Stormy Weather Pt 2

Gov. Schwarzenegger declares SLO County a disaster area
Kathe Tanner
The Tribune

San Luis Obispo County is among 11 counties in the state declared disaster areas by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday due to storm damage.

The governor¹s proclamation will free up state emergency funds for public agencies to repair infrastructure damaged in the storms.

The storm caused nearly $8 million in damage countywide, according to county emergency services coordinator Ron Alsop. He said the declaration is a start toward a federal declaration that could lead to low-cost federal loans to help cover uninsured losses for homeowners.

Areas of Cambria, Oceano, Nipomo and the North County were hardest hit in this county. In Cambria, Jan. 2 winds blew down hundreds of trees, with at least 80 damaging property.

Alsop said Friday that the county hasn¹t been notified yet if Schwarzenegger is going to ask President Bush for a federal declaration. Getting a federal declaration took three weeks after the San Simeon Earthquake.

People can call their state and local legislators to ask for their help in getting the federal declaration, Alsop said, adding, “other than that, we all have to wait.”

--Kathe Tanner, ktanner@thetribunenews.com

OMG

Firefighter Takes Test After Giving Birth
From Associated Press
January 12, 2006 5:10 PM EST

HOUSTON - A Houston firefighter took a promotion test 12 hours after giving birth because fire officials wouldn't bend the department's policy to allow a postponement.

Beda Kent gave birth to a healthy baby daughter at 9 p.m. Tuesday, slept for about 2 1/2 hours and then took the Houston Fire Department captain's exam at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

"It was uncomfortable," said Kent, a 12-year veteran of the department. "I had my Motrin - thank God - but that only lasts for so long."

Civil service regulations mandate that everybody take the test at the same time, District Chief Jack Williams said. A person who is given a temporary reprieve could gain an unfair advantage if they learn about the test from other test-takers, he said.

A firefighter who was injured at a scene and was unable to take the test also would have to wait for the next round of examinations, Williams said.

"It's the same for everybody," he said.

Kent said she opted to take the test because missing it would have meant waiting at least two years before the next promotion exam was offered.

She was about six months pregnant when the test was announced in October.

"Generally, there's not a test announced until there is a vacancy," she said. "I really needed to take it."

Nevertheless, she said the department should find a way to accommodate people who have legitimate medical excuses that create a conflict with the testing session.

Kent said at least 360 firefighters took the test. She said she's been told she ranked 15th, with a score of 104 out of 110, although the results are not yet official.

Kent's newborn daughter, Brina Sue, stayed at the hospital for the mandatory 48-hour observation period.

"I don't like that at all," she said. "It was hard to leave her."
---
Information from: Houston Chronicle, www.houstonchronicle.com


First off, mad props to Beda Kent. I mean c'mon...giving birth is a feat in itself...exhausting physically and mentally. Not to mention that the body is basically in a state of trauma. And...well...you know...OUCH!

THEN...

To take a promotion test 12 hours later?? Borderline insanity.
And possibly rank 15th?? Unbelievable.
In a male dominated industry?? Inspirational.

Now, I am completely in awe of this woman because: if the promotion test is anything like the physical entry test... she is some sort of super human or something. My career choice and lifelong dream was/is becoming a firefighter and I came pretty close to taking the entry tests. There are three sections to the test, physical, written and interview. The physical test is...nothing short of strenuous and it would prove exhausting for even the fittest of induviduals. So I imagine that the promotion test would be a combination of the three.

This girl deserves a lot of respect and I hope that she and the baby are doing well.

=)

Stormy Weather

Hey all...(and by "all" I mean the poor soul who will happen to stumble upon this someday...)

What. A. Week.

Yea, each word deserved its own sentence.

My little town had experienced a short lived, but short tempered storm this week. I didn't think much of it. Just your average downpour, with some 60 mph wind. A small power outage. But nothing serious. Or so I thought....

Apparently, this was one of the worst storms to hit my coastal town, almost as bad as the flood back in '96. I did some exploring of the area and I must say, it looked like a disaster. The rain itself didn't do any damage, but we are heavily populated with pine trees, and as you might not know, the incredibly tall and lanky Monterey Pine trees we have don't have very deep roots. So when the water softens the soil and the ocean wind kicks in, it's safe to say...the trees are going down. And with houses residing under thousands of these trees well...

Heres what my news channel last reported:

Emergency Declaration

By: Wendy Thies

Official damage estimate from the January 1 and 2 storm is now $8 million in ~~~~~~ County.

Today the county board of supervisors convened for an emergency meeting and unanimously ratified a local emergency proclamation.

Ten homes were destroyed in C~~~~. In addition, numerous roads need repairs and 250 fallen trees must be removed. The declaration will streamline the approval process necessary to obtain additional assistance and resources.

"We will need the state of emergency declaration even in order for public agencies to get any type of disaster fiscal reimbursement, and we will need the federal disaster declaration to provide assistance to our citizens," said Ron Alsop, County Office of Emergency Services.

Unlike the S~~~~ Earthquake, much of the damage was insured.

I saw so many more homes that were smashed by trees, though not completely destroyed, but literally, every street was damaged or blocked off. Crazy.

On a lighter note...

Friday night should prove to be interesting... ;)