{"id":7479,"date":"2024-10-09T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-09T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/?p=7479"},"modified":"2024-10-09T08:15:54","modified_gmt":"2024-10-09T12:15:54","slug":"177-a-force-to-be-reckoned-with","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/177-a-force-to-be-reckoned-with\/","title":{"rendered":"#177\u2014A Force to be Reckoned With"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Wednesday, October 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Trinity UMC ERT at Pinetta First Baptist Church. October 2024. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

0230. The blue digits on my 1980s-style bedside alarm clock tell me it\u2019s too early. Go back to sleep.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s see. We visited and assessed the area on Monday. We know we\u2019ve got at least three houses on the list to work on, with more on the way. I purchased and stocked the ERT trailer yesterday. It\u2019s ready to go, but\u2026 did I forget something? I should be sleeping, not worrying about these things. Everything is in its place. Deep breaths, in and out, in anddd\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

0415. I awake from a dream\u2026 I don\u2019t remember about what, but I look over at the alarm clock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crap. Still too early.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I try to go back to sleep, but my mind is on the upcoming deployment. That pre-travel anxiety checklist barges in, taking over my thoughts, refusing to let me sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later this morning, a group of us on the UMCOR Trinity UMC (Gainesville) Early Response Team will drive north to Pinetta, a small city near Madison, Florida. Our mission will be to help in whatever way we can. We anticipate roof tarping and cleaning out debris. This area got hit hard by high winds\u2014namely, \u201cmicrobursts\u201d\u2014from Hurricane Helene.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I finally drift back to sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

0600. My phone alarm goes off. Time to rock & roll. I need to get to the church by 0700 to hook up and pull the ERT trailer out of the garage, load up any additional supplies, and get on the road by 0730. There\u2019s an hour and a half drive ahead of us. I\u2019d like to be on the first house\u2019s roof by 10am to beat the heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

0900. I\u2019ll spare you the embarrassing details about trying to get that blasted trailer (now nicknamed \u201cFat Albert\u201d) out of the garage. Frustrating, but with the help of generous and skillful others, we\u2019re finally on our way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We get off the Interstate a little north of Lake City. Still another 30 miles to travel along back roads, through rural farming areas. Along the way, we begin to notice the damage caused by \u201chigh winds and microbursts.\u201d I still don\u2019t know what that term means, but when I spot a thick stand of pine trees, some of them snapped off about 10-20 feet off the ground, I know it was bad. These pine trees are easily 16-18 inches in diameter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then there are the hundred-year-old oak trees\u2026 uprooted. Pushed over like some cowboy lassoed the top of the tree and pulled it down with a semi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also tell crews have been through the area, clearing the roads of downed trees\u2026 so many trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What kind of storm was this? We didn\u2019t have nearly this much damage around Casa Adkins in Gainesville. Just the usual 5-8 garbage cans of limbs, moss, debris. No\u2026 up here, this was much more.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

