Post by AXs on Jan 31, 2022 1:43:11 GMT
Overwhelmed
Overwhelmed might even be an understatement.
When you call 911, you reach a dispatcher. Their job is to get information and relay that information to the proper response, Police, Fire or EMS. During a major disaster, they are overwhelmed, the responders are overwhelmed and all the resources available are overwhelmed.
Emergency services are equipped to handle many types of emergencies, I can tell you as a Firefighter, it is not possible to staff and equip any service, to quickly handle every call during a major disaster. You can not depend on 911 to handle all your needs during a disaster, you are going to have to be responsible for your basic needs. Meaning, you have to be prepared.
In 2017, We experienced an extreme flood event when Hurricane Harvey rode the Texas coastline. I was on duty for a straight 105 hours with a maximum of 2 hours sleep per every 24 hours. During that time period, we received 1750 calls. A normal day here is between 2 and 12 calls per day.
Calls get prioritized, medical emergencies being the top of the priority list, then special needs and ederly. All our surrounding areas are in the same condition, so no help is coming from other departments seeing they are also overwhelmed. We have equipment and vehicles failing due to the flooding. Many of us are swimming and pulling rafts just to get citizens out for medical attention.
It was a few days before the National Guard and Coastguard were able to assist and the Cajun Navy had to help their own in Louisiana. Thousands of people were stuck for 4 to 5 days.
Can you take care of your family for 5 days with no power, no municipal water, 3 ft of nasty flood water in your house, all your neighbors are in the same trouble and help isn't coming any time soon?
Not only was my family and pets taken care of, I was at work the entire time my house was flooding. Luckily we live in a two story and my wife is one tough woman. We were prepared! She had everything she needed to push through without outside help.
First responders will do whatever it takes to help you in an emergency, when they can. Even in the worst case scenario, they are coming, it's just a matter of how long it will be.
Also See,
[Disasters and Events]
Overwhelmed might even be an understatement.
When you call 911, you reach a dispatcher. Their job is to get information and relay that information to the proper response, Police, Fire or EMS. During a major disaster, they are overwhelmed, the responders are overwhelmed and all the resources available are overwhelmed.
Emergency services are equipped to handle many types of emergencies, I can tell you as a Firefighter, it is not possible to staff and equip any service, to quickly handle every call during a major disaster. You can not depend on 911 to handle all your needs during a disaster, you are going to have to be responsible for your basic needs. Meaning, you have to be prepared.
In 2017, We experienced an extreme flood event when Hurricane Harvey rode the Texas coastline. I was on duty for a straight 105 hours with a maximum of 2 hours sleep per every 24 hours. During that time period, we received 1750 calls. A normal day here is between 2 and 12 calls per day.
Calls get prioritized, medical emergencies being the top of the priority list, then special needs and ederly. All our surrounding areas are in the same condition, so no help is coming from other departments seeing they are also overwhelmed. We have equipment and vehicles failing due to the flooding. Many of us are swimming and pulling rafts just to get citizens out for medical attention.
It was a few days before the National Guard and Coastguard were able to assist and the Cajun Navy had to help their own in Louisiana. Thousands of people were stuck for 4 to 5 days.
Can you take care of your family for 5 days with no power, no municipal water, 3 ft of nasty flood water in your house, all your neighbors are in the same trouble and help isn't coming any time soon?
Not only was my family and pets taken care of, I was at work the entire time my house was flooding. Luckily we live in a two story and my wife is one tough woman. We were prepared! She had everything she needed to push through without outside help.
First responders will do whatever it takes to help you in an emergency, when they can. Even in the worst case scenario, they are coming, it's just a matter of how long it will be.
Also See,
[Disasters and Events]
