Finally, some time off of work. I really needed this, so I could get some stuff done around the house. It feels real good to get Christmas out of the way and get life back to normal.
For some people, Christmas is a bad time of year. I don't mind Christmas, especially because it is the time of year we celebrate the birth of Christ. I just get tired of all the commercialism of it and everyone trying to find that perfect gift for someone else. Plus, this was our third Christmas without my mother-in-law. I still really miss her and the Christmas season reminds me of it even more. One thing I have really emphasized since my MIL passed away, is it is more important to me to spend good, quality, time with my family, than to worry about buying gifts for each other. This year, my brother-in-law had a stroke about two weeks before Christmas. About a week after his stroke, he had a heart attack. We really did not think he would be home at Christmas, but he was. He was extremely tired, but he was there.
Another thing I enjoy about Christmas is our tradition of taking breakfast items to the firefighters on Christmas morning. The organization I belong to, the Citizen's Fire Academy Alumni Association (CFAAA) delivers breakfast items to all Okla. City fire stations on Christmas morning. Our members adopt a station, find out how many firefighters will be at the station on Christmas morning and buy breakfast items for them. Then, on Christmas morning, we deliver the breakfast items to each fire station as a "thank you" for the service they provide 365 days a year, 24/7. Each member normally adopts one station, however, we were short on members this time around, so a few members adopted more than one station.
I adopted one station, but myself and the Vice-President of our organization, wound up delivering to seven different fire stations Christmas morning because other members backed out. Actually, myself, my daughter, the Vice-President and her husband, made all the deliveries. We started at 6:15 Christmas morning and finished around 9 am. Afterwards, we had Christmas at our house with my son, daughter and wife. Then, we went to my sister-in-law's house for Christmas and lunch. Finally, at around 2 pm, we headed up to north OKC to my sister's house and had Christmas there. Yes, it was a very long day.
For the last couple of days, I have been doing quite a bit of work around the house. I had promised my wife I would clear out the storage facility we have been renting for years and get all our stuff moved to the storage building in our back yard. We were getting tired of paying $64.00 a month for storage when we had a large storage building in our own backyard. Early Monday, I started hauling stuff back and forth......putting all the furniture and stuff in the rented storage and moving our personal stuff from that storage facility to our storage building. For now, my sister-in-law will be using the rented storage facility for her stuff and paying the monthly rental fee. I did lots of sorting, lots of throwing away....and gave lots of stuff to Goodwill. I spent 6 hours on Monday moving all the stuff and then spent four hours today, cleaning up the garage, throwing junk away and making more trips to Goodwill.
My back, legs, neck and arms are all sore. I did lots of hard labor, but it was all worth it. I got it all done. I even had time today to buy me a pair of new shoes and watch some TV. Tomorrow should be a pretty easy day. Looking forward to relaxing.
www.centralokreact.org
CERT Training
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Various Traffic Assists by Central OK REACT team members.
We are Central OK REACT. One of our main responsibilities is to assist local and state law enforcement in any way possible. Many times, that means assisting with traffic control during an accident, or assisting a stranded motorist on the side of the road. I have compiled some of these "motorist assists," and "Traffic Assists" from some of our various members..........enjoy.
At 1805 hrs, I was driving northbound on Sooner Rd between SE 44th and SE 29th. Traffic in the left lane was becoming severely backed up. I slowly made my way up and there was a two vehicle collision blocking the left northbound lane and debris covering the left southbound lane. I activated my 4 way flashers and my rear dash light, grabbed my vest, ID, and flashlight. I approached the first vehicle and noticed an older gentleman by the car. I asked if 911 had been called and if everyone was okay. He responded he called 911 and that he and his passenger were okay. I approached the second vehicle and the lady still in the vehicle stated she was okay. Traffic southbound was still driving very near the incident and over the debris, so I promptly directed traffic to the outside lane going southbound. A few minutes later OKCFD showed up on scene and blocked the inside northbound and inside southbound lanes. Since both lanes were blocked and the scene was safe I cleared at 1815hrs.