10ish. Our host is Pinetta First Baptist Church; power was restored the day before. We stop to unload a few overnight items\u2014several of us will stay three days; others will drive up for the day, then drive back home. Some will return the next day for more work, including my wife, Becky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11ish. One team on the roof, laying out and battening down tarps. We want to make sure this roof tarp will remain intact; we understand there\u2019s another storm on the way, but not sure when or where. Another team is inside, pulling carpet, pulling ceilings, and pulling wallboard\u2014all damp from rain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the smell? The homeowner has a sweet, friendly dog\u2026 \u201cRosie.\u201d But you can imagine after several days without power, AC, or ventilation, well\u2026 let\u2019s just say everyone working inside wore N-95 masks and took plenty of breaks outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I learned a long time ago that in these extenuating circumstances, don\u2019t judge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We all undergo safety training, but when you\u2019re working away on these temporary solutions, knowing there are other houses you\u2019ll need to get to, you don\u2019t always remember to drink water. But it\u2019s helpful that others are making sure you stay hydrated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey\u2026 up on the roof\u2026 incoming\u2026<\/em>\u201d I throw up bottles of water. There are three team members up there\u2014no shade, no wind, just the intense afternoon heat of the day. We don\u2019t need anyone fainting up there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1ish. The roof tarp is on and secure, but still more work to be done inside. And there\u2019s some siding that needs to be tacked back on. Now that the ceiling and walls are down in that back bedroom, we need to staple some plastic sheeting in place to keep the minute debris from blowing in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We break for lunch; the house we\u2019re working on is less than a mile from the community\u2014the volunteer fire station, \u201cemergency central.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re hot, we\u2019re sweaty, we\u2019re stinky, but it doesn\u2019t matter. Nobody notices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emergency response teams have been there for a few days, assessing what the community needs, and getting it to them. There are tables of household items\u2014soap, towels, toilet paper, canned goods, building materials, tarps, whatever\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It never ceases to amaze me to see a small community like this come together in time of need. High schoolers with big-wheel trucks helping to haul things to people in need. Younger kids helping distribute items to cars that drive up. There\u2019s a trailer for restrooms; another trailer for showers; still, another trailer with washers & dryers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s even a BBQ truck with a smoker, a refrigerator truck, and tables set up. Drive up, tell them how many meals you need, they bring it to your car. All smiles, all exchange \u201cHow \u2018ya holdin\u2019 up?\u201d and \u201cI wish this didn\u2019t happen to you, but we\u2019re here to help<\/em>\u201d looks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No charge for anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can easily sense there\u2019s a strong spirit in this tiny rural community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2ish. One team heads back to finish up the one house. Another team (we call them the \u201cchainsaw gang\u201d) heads to another location. A huge pine tree fell between a house and the power pole, bringing the power line down to the ground. Thank goodness, nothing hit the house. The power company can\u2019t get their cherry picker to the pole to restore power until the tree is cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This team knows what they\u2019re doing\u2014they\u2019re powerhouse brutes. Two guys with chain saws, cutting limbs, then branches, then the tree, and two others pulling and hauling the debris to the street. The homeowners come out to help. She just came off a 12-hour shift and will have to go back that night for another 12 hours. They are both so grateful to have the help. It\u2019ll take another day for the power company to get to them, but the path is now clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re finally done for the day. We bid adieu to the team traveling back to Gainesville. Becky will be back the next day, along with another volunteer. Friday, we\u2019ll see a different group driving up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We pick up our BBQ chicken dinners\u2014the firehouse is only a couple hundred yards down the road from the church\u2014and head back to the church to sup. We debrief while we eat, knowing that everyone is dead-tired, lack of sleep, and another full day tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You get to know folks when you work alongside them. But most of the time, the conversation is casual, yet focused\u2014you\u2019ve got a mission. But when you\u2019re on downtime, you get to know them a little better. You develop a unique relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m a Navy veteran. Two others on this team are also Navy veterans. One of the other volunteers we met earlier on site came up to me with a huge grin. \u201cNavy, huh? I\u2019m sorry\u2026\u201d (I knew where he was going with this). \u201cI\u2019m Air Force.\u201d He\u2019s a little younger than me (actually, a lot<\/em> younger), but he put in 20 years. A lot more than my four. But, hey, us veterans stick together and, like we did in the service, we do what we can to help others, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2130 (9:30p). I\u2019m so tired, I can barely keep my eyes open. After making sure all the batteries are charged for the cordless tools, I bed down on my air mattress. It\u2019s a little cool in the room, but that\u2019s how I prefer it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2200 (10:00p). I awake to an angry A\/C unit powering up outside. The fan is blowing straight on me and no way to redirect the vents. In fact, it\u2019s one of those vents that blows everywhere\u2014nowhere to hide. It\u2019s no longer just<\/em> cool\u2026 I\u2019m in a meat locker<\/em>. I\u2019ll spare you the details, but I ended up putting on my work pants, pulling the sheets over my head, and tossing and turning the entire night. I simply couldn\u2019t get warm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over those two nights, I developed this \u201clove-hate\u201d relationship with the church A\/C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next morning\u2014I guess I was able to drift off to sleep a bit here and there\u2014I heard others up and heading out the door to the kitchen. I\u2019d set my alarm for 0715, but looking at my phone, it was only 0630.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe they\u2019ll make coffee.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I finally drag my butt outta bed (actually, a semi-deflated air mattress), brush my teeth, and head over to the kitchen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coffee? Oh yeah.<\/em> Not only that, but plenty of scrambled eggs, buttered toast & jam, and even a banana. Bless you, chainsaw gang.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over a period of three days, teams from multiple areas joined us, working on seven houses: tarping, clearing out debris, both inside & outside, cutting & hauling trees and limbs, and whatever else we could do to help the homeowners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We finished up on Friday (we\u2019d been there since Wednesday) about 2p, loaded up the ERT trailer, said our goodbyes to our new \u201cfamily,\u201d and headed back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tired and exhausted, I wondered when and where the next ERT mission may lead us. During that hour & a half drive back to Gainesville, my thoughts flowed non-stop. There was still so much more work to be done. So many homes. And that was just in this one area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tom, Wendy, Kelly, Becky, John G., Ed, John M., Whit, Marisa, Cindy, Tiffany, Dan, Bill, Sue, Hap, Sarah, and Walt. Gainesville, Palm Coast, Satellite Beach, Orlando, and Mobile, Alabama\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe Are Family!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And now\u2026 Hurricane Milton is scheduled to make landfall sometime Wednesday (tomorrow). Yeah, there will be more to do, and soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Am I ready for another ERT deployment? I ask myself that multiple times during the day and the answer is always the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here I am Lord.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until we meet again,
Andy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wednesday, October 2. 0230. The blue digits on my 1980s-style bedside alarm clock tell me it\u2019s too early. Go back to sleep. Let\u2019s see. We visited and assessed the area on Monday. 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