A Day in the life of FEMA Man
Workdays::::::::::::
Workdays are interesting. There are a number of help desks (down here they are Hep desks) where people can call or walk by and fill out a trouble ticket to get assistance with their computer. The issues are standard help desk stuff except for the scale and scope of the operation. Imagine picnic tables sitting back to back two deep and running 150 feet or more per unit and then people sitting at these tables elbow to elbow such that they are all full. There are military units, EPA, Several State agencies, Debris, Corps of Engineers, groups for helping towns and individuals, plus groups for support of the infrastructure here like billeting (place to stay) and medical and cafeteria, APO where you get all your supplies, training and security….. like a small city really. I walk down to the call in desk and get the paper copies of the trouble tickets and then try to follow either a paper taped on signs or little group signs hung from the dividers between groups. You look for the location of the person needing help in that group and then try to fix what you can. I literally go everywhere in the “WEST WING” which is my area… maybe 250,000 square feet that is still growing. Todays unusual event was ... the mens bathroom in the main building went out.. not so bad you say.. but it is the only one for the building.. say... 2000 people and 1000 men. We got directed to 4 porta poties outside (thankfully) where the temps were 85 deg with 90% humidity. Wheeeeewwwwweeeeeeee!!!!!!! how long can you hold your breath. Porta poties were not designed for southern living.... ewwwwwwww
The commute in is in the dark, the drive home is in the dark so I cannot really show much in pictures that way. People are very image conscious inside the building where we all spend 12 hour days. No reading, even on breaks, no headphones, no music playing (thankfully) and everyone appears busy. No cameras on the inside, I think this is more of the political side of things so I cannot take pictures of the place……. So you are going to have to try to visualize my descriptions.
My rental car had the “Service Engine Soon” light pop on yesterday…. I love American Engineering. Pontiac whatever it is… although it will get up and run on the interstate entries, it smells like an ashtray so I drive around everywhere with the windows down.
I am going for a Seafood dinner tonight. Somewhere South down by the Mall (off Bluebonnet Lane… ) and also look for a new pair of shoes. Grocery store last night got me a couple frozen dinners, some fruit and bread and some drinks. I think I am going to have to drink more water here even though it is quite humid….
More as energy and time allows.
Workdays are interesting. There are a number of help desks (down here they are Hep desks) where people can call or walk by and fill out a trouble ticket to get assistance with their computer. The issues are standard help desk stuff except for the scale and scope of the operation. Imagine picnic tables sitting back to back two deep and running 150 feet or more per unit and then people sitting at these tables elbow to elbow such that they are all full. There are military units, EPA, Several State agencies, Debris, Corps of Engineers, groups for helping towns and individuals, plus groups for support of the infrastructure here like billeting (place to stay) and medical and cafeteria, APO where you get all your supplies, training and security….. like a small city really. I walk down to the call in desk and get the paper copies of the trouble tickets and then try to follow either a paper taped on signs or little group signs hung from the dividers between groups. You look for the location of the person needing help in that group and then try to fix what you can. I literally go everywhere in the “WEST WING” which is my area… maybe 250,000 square feet that is still growing. Todays unusual event was ... the mens bathroom in the main building went out.. not so bad you say.. but it is the only one for the building.. say... 2000 people and 1000 men. We got directed to 4 porta poties outside (thankfully) where the temps were 85 deg with 90% humidity. Wheeeeewwwwweeeeeeee!!!!!!! how long can you hold your breath. Porta poties were not designed for southern living.... ewwwwwwww
The commute in is in the dark, the drive home is in the dark so I cannot really show much in pictures that way. People are very image conscious inside the building where we all spend 12 hour days. No reading, even on breaks, no headphones, no music playing (thankfully) and everyone appears busy. No cameras on the inside, I think this is more of the political side of things so I cannot take pictures of the place……. So you are going to have to try to visualize my descriptions.
My rental car had the “Service Engine Soon” light pop on yesterday….
I am going for a Seafood dinner tonight. Somewhere South down by the Mall (off Bluebonnet Lane… ) and also look for a new pair of shoes. Grocery store last night got me a couple frozen dinners, some fruit and bread and some drinks. I think I am going to have to drink more water here even though it is quite humid….
More as energy and time allows.
posted by Steve Morse- Adventures in Disasters at 7:01 PM
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