John Linley, unit 718
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12/13/11 @ 01:42, I was en route to my residence from work when I came upon a maroon Chevy truck, blocking both lane 1 & 2 on NE 23rd street, just east of Westminster, at approximately 11005 NE 23rd in Nicoma Park. I noticed that this vehicle did not have any hazard lights on and was in a dangerous spot being on an upside of a hill. I contacted a Spencer Police officer via Cell phone and advised him of my location since I knew that the Nicoma Park officer was out on an agency assist in MWC. He advised he would be en route to my location to assist me with traffic. I then attempted to contact anyone on the OKC repeater. I activated my T/A grabbed my vest and stepped out of my vehicle. I asked the driver of the vehicle what was the problem and he stated he had run out of gas and that his battery was now dead. I also advised them who I was with and gave him a business card. @ 01:45, Spencer 11 arrived on scene and positioned himself on the hill to advise oncoming motorists of the hazard ahead. At that point, he advised me to help get the vehicle out of the road. I grabbed a tow chain from my vehicle and repositioned it to tow the vehicle into a parking lot up the road. @ 01:50 I had successfully moved the vehicle out of NE 23rd street. I then successfully jump-started the vehicle. They thanked spencer 11 and me for our help @ 0155. Nicoma Park 5 arrived on scene he thanked both Spencer 11 and myself for the help while he was away. We all went back into service at 0200 I continued home to my residence at that point.
Brett Conner
Unit 740
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Saturday, November 12, 2011
Time: Approx. 11:15AM
While returning from the Blanchard parade, I exited onto I240EB from I44EB. As I approached the MayAve off-ramp, I noticed a large amount of smoke behind the retaining wall for the I240WB May Ave on ramp. I exited at May Ave and made a U-turn under the bridge. I entered the On Ramp to May ave. A medium sized grass fire has sparked along the on ramp. I activated my lights, pulled on the north side shoulder. I grabbed my reflective vest and fire extinguisher. I was able to knock most of the flames down using the FE. OCFD Brush pumper arrived on the scene about 4 minutes after I did. The FF drove along the side of the on ramp, while I manned the hose. We got the fire extinguished in under 5 minutes.
He thanked me for my help. I gave him a REACT card.
We both left the scene at 11:30 AM.
Mike Weiss, Unit 728
*******************************************************************************************
On October 4th, 2011, at approximately 19:45 hours, I was traveling west on Reno, approaching Portland, I noticed a semi making a wider than usual left turn. When the truck cleared, I observed a older Lincoln Town car with 2 passenger side flats sitting beside the center median divider. I activated my lights and pulled around behind the vehicle. I attempted to call for monitoring units on the Edmond repeater, with no response. With no contact, I exited and spoke with the driver. Both passenger and driver were in there 50's. The driver still had the car in drive and was asking how far it was to 50th and portland. I convinced the driver to place the car in park and to come look at her wheels. She believed the front was flat but not the back until I showed her. I was trying to talk her into pulling in to the gas station and calling a wrecker or someone she knows for help. She seemed a little incoherant but I thought it was from age. We started to move the car toward the gas station parking lot when she continued north bound and still accelerating. I contacted OCPD and advised them of what was happening and who I was. They stayed on the line with me as I advised of the drivers location and how the driver was acting. Before reaching the railroad tracks on Portland, the driver had increased to approximately 45 mph and was having a hard time maintaining control. She almost didnt get stopped at 10th street. At 23td she entered the left hand turn lane, but when the arrow came on, she remained still. When the northbound light went green, she cut off the second car, which had allowed me to stay behind the individual. Just as we crossed the light, OCPD turned on to 23rd and fell in behind the woman. I dropped back and maintained closure of both lanes until the office could get the woman stopped. We came to a stop at 30th and Portland and another officer joined us. both the driver and passenger resisted arrest and the driver threw herself to the ground. Due to this, I had to wait for a PD LT to show up on scene for my statement. I was released from the area at approximately 2030 hours.
