Busy Week!

Man, what a hot and busy week it has been. I am so glad my air-conditioner works in my truck. I have been seeing a news story this week on TV about a section 8 apartment complex that has not had air-conditioning for two weeks. I just can’t imagine trying to sleep in a hot apartment. I think the apartments had until 1:30 pm yesterday to rectify the problem. They were waiting for a part to come in for their air-conditioner unit, so until the part comes in, management has purchased window units for each apartment. Nobody should be without air in this heat. The only really safe time to be outside is very early morning, or late evening (after 8 pm). Today, the weather forecasters are expecting us to set a record high.

Tuesday and Wednesday morning, I woke up to thunderstorms. It was nice to get the rain (we got over an inch), but I also knew it meant we were going to get busy at work. Since we have had so many days with temperatures in the 100’s, the ground is very dry and brittle. When we get a heavy rain, it soaks into the dry ground and causes the ground to shift. When the ground shifts, it causes our water mains to break. We had 8 water main breaks on Tuesday and so far, we have had 14 water main breaks today…most of them emergencies. That does not include other water line breaks we have to repair. Needless to say, we have been very busy.

Yesterday evening, at around 4:30 pm, we had a 12” main break at W. Britton Rd and May Ave. Even though the main was not that big, the break collapsed the street and blew out a section of pipe. I went up there after work to assist with traffic control and to get some pictures. It was pretty bad and it was hot. I assisted Village Police with traffic control, while the water reps shut down the main. Once I was finished there, I drove to another main break at SW 117th and S. Western. I knew the water rep on that call was fairly new, so I went on down to offer my assistance. It had broken at the driveway to Braums, with muddy water and gravel coming out from under the street. I stayed and assisted OCPD with traffic control. Once the crew arrived, I headed home. I had been in the sun all evening and was tired. To top it off, I found out the hard way my rubber boots had a leak in them. So, needless to say, my socks were soaked by the time I got home.

Britton Rd and May

Britton Rd and May

Britton Rd and May

Briitton Rd and May

SW 117th & S Western

SW 117th and S Western

SW 117th & S Western

(There are many more pictures of these breaks on my Facebook Page)

I got to bed late last night because I had to do laundry so I would have something to wear today. When my alarm went off this morning, I felt like I got some rest, but I was still dragging some. So far, it has been pretty busy today. I have been working on legal claims and giving breaks and lunches to my co-workers. This evening, I have been invited to Cattlemen’s Steakhouse by one of my friends at work. They have a system here at work that allows you to donate sick leave to another employee, if that employee has run out of sick and vacation leave and needs more time. This lady has been good to me for many years and we have sung together in the city hall choir, so when she requested donated sick leave, I donated the maximum amount that I could donate (24 hours). She was so touched by the many people that donated their sick leave to her, she wants to treat us all to a dinner tonight….in our honor. So, I want be responding to any main breaks from around 5:30 until about 7:30 this evening.

Tomorrow is my long day…….12-13 hours. I will be ready!

http://www.centralokreact.org/

What a Weekend!

It has been a long, tiring and hot weekend.

Last Friday evening, I worked until 8 pm because we were short-handed. The evening went well, but I was very tired. I got about 3-4 hours of sleep Thursday night because I was up sick half the night. Myself and several of my REACT team members decided to meet at IHOP in bricktown and have dinner on Thursday evening. Unfortunately, something wasn't quite right because three of us spent most of the night in our restrooms. That's one IHOP I will not be going back to.

When my alarm went off Friday morning, I seriously considered calling in sick because my stomach was still churning and I had very little sleep....but, I had promised my boss the day before I would stay and work late Friday, so I felt obligated to go into work. It was a hard day and I did my best to stay awake. Needless to say, I was ready to go home at 8 pm and get some sleep.

I tried to sleep in late on Saturday, but that was impossible. The only thing I really had planned was a family reunion in Rush Springs. The Slate family (my mom's side) were all getting together at my cousin's house for an afternoon of eating, fellow shipping and enjoying each other's company. We did have a good crowd, including relatives from Texas and Louisiana. It was really neat because my family was there....Karla, Gayla and Stephen. They had to leave early because Gayla had to be at work early, so I stayed at the reunion and mom and dad took me home.

That evening, we did absolutely nothing but watch TV and stay inside where it was cool.

Today was a day of rest. After church, Karla and I had lunch, cleaned up the kitchen and I took a nap, while she went grocery shopping. So, I did very little today.....I listened to OCFD on my laptop, listened to my work radio and listened to my REACT radio as I watched TV.

