Impact of National Guard Call Ups on Emergency Response

[Coastie for Truth]

General question about emergency response (not limited to terrorism - could be major floods, earthquakes, urban forest fires - Oakland Hills and San Diego come to mind, hurricanes, tornadoes, major power outages, major blizzards).

The scenario is - your state's National Guard is in Iraq.

The complicating factor - given "Mutual Assistance" and Guard callups - your local police, fire, EMT's are stretched thin.

What is the capability of your volunteer, NGO responders - Red Cross, Salvation Army, Paid On Call/Reserve Firefighters, Citizen Corps, Civil Air Patrol, Coast Guard Auxiliary, ARES/RACES.

What is the capability of your electric, gas, phone companies (remember, cell phones go over wires from your tower to the tower serving the cell you are calling - and the routers are electric), water company, public works.

Do you have an "Incident Control System" - have you tested it in the field?

This is not hypothetical. If you don't test your ICS and drill it ---- you are herding cats.

I just got back from the Red Cross National Convention - this was a big issue in many break out sessions.

I am also ARES/RACES - this is an issue

[babylonsister]

1. Didn't some politician try to get his Guard back from

Iraq because of the summer firestorms, and was turned down? Maybe Wyoming? I guess we'll see the outcome from the lack of their presence, which is a real shitty way to find out.

[Coastie for Truth]

2. I have heard through the informal, sneaker net

of us "Old Fart" "Red and Blue Flashing Light Junkies" that habituate the NGO Emergency Responder community - that Jeb Bush had a problem with the Florida Guard during last fall's hurricanes -- and had to call on Guard units from several states away, and even more of us arthritic, diabetic, "Old Fart" "Red and Blue Flashing Light Junkies."

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. An important topic

with the hurricane/tornado/forest fire season starting.

[Coastie for Truth]

4. Sad but true

I am one of those "Old Fart" "Red and Blue Flashing Light Junkies" - and our training tempo has picked up. But it's still "herding cats."