Chris Hadley, Unit 716
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On 1-3-2011, at approximately 21:45, units 715 and 714 were en route to our residence following a movie at the Warren Theatre in Moore. We were northbound on 1-35 nearing the I-40 Junction, when I observed a red Dodge 1500 4x4 in the far eastern lane with it’s hazards on. I also observed an older Honda Accord 4 door turned sideways in a snow drift.. I threw on my lights and stopped behind the Dodge. I put my vest and got out, approached the vehicles and was advised that the guy driving the Honda just lost control of his vehicle and ended up sideways. The driver of the red Dodge advised me that he was just going to pull him out if I thought that was ok. I assisted them in hooking up the tow rope and then the Dodge pulled the Honda out. We went 10-8 at 2150.
Daak Love, Unit 714
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While traveling home from "Haunt the Zoo". I observed a black 4 door sedan with the hood up and flashers on, under the I35 overpass at NE 50th Street. I passed the vehicle to "check" the situation. Not seeing any obvious danger signs, I made a turn around and pulled up behind the vehicle. I activated my over head lights and corner strobes. I called on the OKC repeater that I would be out with a stranded motorist at NE 50th and I35, on NE 50th. I gave a description of the vehicle (Blk Chrysler 300, with OK Lic 322EYG) occupied by two subjects.. I put on my reflective jacket and approached the passenger side of the vehicle. The driver exited the vehicle and met me on the curb, between our vehicles. He was an elderly blk gentleman. He stated his vehicle had just died and would not start back. We checked under the hood for any obvious defects. He attempted the start the vehicle, with no luck. He stated that he and his wife had just left church in Forest Park and were heading home, when the vehicle died. He was able to contact a motorist assist service, who would send Arrow wrecker to the location. I stayed with the couple until the wrecker arrived. #740, 717, and 725, who also worked the Zoo event, came by. Through radio communications, I informed them of the situation. No further assistance was needed, so they continued home. While waiting for the wrecker, the gentleman informed me that he was the pastor of the church, and really appreciated my stopping and staying with them until the wrecker arrived. He was given a card with the REACT contact information. The wrecker arrived and I cleared off, after the vehicle was loaded, at 2247.
Mike Weiss, Unit 728
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On December 23, 2011, at around 18:40, I was eastbound on W Memorial Rd., approaching May. I was in the right-hand lane and noticed traffic slowing down in the middle and left-hand lane. As I got closer, I noticed an accident had occurred in the middle lane. I had already past it, so I turned left on May and did a turn-around in order to get back to the accident. I got on my REACT radio and asked for any unit that may be monitoring. Unit 716 (Hadley) responded and I explained my situation and my location. He was not that far away, so he responded as well. As I pulled up on the accident scene, I activated all my emergency lights, contacted 716 and notified him I would be out of my truck on the accident scene. At that time, 718 (Linley), also advised me he was monitoring. I grabbed my refelctive vest and my cell phone and approached the drivers. I verified they had called 911 and spoke to one of the drivers. His air bag did not deploy, so he slammed his head into his windshield and also got a bloody nose. I advised him he needed to get checked out, so I contacted 911 and asked for EMS. Shortly after my call, 716 arrived on the scene, activated his emergency lights and blocked off the right-hand lane, diverting all traffic to the left-hand lane. Moments later, fire, EMSA and OHP, arrived on the scene. While the firefighters, medical personnel and OHP spoke to the drivers, 716 and myself directed traffic. The OHP Trooper asked if we could stay on the scene to assist with traffic control, so I went ahead and left the scene at 19:00, to attend a dinner and 716 stayed behind to assist with traffic. Note: The OHP Trooper did thank myself and 716 for assisting with traffic and told us we did a great job of diverting traffic around the accident. One more thing......I gave REACT business cards to both drivers.