This coming week is suppose to be in the 100's...all week long. This heat is unbearable and I plan on staying in cool places. For the next couple of weeks, I will be working on putting the final touches on Falls Creek preparation.

www.centralokreact.org

I Don't Like to be Idle....

I hate to be idle. I am not the type of person to just do nothing….I always have to be doing something. I am sure there is a name for someone who hates to be idle, but I don’t know what it is. Yesterday after work, I went home, got my mower and mowed two lawns. Fortunately, it was not as hot (middle 90’s), so it wasn’t so bad. Either way, though, it was still hot. I got home at around 6:30 pm, ready to eat. My wife cooked a wonderful meal of fried boneless chicken breast, mashed potatoes, green beans and baked beans…..and…….sweet tea. It was delicious. While I ate, I checked out my FB page and listened to my scanner on my laptop. While listening, I heard a report of a grass fire at SW 44 and Newcastle Rd. Even though I was tired from mowing, I considered responding to it. Right as I was finishing my meal, the incident commander called for traffic control. Out the door I went………

Here is the report I submitted to the REACT Board of Directors.....


On 6-21-11, at around 18:45, I was at home, eating supper and listening to the fire calls, when I heard a call about a grass fire at SW 44 & Newcastle Rd. Within minutes after the first units arrived, they called in more brush pumpers. I continued to listen, not planning on responding…..until OCFD started asking for traffic control. I left the house, contact Unit 768 (advised him of my disposition) and arrived on the fire scene at around 17:10. I found the incident commander and told him who I was and asked if he needed my assistance blocking off traffic. He directed me to block west bound traffic at SW 44 & Newcastle Rd, so I parked my truck across the west bound lane, put on my reflective vest, grabbed my hand-held UHF radio and diverted all traffic. OCPD was at the other end of the fire blocking east bound traffic. After realizing I could use some help, I contacted Tanner Owen via phone and he started to respond.

At around 17:45, I noticed that the area I had blocked off was no longer on fire and the fire engines and brush pumpers had moved further west. There was nobody to report to, so I left my post and headed west to MacArthur Blvd, where an OCPD officer was blocking the road. I pulled up next to his car, approached him and advised him I was with Central Oklahoma REACT. Of course, he had never heard of us, so I gave him a brochure. I explained I was there to assist with traffic control, if I was needed. He got on his radio and checked with other officers that were also blocking the road and they advised him they did not need any help. I thanked the officer, contacted Tanner and told him to cancel and left the scene at 17:50.

http://www.centralokreact.org/

http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/OCFD_Citizens_Fire_Academy_Alumni_Association

Storm Spotting Adventure.....a Bust!

Some decisions I make are good ones, but the one I made last night was a bad one.

For the last two days, the weather forecasters were telling us we were in for some severe weather on Monday and to expect high winds, large hail and possible tornadoes. Because of that, our REACT team was getting geared up for an evening of storm spotting. I received emails and text messages, informing me when we could expect severe weather in the metro. So, I was getting excited, just knowing I would spend the evening spotting storms and getting some good pictures.

While I was at work, I was informed our mid-shift person had called in. Because of that, someone had to stay late and work with our evening shift dispatcher. There are two of us in dispatch who volunteer most of the time to work the extra shifts…..myself and a female dispatcher. When I asked her if she could stay late and assist the evening dispatcher, she said no. I didn’t want to stay because I was getting prepared for an evening of storm spotting. Deep down inside, I knew that I needed to stay late and get the overtime because the money is desperately needed……but, I chose not to. Bad decision.

Through emails, I was informed storms would be developing between 5-6 pm in the metro area. Different REACT members were texting and emailing the team, letting us know when they were available to spot. Right before I got off work, I checked the radar….there was nothing developing. After work, I went by the credit union and then home. When I got home, I checked the radar again and noticed there were no storms forming. I met a few of my REACT team members at OCCC and we made a plan. I drove down to Newcastle and set up on a hill west of the City. I sat….and sat….and sat…and watched a few clouds form. Since nothing was happening, I drove back into town and got something to eat at Sonic…..I eventually set up again on a hill just west of the city. No action.

I was in constant communication (by two-way radio) with one of our members who had a laptop and was keeping us updated on what was going on with the storms. After sitting in Newcastle for over an hour, I decided it was time to leave. Storms were developing south and south east of me….and north west of me….but nothing to my south west. I decided to change positions and go further north, so I left Newcastle and drove to Tuttle. From Tuttle, I met up with another REACT storm spotter and we headed north on Sara Rd, towards I-40, trying to catch up to a storm. Traffic was slow and the storm was moving fast, so it left us behind.

