I guess the title says it all!!!!!
Digging out and moving on.......
Posted 02-12-2008 at 09:19 AM by Matchless
Well, its almost a week since that tornado plowed through the area......
Things are mostly back to normal at my workplace. Lunchtime is still odd, because all the restaurants I used to go to during lunchtime are half caved in, or boarded up from the total destruction they endured....
While dealing with the aftermath of the event, I was part of a big team at my workplace that was getting things back online. Among other things, I run facilities, so getting the building usable again was a priority. While another co-worker worked with electrical contractors to get the building on generator power, among other things, I worked on getting sanitary conditions usable. 28 PortoPotties outside the building had to take care of just short of 1000 people.
Initially, I felt kinda down because what I was doing did not seem like it was having a big effect. Then I began to realize what a severe demotivator it is for people to have to face unsanitary conditions. Getting those toilets in place and maintained kept the workforce here and working (people were walking off the job before they got here).
I also spent a good bit of time with our landlord in the warehouse district where I work. I made arrangements for my company to provide generators to the other local businesses to keep them running. While it seems a small thing, doing so apparently helped keep about 4k people working --> no power = no job = no paycheck in most of these places.
This whole community pitched in to get things running and 'back to normal'. While I wish the tornados never hit, I'm glad to have been part of a community that worked hard to keep things moving!
This also put into perspective events like what New Orleans experienced. What we dealt with here was a drop in the bucket compared to what people in Louisiana had to endure, but it definitely helps put it in perspective.
Things are mostly back to normal at my workplace. Lunchtime is still odd, because all the restaurants I used to go to during lunchtime are half caved in, or boarded up from the total destruction they endured....
While dealing with the aftermath of the event, I was part of a big team at my workplace that was getting things back online. Among other things, I run facilities, so getting the building usable again was a priority. While another co-worker worked with electrical contractors to get the building on generator power, among other things, I worked on getting sanitary conditions usable. 28 PortoPotties outside the building had to take care of just short of 1000 people.
Initially, I felt kinda down because what I was doing did not seem like it was having a big effect. Then I began to realize what a severe demotivator it is for people to have to face unsanitary conditions. Getting those toilets in place and maintained kept the workforce here and working (people were walking off the job before they got here).
I also spent a good bit of time with our landlord in the warehouse district where I work. I made arrangements for my company to provide generators to the other local businesses to keep them running. While it seems a small thing, doing so apparently helped keep about 4k people working --> no power = no job = no paycheck in most of these places.
This whole community pitched in to get things running and 'back to normal'. While I wish the tornados never hit, I'm glad to have been part of a community that worked hard to keep things moving!
This also put into perspective events like what New Orleans experienced. What we dealt with here was a drop in the bucket compared to what people in Louisiana had to endure, but it definitely helps put it in perspective.
Total Comments 4
Comments
 |  Matchless, My hats off to you. I lived in Omaha Nebraska and lived through several tornadoes and the impact on life is IMMENSE. But because of folks like you we were always able to get back on our feet and continue our lives. Thanks again, David Fox |
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| |  Thanks David! Interestingly enough, I lived in Omaha as a very small child and a tornado took both of my neighbors homes as we watched from the basement. |
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| |  I used to live in omaha also, I went through many warnings and had to go to the basement alot but never had one near me. It's almost an end of the world envirement, really scary. |
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| |  SMALL WORLD I LIVED IN OMAHA FOR MY FIRST 18 YEARS AND WENT THROUGH THE TORNADO OF 75 I HIT A BANK 20 MILES AWAY AND WHILE CLEANING UP TRASH IN THE YARD WE FOUND A 100.00 BILL  |
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