Keith Sossamon, Unit 706
*********************************************************************************************
At around 14:40 on October 4, 2011, I had just left the Lake Overholser area and was heading eastbound on NW 39th Expressway, approaching N. Council Rd. As I sat at the light, I noticed northbound traffic on council was coming to a standstill just past the intersection. After looking closer, I realized there had been a traffic accident. I got on my REACT mobile to see if any units were on the air....got no response. I was in the middle lane, so I carefully moved into the left-hand turn lane. Once I got turned, I immediately turned on all my emergency lights, stopped my truck, grabbed my reflective vest and ID and approached the other drivers. There were four vehicles involved and they had both northbound lanes blocked. I checked for injuries and then verified that someone called 911. Traffic was heavy and getting backed up. I stopped traffic from getting in the left-hand lane that was turning to eastbound NW 39th and diverted all northbound traffic on Council to that lane. It was one-way northbound and one-way southbound on Council, just north of NW 39th. At around 15:00, a Bethany Police Officer arrived on the scene and started checking on the vehicles that were involved in the accident. I continued to direct traffic, while he took care of the accident scene. Two vehicles were movable, while two were disabled. He walked back to his patrol car and thanked me for stopping and staying. A few minutes later, another Bethany Police officer arrived on the scene.Two cars were moved into a parking lot, while the other two waited for wreckers. The other officer put on his reflective vest and relieved me from traffic control. He commented to me, "I would hate to see what traffic would have looked like if you had not stopped to direct it around the accident scene." I went back to my truck, grabbed two brochures and two business cards and gave them to each officer. The first officer was in his car, writing up the accident report. When I approached him and gave him my information, he thanked me again. I also gave the second officer my card and brochure and he said he was already familiar with REACT. I left the scene at 15:15.
Keith Sossamon, Unit 706
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At approximatley 16:00, just north of I40 on I44, I noticed a Toyota Camry parked on the inside shoulder. I made contact with 706 by team radio and advised him of my stopping to assist. As I was talking to the female driver, her father arrived and parked in front of our vehicles, As we inspected the vehicle, we found that it had overheated. The father advised he would contact AAA. I let him know that I would wait with them until the wrecker arrive due to traffic increasing and location. I cleared off scene at 1645
Chris Hadley, unit 716
At 1805 hrs, I was driving northbound on Sooner Rd between SE 44th and SE 29th. Traffic in the left lane was becoming severely backed up. I slowly made my way up and there was a two vehicle collision blocking the left northbound lane and debris covering the left southbound lane. I activated my 4 way flashers and my rear dash light, grabbed my vest, ID, and flashlight. I approached the first vehicle and noticed an older gentleman by the car. I asked if 911 had been called and if everyone was okay. He responded he called 911 and that he and his passenger were okay. I approached the second vehicle and the lady still in the vehicle stated she was okay. Traffic southbound was still driving very near the incident and over the debris, so I promptly directed traffic to the outside lane going southbound. A few minutes later OKCFD showed up on scene and blocked the inside northbound and inside southbound lanes. Since both lanes were blocked and the scene was safe I cleared at 1815hrs.
John Linley, unit 718
******************************************************************************************
12/13/11 @ 01:42, I was en route to my residence from work when I came upon a maroon Chevy truck, blocking both lane 1 & 2 on NE 23rd street, just east of Westminster, at approximately 11005 NE 23rd in Nicoma Park. I noticed that this vehicle did not have any hazard lights on and was in a dangerous spot being on an upside of a hill. I contacted a Spencer Police officer via Cell phone and advised him of my location since I knew that the Nicoma Park officer was out on an agency assist in MWC. He advised he would be en route to my location to assist me with traffic. I then attempted to contact anyone on the OKC repeater. I activated my T/A grabbed my vest and stepped out of my vehicle. I asked the driver of the vehicle what was the problem and he stated he had run out of gas and that his battery was now dead. I also advised them who I was with and gave him a business card. @ 01:45, Spencer 11 arrived on scene and positioned himself on the hill to advise oncoming motorists of the hazard ahead. At that point, he advised me to help get the vehicle out of the road. I grabbed a tow chain from my vehicle and repositioned it to tow the vehicle into a parking lot up the road. @ 01:50 I had successfully moved the vehicle out of NE 23rd street. I then successfully jump-started the vehicle. They thanked spencer 11 and me for our help @ 0155. Nicoma Park 5 arrived on scene he thanked both Spencer 11 and myself for the help while he was away. We all went back into service at 0200 I continued home to my residence at that point.