Another storm was developing around Tuttle (the same area we had just left), so we drove back to Tuttle………for nothing. The storm never fully developed. There was another storm just north of us that was heading to the city, so we left Tuttle and headed back north on I-44. Again, this storm was moving rapidly north east. I drove east on I-240 and exited Douglas Blvd. I went north on Douglas Blvd to NE.10 and realized I could not catch up with the storm.

I was totally disappointed in the evening and really mad at myself. All I had to show for an evening of storm spotting was 120 miles of wasted gas and a few “cloud” pictures. I drove into a few heavy showers, but there was no wind and no hail. Most of the really bad storms were south east and north west of the city. Just to think…I could have worked until 8 pm at work and received 4 hours of overtime. Instead, my excitement got the best of me and nothing big happened with the weather. The only good thing that came out of last night’s storm spotting was the fact we were able to use our new two-way radios with our new repeater. In the past, communicating during severe weather was nearly impossible. Now that we have these two-way radios on a repeater system, we are able to communicate with each other from all parts of the city.

www.centralokreact.org

Yes, it has been a very busy week this week. I have had something going on every night. Monday evening I mowed two lawns (and it was hot). Tuesday night, I had a CFAAA Board meeting and chased a few storms. Wednesday night was church and tonight is our monthly CFAAA meeting. Tomorrow evening, I have a lawn to mow and it’s movie night for the students at church.

Each day this week, we have been short-handed at work, so we have had no breaks and no lunch. Today is the first day we have enjoyed a lunch hour and an afternoon break. It was weird because I did not know what to do with my lunch hour. I did not want to leave the office because my truck still has no air and I really had no place to go…no errands to run. I did sit in my truck during lunch and take a short nap. Yes, it was hot outside, but I was parked facing the west, so I rolled my windows down and allowed the hot breeze to go through my truck. Fortunately, I was sitting in a shaded area, so I did not have the sun on me.

Like I said earlier…it has been a busy week. Tuesday, my brother-in-law (sister’s husband) had a freak accident at his house. He tripped over a vacuum cleaner and broke his leg in 3-4 places. He wound up having surgery yesterday morning to have a pin put in his leg. What’s bad is a couple of years ago, he had one of his legs amputated, due to complications from his diabetes. So, he has an prosthetic leg and now a broken leg. His recovery is expected to take 8 weeks. Not a good deal.

If that wasn’t enough, Karla went to the doctor a week or so ago and was informed she would need to get a hysterectomy in order to correct some health issues she has been having. She was fine with that because she definitely wants to feel better and lately, she has felt lousy. Because of the history of heart problems in her family, the surgeon wanted her to do a stress test to check the condition of her heart before any surgery took place. Well, the doctor was concerned with the results, so she has to go to the Oklahoma Heart Hospital next Tuesday to get a heart monitor permanently installed. She is somewhat nervous about this and it was a shock to both of us. The doctor feels she will do just fine with the hysterectomy, but wanted to go ahead and have the heart monitor installed so they can keep tabs on her. Our main concern is her health, but we are also working on trying to figure out how we will be able to make it financially. She does not get paid when she is off work, so we are praying to God and seeking some answers. We have no idea what to do.

This evening is our CFAAA monthly meeting. This month, we are meeting at station #4, which is located in far eastern Oklahoma County on Hogback Rd. Since I have no air in my truck, one of our members is graciously allowing me to ride to the meeting with her. It will be a long night…..

www.centralokreact.org
 
http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/OCFD_Citizens_Fire_Academy_Alumni_Association

It was a Busy Monday!

Yesterday was a very busy day….but I survived it.

Over the weekend, we had many water main breaks, so yesterday we had a lot of dirty water calls. Normally, when we have a busy day of water main breaks, the lines don’t get flushed out like they need to, so dirt and sand will get in the line. The only way to take care of the problem and get rid of all the dirt is to flush a fire hydrant. Needless to say, we flushed a bunch of hydrants yesterday. It was a busy day….a day with no lunch and no breaks. The busyness of the day made the work day go by quicker.

