Huge storm coming! Anyone one have any driving advice besides " dont do it."

the way I look at it.

(After 10 state active duties with the National guard. 7 of them for floods.)

Stay the hell out unless absolutely needed.

If you feel you MUST VOLUNTEER to help in some way, bring EVERYTHING you may need to live for 14-30 days. EVERYTHING. From food, to cooking stuff to hygiene to fuel.

Systems are already tasked just to provide for the locals, don't become an unneeded consumer of limited supplies.

Don't oogle at what's happened, don't make it obvious taking pictures.

There are people you are seeing who have had their lives turned upside down and they are only trying to put the pieces back together again.

From the government agencies, relieve workers, insurance people and utilities sending in extra crews, things are going to get taxed majorly.

Please take all that into serious consideration.

 

Which is why I make a practice to stay OUT of disaster zones unless I am providing necessary supplies. Which I drop and then vamoose!

 

When a disaster happens the store shelves empty. They are highly dependent on truckers to restock the shelves and start restoring order. One ought to be proud to be able to help.

I've run relief four times and it's one of the few times the public actually appreciates you and understands how stuff gets there. Next week they will forget again.

 

I didn't say "don't help out".

I said help out in such a way that you are no impact on a system that's already taxed and get the hell out.


What little fuel that might be available, is needed for generators, pumps and other emergency systems. Not for your truck because you failed to fuel it before you entered the disaster area. (somewhat understandable if you are there doing shuttle work for days on end)

What food is there, is going to be limited. Don't show up and then suddenly expect someone to feed you. (I've seen it happen) What food is there is going to be needed for relief workers and residents that are displaced from their homes and have limited to no resources.


There is a difference between a trucker that shows up well prepared and able to really serve, and one that will show up unprepared to shower, feed himself and drain limited and valuable resources for fuel, food and shelter.

 

And just to add to the misery, here comes the possibility of a Nor'Easter. Batten down the hatches and kick up the heat if you have it.

 

I delivered generators to a Home Depot where they were basically sold out of the back of my trailer. Everyone was standing there waiting for me to show up. Felt good.

 

i think i wont go home until the houser is repaired and crisis is over
after the new year i am betting

 

They just said on the radio that a utility company in Alabama sent a crew out to help restore power in the area of the hurricane Sandy damage, but they were sent back to Alabama because they were nonunion, and they had a recording of the union workers calling them scabs and everything else under the sun, have we in America sunk so low that we can't work side by side during a crisis, what in the world would we do if we were invaded by an enemy of America?

 

Lose.

 

I lost power for 21 hours because of the storm. I could of cared less if the linemen were union or not. I just wanted the power on. I'm sure the people w/o power would have gladly let the non union crews help out.