Raintree21

What is your agency's policy on mandatory callbacks or mandatory overtime in the event of a disaster? It is quite feasible for an agency to "shut down" in the event of a large scale event if a large number of employees choose to stay home to care for their families and property.

An excellent idea but I have never experienced any agency that is willing to do so. Does anyone else know of an agency willing to put up IMMEDIATE family members?

To throw a wrench into your plans, it is an event that takes down phone lines and the electrical grid so communication is impossible (including cell phones) unless face to face or I suppose ham radios for those few who have them. I remember Hurricane Hugo in '89 we didn't have electricity or phones for 3 weeks and those on the Gulf Coast can testify more recently to Katrina's devastation and it's effects on the grid.

The bottom line, which I have heard from day one, is that one should not expect the "government", federal, state or local, to come to your rescue, especially if the catastrophe is long term and widespread. If the response to Katrina is any indicator (and it was fairly localized) I tend to agree. For example, assuming there was a widespread major disaster and your agency had no capability of re-supply, how long would it take to exhaust critical supplies in your immediately accesible warehouse? (Remember, that "mutually supporting" agencies would be in the same/similiar situation.) The same can be said for any stockpiles of food and medicine that you have in at your house for your family. How many emergency ppersonnel would remain on the job and for how long, versus taking care of their own family? One of my clients encountered that, when a tornado came through a trailer park and housing area several years ago. The security officers on duty left the plant, they did at least lock the gate, but they just left their post to go take care of their families. It was my understanding that several of the VFD personnel did the same. Remember, blood runs thick, especially when it comes to family.

WNL- We never looked (Vital signs are WNL) FLB- funny lookin bumps (ekg strip)