavy duty extension cords hooked to it and can at least run the refrigerator and few outlets.  These kinds of generators can be purchased for $500-800.  I do not sell generators nor do I promote any brand.  I am simply trying to get people to understand how to keep from becoming a victim when massive power outages occur.

People always say they will fire up the oil lamps, use flashlights, build a fire in the fireplace and put on warm clothes.  The trouble is that most people never buy enough oil to last more than one night, don’t have enough batteries to run the flashlights for more than a few hours and have no wood to burn in the fireplace.  Thus, most people immediately find themselves in a crisis situation when the power goes out for any length of time, especially during the winter months.

When the National Weather Service issues an Ice Storm, Winter Storm, Hurricane or Flood warning; they always provide details as to what should be done ahead of time to prepare for what is coming.  Most people just run to the grocery store to get bread, milk and other “necessities”.  Very few people realize the first thing they run out of is water, and then prescription medicines.  Things such as food that does not need heat to prepare, gasoline for the generator, candles and spare batteries are all items usually forgotten in the mad dash to get “bread and milk” before a storm.  Everyone from FEMA to the Red Cross have detailed lists available for emergency provisions to have on hand.  Numerous places on line sell pre-packaged backpacks full of everything needed to endure 3-5 days without power and access to stores.

In all my attempts to “be prepared”, I forgot one vital thing; a battery powered radio.  Before I got the generator going, we wanted to know what was going on but had no way to do so.  I had also forgotten to run the dishwasher the night before the storm as well as getting all the laundry done.  No portable generator is strong enough to run appliances.  No portable generator can run an electric hot water heater, furnace or stove.  No portable generator is strong enough to do anything but provide emergency power.

Although we had land line phone service Sunday, we lost phone service most of the next day.  That puts a premium on the cell phone.  It is the only means of communication many times during a power outage.  Again, if you do not have a generator, a cell phone battery will go dead in no time.  The only way to recharge it would be to go to the car and do it there. 

At least because this is a winter storm, we do not have to deal with spoiling food in refrigerators and freezers.  During severe summer storms this is one of the biggest problems people must deal with.  Again, a portable generator, along with spare gasoline to run it, can easily provide enough power to run all the refrigerators and freezers in the house.  What takes power is any device that generates heat.  That is why generators cannot be used to run heaters, microwaves and other items that produce heat.

Last night, at 11:00 p.m. our power went out again.  Not because we were having any severe weather, only because somewhere “up line” a tree limb broke the lines.  I am so thankful all I had to do was step outside and yank on the cord to fire up the generator.  Then I went downstairs, flipped a few switches and lo and behold we had enough power to not “suffer”.  I went out on another porch, fired up the small generator and was able to run the two small heaters.  My wife was able to work on her computer doing eBay business, and I was able to get some sleep.  We did not get cold and this morning I had my normal few cups of coffee and listened to my worship music as usual.  About 7:30 a.m., the power came back on and I simply had to turn off the generators and flip some switches.

A few years ago, we purchased this home and had it remodeled so my elderly mother could spend her remaining years living with my wife and I.  She insisted I get the generator and have it wired into the house circuit before she moved in.  She had lived many years in Kansas and had suffered through many nights without power due to storms.  She did not want to worry about such things in her old age.  I did not want her to worry either.  Thus, we did as she requested.  In fact, we had a 250 gallon tank full of unleaded gasoline delivered just so we would never run out of gas for the generators.  In the time she lived here I had to use that generator quite a few times, once for almost a full day.  My mother was greatly stressed that day, but nothing like she would have been if we had no power.

PLEASE, if you live in a disaster prone area, figure out a way to get a generator and have it professionally wired into your home’s circuits.  Like any “insurance”, it will probably not be used for long stretches of time; but also like “insurance”, when it is needed it will be worth its weight in gold.  Trust me, I know this by personal experience.

Wind, Fire and Water; Nature vs. Irresponsible Humans

Numerous stories have bombarded all news media recently dealing with weather.  Funny how such a huge subject is rarely featured in the news unless there is either a hidden agenda or something profound takes place in a major television market.  I am sorry to be cynical, but I have studied weather and enjoyed making amateur forecasts for years.  Weather is not something that fills the gap between news and sports for some of us.

There ARE some absolutely huge weather related situations going on and I feel it necessary to balance the hype with some sobering truths.  If “global warming” or “climate change” were taken out of all the stories floating around, and just the facts regarding the situations were presented; there would still be plenty of news to get good ratings.  But, the current trend is to somehow tie every single weird weather event into the global warming debate.  This is not fair nor can the facts sustain doing this.

Many years ago I lived in California for two years.  The first year (1976-77) there was “the worst drought in the history of the state”.  The news featured stories of dried up reservoirs and mountains with no snow.  Restaurants could only serve water if requested and all the lush green lawns were brown due to watering restrictions.  This was not last week, this was thirty years ago. 

The second year (1977-78) ended up being one of the wettest and snowiest on record.  I shall never forget driving down to California from Oregon and seeing a huge reservoir that was woefully low one year earlier filled to capacity because of all the precipitation.  One year the ski resorts were crying they were about to go out of business, and the next year they had so much snow people couldn’t drive up to ski.  The winter of 1977-78 nationwide was one of the worst winters in history.  The headlines everywhere warned of the coming “ice age”.

I do not wish to belittle the horrible tragedy that happened in San Diego and other southern California locations with the wildfires.  But, there have been Santa Ana winds for ages.  After dry winters, there have been major fires when there were intense Santa Ana winds.   Certain things are just to be expected if one chooses to live in the California “paradise”; fires, earthquakes, mudslides, droughts, floods and an occasional Santa Ana windstorm.

In 1970 the population of San Diego was 696,769 and for the county it was 1,357,854.  In just 30 years, by the year 2000; the city of San Diego’s population had doubled to 1,256,951 and the county had more than doubled to 2,813,833.  When an area undergoes this kind of rapid population growth, there are bound to be environmental problems.  Without a doubt, the biggest problem comes in moving more and more people farther and farther out into areas that had been “wilderness” previously.  When asphalt and cement replace dirt and vegetation, there is bound to be some problems come up.

In an average year, the coastal portion of San Diego receives about 10 inches of rain.  The coastal mountains to the east of the city usually receive substantially more rain in an average year.  Last year (2006-2007), San Diego received 3.85 inches of rain which was only 36% of normal.  What is worse, the mountains did not receive much more than the city. 

The additional factor causing the fire situation to be so critical was the humidity levels at or below 10%.  When there is no humidity, vegetation is dried out, winds barrel in approaching 100 miles per hour; all it takes is one smoldering cigarette butt or a careless spark from a welder and the inferno begins.  There is no stopping, or even slowing down, a fire with plenty of dry fuel and winds of hurricane velocity.

Earlier this summer fires burned out of control in Idaho and Montana for weeks.  The same scenario resulted in the same results.  The big difference was the lack of population and the corresponding lack of property damage.  The fires in southern California will end up costing hundreds of millions of dollars.  Amazingly, this is about the same amount as if a category 2 hurricane hit the area.  Seeing images of burned homes is heartbreaking, but it is no different than seeing images of homes destroyed by tornados, hurricanes or earthquakes.  A destroyed home is a disaster no matter how it happened.

People who insist upon living in areas prone to natural disasters MUST accept the responsibility of potential loss.  Anyone living next to the ocean cannot expect someone else to pay to rebuild their home after a huge storm or tsunami.  Anyone living on a fault line cannot expect someone else to pay to rebuild their destroyed home when it is finally ruined by the “big one”.  People who want to live in high risk areas need to have insurance to cover potential losses; no matter how much it costs.  It is not fair to expect the government or private charities to always rebuild after a major disaster.

Southern California is a high risk area, especially parts near what’s left of the forested mountains.  People who want to live in areas prone to fires (and later mudslides) should have to use materials in building that are fire retardant and do things to set up natural firebreaks around their homes.  Our society is not very good at taking personal responsibility for much of anything, especially where homes are built and how they are built.

The frightening part of this whole discussion lies in the potential for identical fires in the future.  Many of the areas hit hardest this week in the Malibu area were just devastated by major fires a few weeks ago.  Many areas that were burned a few weeks ago were just starting to recover from serious fires only a few years ago.  Unfortunately, these same areas will continue to face fire dangers every year after a dry winter.  It just goes with the territory, literally.

The bigger issue in all this lies in the upcoming water crisis.  That subject is far too involved to get into at this time, but I will address it soon.  I think if people understood how serious the water situation is, they would quit being so afraid of many other doomsday scenarios.   There is only so much fresh water available and when it is gone, it is gone until the next big rainstorm.  Water has been squandered more than any other natural resource, and very soon humanity will pay dearly for wasting one of the two things needed for life.  Without air and water people cannot live.  Both of these things have been polluted and squandered mercilessly. 

I sincerely hope and pray that people who know little about the weather don’t get distracted from the real issues environmentally, which are pollution and inexcusable wasting of natural resources.  Whether the climate is changing as radically as many are saying now, cannot be proven conclusively by anyone.  What can be proven is that there has been a rash of strange weather events in the past year.  Something is causing the weather to “misbehave”, and that much is for certain.  Whether the root cause is global warming, natural earth cycles or solar issues; something is causing the weather to change in a radical fashion.

Rather than make weather a political toy, people should be seeking answers on  how to preserve and steward what we have left.  This is the issue that needs to be debated and publicized, not just scaring people with wild projections which are based on computer models and speculation.  Instead of worrying about melting icecaps, why not figure out how to capture the water and store it for the future.  Instead of pointing fingers at everyone else concerning emissions and other minor things; why not be working feverishly to harness the sun’s power, desalt the oceans and figure out how to fit the billions of people on this earth into the parts of this planet capable of sustaining life.  We can help this earth if we will not turn the entire subject into just another political football.