When I got off work, I got in my hot truck (with no air) and drove over to one of my customer’s homes and mowed his lawn. Man, it was extremely hot and with no breeze. I forgot my cap, so I wore my City hard hat (which looked ridiculous on me because I was just mowing) and tried to keep the sun off my head. Well, that was a bad idea. All it did was make my head hotter, which made me sweat more. So, I took the hard hat off and went without any covering. I kept my towel with me so I could continue to wipe the sweat off my forehead. I hurriedly (but efficiently), mowed, weedeated and edged. I don’t care how hot it is, I do not take shortcuts on any lawns I mow. Each lawn I mow has my signature on it, so I make sure it is done right.

I did bring a bottle of cold water with me, but I ignorantly left my water in the back of my truck…in the sun. There’s nothing like drinking lukewarm water to quench a thirst. To top it all off, I was getting a little overheated, so I sat in my truck (with no air) and rolled down my windows to get some air circulating through. I eventually left and headed to 7-11 and bought a bottle of Gatorade. Man, it tasted so good and quenched my thirst. When I got home, I sat in the house and soaked in the air-conditioning. At around 8 pm I went outside and mowed my lawn. It was not as hot, but I still sweated like a pig.

This morning, I posted this question on Facebook….are you always on time, always late, or always early? Personally, I am always early. I hate being late to anything and always like to be early. Some people say they are always late…and that they can’t help it. The truth is, they actually can help it…they just have to get up earlier and leave earlier. My family does not take after me. My wife is usually right on time, or late. My daughter is the same way. My son is almost like me. Most of the time he is early, but he is mostly on time. It’s going to be interesting to see how many replies I get to the question.

This evening, we are having a CFAAA Board meeting/cookout at our secretary’s house. We decided to grill burgers, eat and then have our meeting. It should be fun.

www.centralokreact.org

http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/OCFD_Citizens_Fire_Academy_Alumni_Association

Monday Again!!

The weekend is over……time to do a re-cap.

It all started Friday evening………every year, the Line Maintenance Division of the City of Okla. City participates in an event called the “Corporate Challenge.” This is a time when different corporations in our city (Chesapeake, Hertz, OU Medical Center, Blue Cross/Blue Shields, etc..) compete in friendly games. The main events (basketball, relay races, tug-of-war, home run derby) are normally held at the Bishop McGuiness High, while the walking and running events are held at NE 10 & Phillips.I was not a participant in any of the events on Friday evening, but I was there to take pictures of our teams participating in the relays. While I was there taking pictures of the relays, I received a call from one of my fellow REACT members, informing me of a severe thunderstorm that was entering our city. Our team had not been activated to spot, but I went ahead and left anyway because I had a new two-way radio I needed to get installed in my truck….and one of my fellow members was going to go ahead and install it for me Friday night.


You see, I really could not afford the radio, so one of my fellow team members decided to allow me to use the one he purchased because he did not have room for it in his truck. He decided to just buy himself a hand-held radio, so he is allowing me to use his mobile. These new radios are hooked into a repeater system, so we will be able to communicate with each other more efficiently when we are out spotting storms. They are refurbished radios, but they are nice. Anyway, we spent most of Friday evening, under a carport, installing the radio and antenna. We had a couple of storms pass through the city while we were installing the radio, so we ended up under a carport to finish the installation. I did not make it home until around 11:30 that night.

I was up at 6:30 Saturday morning. I had a volleyball tournament to play at 11:00 am, so I had a little time to do whatever I wanted to do before I had to play. I contacted our dispatch office and learned that there were numerous emergency water main breaks around the city. So, I obtained some of the addresses and checked them out myself to see which ones could wait and which ones needed to be worked asap. I checked one on the south side of town and two on the north side of town. After that, I decided to head back to McGuiness to get ready for the volleyball game. I arrived around 10:15 am and watched some of the other teams play. Some of the teams I watched were really good. You could tell they had played together for a long time and practiced often.

We played our first game at 11:00 and it was a hot puppy outside. It was co-ed volleyball, so I knew the rules would be different. What I did not realize was how complicated THEIR rules were. They were picky about how you hit the ball back and how you used your hands. It seems that every time I would hit the ball, I would not hit it the correct way. Even though it would go over the net, we would not score because of the way I would hit the ball. The rules were ridiculous! Then, to top it all off, one of the men that was on our team felt he was much better than me and kept jumping in front of me when the ball was coming my way. That was really irritating. I know how to play volleyball and I know how to get the ball over…….and I always hate when someone thinks they are better and they jump in front of you to hit the ball. Anyway, it did not really matter because we got eliminated very quickly.