Brett Conner
Unit 740
******************************************************************************************
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Time: Approx. 11:15AM
While returning from the Blanchard parade, I exited onto I240EB from I44EB. As I approached the MayAve off-ramp, I noticed a large amount of smoke behind the retaining wall for the I240WB May Ave on ramp. I exited at May Ave and made a U-turn under the bridge. I entered the On Ramp to May ave. A medium sized grass fire has sparked along the on ramp. I activated my lights, pulled on the north side shoulder. I grabbed my reflective vest and fire extinguisher. I was able to knock most of the flames down using the FE. OCFD Brush pumper arrived on the scene about 4 minutes after I did. The FF drove along the side of the on ramp, while I manned the hose. We got the fire extinguished in under 5 minutes.
He thanked me for my help. I gave him a REACT card.
We both left the scene at 11:30 AM.
Mike Weiss, Unit 728
*******************************************************************************************
On October 4th, 2011, at approximately 19:45 hours, I was traveling west on Reno, approaching Portland, I noticed a semi making a wider than usual left turn. When the truck cleared, I observed a older Lincoln Town car with 2 passenger side flats sitting beside the center median divider. I activated my lights and pulled around behind the vehicle. I attempted to call for monitoring units on the Edmond repeater, with no response. With no contact, I exited and spoke with the driver. Both passenger and driver were in there 50's. The driver still had the car in drive and was asking how far it was to 50th and portland. I convinced the driver to place the car in park and to come look at her wheels. She believed the front was flat but not the back until I showed her. I was trying to talk her into pulling in to the gas station and calling a wrecker or someone she knows for help. She seemed a little incoherant but I thought it was from age. We started to move the car toward the gas station parking lot when she continued north bound and still accelerating. I contacted OCPD and advised them of what was happening and who I was. They stayed on the line with me as I advised of the drivers location and how the driver was acting. Before reaching the railroad tracks on Portland, the driver had increased to approximately 45 mph and was having a hard time maintaining control. She almost didnt get stopped at 10th street. At 23td she entered the left hand turn lane, but when the arrow came on, she remained still. When the northbound light went green, she cut off the second car, which had allowed me to stay behind the individual. Just as we crossed the light, OCPD turned on to 23rd and fell in behind the woman. I dropped back and maintained closure of both lanes until the office could get the woman stopped. We came to a stop at 30th and Portland and another officer joined us. both the driver and passenger resisted arrest and the driver threw herself to the ground. Due to this, I had to wait for a PD LT to show up on scene for my statement. I was released from the area at approximately 2030 hours.
Chris Hadley, Unit 716
******************************************************************************************
On 1-3-2011, at approximately 21:45, units 715 and 714 were en route to our residence following a movie at the Warren Theatre in Moore. We were northbound on 1-35 nearing the I-40 Junction, when I observed a red Dodge 1500 4x4 in the far eastern lane with it’s hazards on. I also observed an older Honda Accord 4 door turned sideways in a snow drift.. I threw on my lights and stopped behind the Dodge. I put my vest and got out, approached the vehicles and was advised that the guy driving the Honda just lost control of his vehicle and ended up sideways. The driver of the red Dodge advised me that he was just going to pull him out if I thought that was ok. I assisted them in hooking up the tow rope and then the Dodge pulled the Honda out. We went 10-8 at 2150.
Daak Love, Unit 714
*******************************************************************************************
While traveling home from "Haunt the Zoo". I observed a black 4 door sedan with the hood up and flashers on, under the I35 overpass at NE 50th Street. I passed the vehicle to "check" the situation. Not seeing any obvious danger signs, I made a turn around and pulled up behind the vehicle. I activated my over head lights and corner strobes. I called on the OKC repeater that I would be out with a stranded motorist at NE 50th and I35, on NE 50th. I gave a description of the vehicle (Blk Chrysler 300, with OK Lic 322EYG) occupied by two subjects.. I put on my reflective jacket and approached the passenger side of the vehicle. The driver exited the vehicle and met me on the curb, between our vehicles. He was an elderly blk gentleman. He stated his vehicle had just died and would not start back. We checked under the hood for any obvious defects. He attempted the start the vehicle, with no luck. He stated that he and his wife had just left church in Forest Park and were heading home, when the vehicle died. He was able to contact a motorist assist service, who would send Arrow wrecker to the location. I stayed with the couple until the wrecker arrived. #740, 717, and 725, who also worked the Zoo event, came by. Through radio communications, I informed them of the situation. No further assistance was needed, so they continued home. While waiting for the wrecker, the gentleman informed me that he was the pastor of the church, and really appreciated my stopping and staying with them until the wrecker arrived. He was given a card with the REACT contact information. The wrecker arrived and I cleared off, after the vehicle was loaded, at 2247.
Mike Weiss, Unit 728
********************************************************************************************
On December 23, 2011, at around 18:40, I was eastbound on W Memorial Rd., approaching May. I was in the right-hand lane and noticed traffic slowing down in the middle and left-hand lane. As I got closer, I noticed an accident had occurred in the middle lane. I had already past it, so I turned left on May and did a turn-around in order to get back to the accident. I got on my REACT radio and asked for any unit that may be monitoring. Unit 716 (Hadley) responded and I explained my situation and my location. He was not that far away, so he responded as well. As I pulled up on the accident scene, I activated all my emergency lights, contacted 716 and notified him I would be out of my truck on the accident scene. At that time, 718 (Linley), also advised me he was monitoring. I grabbed my refelctive vest and my cell phone and approached the drivers. I verified they had called 911 and spoke to one of the drivers. His air bag did not deploy, so he slammed his head into his windshield and also got a bloody nose. I advised him he needed to get checked out, so I contacted 911 and asked for EMS. Shortly after my call, 716 arrived on the scene, activated his emergency lights and blocked off the right-hand lane, diverting all traffic to the left-hand lane. Moments later, fire, EMSA and OHP, arrived on the scene. While the firefighters, medical personnel and OHP spoke to the drivers, 716 and myself directed traffic. The OHP Trooper asked if we could stay on the scene to assist with traffic control, so I went ahead and left the scene at 19:00, to attend a dinner and 716 stayed behind to assist with traffic. Note: The OHP Trooper did thank myself and 716 for assisting with traffic and told us we did a great job of diverting traffic around the accident. One more thing......I gave REACT business cards to both drivers.
Keith Sossamon, Unit 706
*********************************************************************************************
At around 14:40 on October 4, 2011, I had just left the Lake Overholser area and was heading eastbound on NW 39th Expressway, approaching N. Council Rd. As I sat at the light, I noticed northbound traffic on council was coming to a standstill just past the intersection. After looking closer, I realized there had been a traffic accident. I got on my REACT mobile to see if any units were on the air....got no response. I was in the middle lane, so I carefully moved into the left-hand turn lane. Once I got turned, I immediately turned on all my emergency lights, stopped my truck, grabbed my reflective vest and ID and approached the other drivers. There were four vehicles involved and they had both northbound lanes blocked. I checked for injuries and then verified that someone called 911. Traffic was heavy and getting backed up. I stopped traffic from getting in the left-hand lane that was turning to eastbound NW 39th and diverted all northbound traffic on Council to that lane. It was one-way northbound and one-way southbound on Council, just north of NW 39th. At around 15:00, a Bethany Police Officer arrived on the scene and started checking on the vehicles that were involved in the accident. I continued to direct traffic, while he took care of the accident scene. Two vehicles were movable, while two were disabled. He walked back to his patrol car and thanked me for stopping and staying. A few minutes later, another Bethany Police officer arrived on the scene.Two cars were moved into a parking lot, while the other two waited for wreckers. The other officer put on his reflective vest and relieved me from traffic control. He commented to me, "I would hate to see what traffic would have looked like if you had not stopped to direct it around the accident scene." I went back to my truck, grabbed two brochures and two business cards and gave them to each officer. The first officer was in his car, writing up the accident report. When I approached him and gave him my information, he thanked me again. I also gave the second officer my card and brochure and he said he was already familiar with REACT. I left the scene at 15:15.
Keith Sossamon, Unit 706
********************************************************************************************
At approximatley 16:00, just north of I40 on I44, I noticed a Toyota Camry parked on the inside shoulder. I made contact with 706 by team radio and advised him of my stopping to assist. As I was talking to the female driver, her father arrived and parked in front of our vehicles, As we inspected the vehicle, we found that it had overheated. The father advised he would contact AAA. I let him know that I would wait with them until the wrecker arrive due to traffic increasing and location. I cleared off scene at 1645
Chris Hadley, unit 716
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Tis the Season.....
I had a great weekend!
I spent Saturday morning at the church, practicing the Christmas musical/drama with the choir. Gayla and I had the main speaking parts in the musical, so we had our dress rehearsal to work out the kinks. Fortunate for us, all of our lines were put on a power point and shown on a big screen in the balcony so we wouldn’t have to memorize much. That’s a good thing for me, especially since my memory is so bad. All we had to do was look to the balcony for our words. The rehearsal went great and I felt pretty comfortable with it.
Afterwards, I went to the flea market to buy my cologne. Just as I was getting out of my truck, a friend of mine that works security at the flea market, stopped and talked to me. We had just started talking when a pick-up, right in front of us, backed into a car while he was backing out. He didn’t just barely tap it either…he hit it hard. The security guard got out of his truck, approached the truck and advised the driver to kill the engine. Come to find out, the driver did not have a license, or insurance. It also so happened the driver of the hit vehicle just happened to be walking back to his car when he saw the truck hit his car.
So, the security guard, his supervisor, the man in the truck and the guys whose car got hit, talked for a while and tried to come to a mutual agreement on what to do. The man driving the truck was not intoxicated, but he wasn’t very steady. The security guards made him call someone to come and get the truck because they would not allow this guy to drive off in it without insurance and license. If it had been me, I would have called the police and had the guy hauled off the jail……but it wasn’t my call. Since the accident was in the parking lot of the flea market, the police would not work it anyway….but, since the guy had no license, or insurance, the police could still arrest him. The parties decided to work it out amongst themselves, so I left the scene and went inside the flea market.
The rest of the afternoon was spent at home, watching TV and playing on my computer. I actually got a nap in as well. My wife and I had a Christmas dinner/party to go to in Moore at 5:30 pm., so I got up and around at 4:30 and we left the house at 5 pm. We had a good time at the party and had a great meal. Since it was still early when that party was over, we headed over to another party we had been invited to. We spent time at that party and then headed home at 9 pm. I stayed up until around 11 pm, going over some of my lines for the Christmas musical.
I was up early on Sunday morning, rehearsing my lines and getting myself psyched up for the musical. Once I got to church, I did the final preparations to get myself ready for the musical. Gayla and I were both somewhat nervous, but we knew we could do it. I said several prayers and just put it all in God’s hands. Amazingly, things went great and the entire musical/drama was almost flawless. When it was finally over, Gayla and I both had a look of relief on our faces. Even though we did have a great time doing it and it actually brought us closer together, we were glad it was over with. Having a great performance feels so good and satisfying. I am just glad I did not make a fool of myself. After church, we went to lunch and I crashed the rest of the day on my couch.
Monday morning was tough. I did not want to get up for work. I only work four days this week and then my vacation starts…..I will be off work until after the first of the year. I need a break from some of my co-workers, who feel they have to watch every move I make.
There are two co-workers in my office that keep to themselves and don’t speak unless they are spoken to. They mind their own business and don’t joke around. I guess I will be in that mindset now. My life is my business. I will go to work, put in my 8 hours and go home. It’s pitiful when you have to watch everything you say, in fear someone is going to take what you say in the wrong way. Well, no more jokes….and no more laughter.
http://www.centralokreact.org/
I spent Saturday morning at the church, practicing the Christmas musical/drama with the choir. Gayla and I had the main speaking parts in the musical, so we had our dress rehearsal to work out the kinks. