Reply #27: Take it easy, soup. Glad you are OK

[havocmom]

Yeah, your daughter will be one busy lady. And she will likely face many folks who are in dire need, cranky and some will just plain be unresaonable. For her, I hope their numbers are few.

Last year we had incrediably devestating fires. Many of my neighbors lost a lot, but no lives were lost. Amazing that, after hearing of people literally with their backs to barn walls, beating at flames with rugs and buckets.

I am not young nor strong anymore and could not help fight the flames. I watched the water trucks come and go and felt the most awful frustration of my life. I wanted them to get the fires out NOW. I wanted people to be able to get home. I wanted the hay and water to be brought to the displaced cattle faster.

The folks working did as much as they could as fast as they could. And when some of the fire crews got a break to come into town for food they could carry in pockets up on the lines, they were as sweet and polite as anyone I had ever met. They thanked us! They were singed, filthy, exhusted and dehydrated but they had the energy to be polite and gracious for the sandwhiches and energy bars we could get to them. They slept in tents at our fairgrounds in heat to rival Tucson in the summer.

The people who respond to disasters are like people everywhere. Some do a better job than others, as in any job. But, my god, they deserve our thanks and our understanding when things take longer than would would like.

And times like these can bring out the worst in some folks, but the best in most of them. Good to remeber to say thanks.

I shall pass your thanks along to my friends. It will mean a lot.