Since we were eliminated, I decided to go ahead and leave…there was nothing more I could do and I had a birthday party to go to. I contacted dispatch once again and was informed of a big main break at NW 63rd and N May. So, I headed over there to see if I could be of assistance. When I got there, traffic was horrible, so I assisted the water rep by shutting down a lane of traffic while he shut down water valves. Traffic was not cooperating, so we wound up having to call the police and get their assistance with traffic control. For an hour, I stayed on the scene, assisting with traffic control. Once they got the valves shut down, I decided to leave the area and go to a birthday party. The eighteen year-old daughter of one of my REACT team members was having a birthday party for her at my church. I had promised to be at the party, so I headed that way.

It was nice to be inside where there was air-conditioning, especially since my truck still has none. I was at the party for a couple of hours. The guests eventually started leaving, so we started cleaning the place up. As we were cleaning, I received a call from our dispatcher, informing me he was leaving for the day and that the evening dispatcher would need some help for a while. So, I left the church and headed to work. I stayed there for three hours and assisted with dispatching and answering phone calls.

My body was really tired and a little sore, so I did not sleep very well Saturday morning. I had my alarm set for 6:00 am because I had to be at NE 10 & Phillips by 7 am for the “Corporate Challenge” mile walk. I did the walk in thirty minutes and headed on over to the church. After church, we had a Falls Creek sponsors meeting in the fellowship hall. We ate fried chicken and discussed our responsibilities for Falls Creek. After the meeting, I checked in with our dispatcher and learned everything was quiet. So, I decided to go home and rest for a while. I laid down and took a nap for 2 hours. When I got up, it was time to go back to the church for the evening service.

All in all it was a good weekend, just a little busy. Today we are short-handed again…as usual. After work, I have two lawns to mow….in the heat.

http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/OCFD_Citizens_Fire_Academy_Alumni_Association

http://www.okcentralreact.org/

Safety Tips for the Heat....and report on Motorist Assist

Dress for the heat. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light colors will reflect away some of the sun's energy. It is also a good idea to wear hats or to use an umbrella.


Drink water. Carry water or juice with you and drink continuously even if you do not feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which dehydrate the body. Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a physician.

Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid high-protein foods, which increase metabolic heat.

Slow down. Avoid strenuous activity. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 4 and 7 a.m.

Stay indoors when possible. If air-conditioning is not available, stay on the lowest floor out of the sunshine. Remember that electric fans do not cool, they simply circulate the air.

Be a good neighbor. During heat waves, check in on elderly residents in your neighborhood and those who do not have air conditioning.

Know What These Heat-Related Terms Mean:

Heat cramps: Heat cramps are muscular pains and spasms due to heavy exertion. Although heat cramps are the least severe, they are an early signal that the body is having trouble with the heat.

Heat exhaustion: Heat exhaustion typically occurs when people exercise heavily or work in a hot, humid place where body fluids are lost through heavy sweating. Blood flow to the skin increases, causing blood flow to decrease to the vital organs. This results in a form of mild shock. If not treated, the victim may suffer heat stroke. Signals of heat exhaustion include cool, moist, pale flushed or red skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; and exhaustion. Body temperature will be near normal.

Heat stroke: Also known as sunstroke, heat stroke is life-threatening. The victim's temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working. The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly. Signals include hot, red and dry skin; changes in consciousness; rapid, weak pulse; and rapid, shallow breathing. Body temperature can be very high—sometimes as high as 105 degrees.

General Care for Heat Emergencies:

Heat cramps or heat exhaustion: Get the person to a cooler place and have him or her rest in a comfortable position. If the person is fully awake and alert, give half a glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Do not let him or her drink too quickly. Do not give liquids that contain alcohol or caffeine. Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet cloths, such as towels or sheets. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number if the person refuses water, vomits or loses consciousness.

Heat stroke: Heat stroke is a life-threatening situation! Help is needed fast. Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. Move the person to a cooler place. Quickly cool the body. Immerse victim in a cool bath, or wrap wet sheets around the body and fan it. Watch for signals of breathing problems. Keep the person lying down and continue to cool the body any way you can. If the victim refuses water or is vomiting or there are changes in the level of consciousness, do not give anything to eat or drink.

MOTORIST ASSIST, 6-6-11

On June 6, 2011, at around 19:25, I was south bound on the Hefner Parkway, approaching NW 122nd, when I saw a car sitting on the shoulder and a young female standing by it. I exited NW 122, got back on Hefner Parkway and drove up to Memorial Rd so I could turn around and go back south on the Parkway. At around 19:32, I approached the vehicle (which had no hazard lights on), and turned on all my emergency lights and pulled in behind the car. I got out of my truck and approached the female. She was looking the other way, so she never saw me pull over. I didn’t want to scare her, so when I was about 15 ft away from her I yelled and asked if I could help. I still scared her………she had car trouble and told me what she had just had it repaired, but it was still dying on her. She had called a friend to come get her.

I advised her I would go back to my truck and wait until her ride arrived. At 19:40, I happened to glance up at her and she started walking to my truck. She told me she lived about a mile from where we were and asked if I would give her a ride home. I dropped her off at some apartments just east of NW 122 and May. She thanked me for the ride and I cleared off at 19:45.

Report submitted to the Central Oklahoma REACT Board of Directors.


http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/OCFD_Citizens_Fire_Academy_Alumni_Association

http://www.okcentralreact.org/

Monday...Monday...can't trust this day...

I can safely say that last week was a slow week for me. I did not work any overtime (except for last Saturday) and I had no meetings to attend. It really felt strange, but good, to be able to stay home in the evenings and relax. I don’t get to do that often, so when I do, I like to take advantage of the time.

It’s hard to believe that we have been in our “new” house for almost a year now. My mother-in-law passed away August of 2009 and we moved into her house July, 2010. It is so much quieter in this new neighborhood and we have some great neighbors. Plus, it’s nice to be able to go out in my backyard and just sit, relax and play with my dogs. I have a stockade fence on the west side and south side of my backyard and a chain-link on the east side…..so, I have quite a bit of privacy. I do not miss the other house, or neighborhood, at all. Since I still have one lawn in that area to mow, I usually go by the old house two-three times a month.

Even though my family is enjoying the house and the privacy, I don’t think our dogs are enjoying it. When we were at the other house, we lived on a corner, so Scout got to run the fence line all the time as people walked by. That’s how she got her exercise. At this house, all she has is a small gate to look out of and there is no foot traffic, so she does not run in the backyard very often. That’s one reason we acquired Charlie. We figured if we had another dog, both Scout and Charlie could play in the backyard and get exercise. I know Charlie runs a lot, but Scout still does not do much. One thing about Scout, though, is she still has arthritis very bad in her hind legs. Because of that, she doesn’t get around very good and has a problem getting up. Just jumping on our bed takes a lot of effort on her part.

We have had Scout for over 8 years and she is a good pet. You can tell, though, that she is getting old and could possibly be on her last leg. She doesn’t get around very good and she has gained a lot of weight. Plus, her temperament is changing. She is more aggressive now and even growls at us more often. Just the other night, I was messing with one of her paws and she got mad and bit me, breaking my skin. It’s at the point where you are afraid to touch her in certain areas. I hate to lose her because she is a great dog for our family.

Well, Falls Creek is a month away and it feels like I have not gotten much accomplished for it. I met with Andrew, our youth minister, a couple of months ago and advised him I would once again be the administrator for Falls Creek this year. That means receiving completed packets from the students, making sure we have enough sponsors and making sure our registration is up to date on the computer. So far, none of the students have turned in their forms. When it starts getting this close to camp, I start getting just a tad bit nervous. We gave the students a chance to design the Falls Creek t-shirts for this year, but none of them submitted designs, so Andrew is doing the designing of it.

Even though I love the students and love being part of the youth ministry, I am a little frustrated with some of them. Our attendance is at an all time low for not only Sunday School, but Wednesday nights as well. For the last couple of weeks, Andrew had been advertising a youth fellowship that we were going to have in the gym after the evening worship service. He even posted it on Facebook and received several comments. Unfortunately, NO students showed up at church last night, so the fellowship was cancelled. I know once Falls Creek starts getting closer, more students will start coming…..but I want them to be faithful to their youth ministry now and not wait until the last minute.

Yesterday, we had our monthly REACT team meeting and had a few guests at our meeting that were interested in joining us. We had a good meeting and then went to Catfish Cabin afterwards to eat catfish. I was not impressed with their catfish and the buffet was rather expensive. The only reason I really went was to spend time with my REACT team members. When we left the restaurant, my truck would not start. So, one of my team members gave me a jump and I eventually went by AutoZone and had my battery tested. It showed to be bad, so I had to purchase another battery. This battery has a 6-year warranty, so I hope I have no problems with it. At least my truck will start now.

http://www.okcentralreact.org/

http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/OCFD_Citizens_Fire_Academy_Alumni_Association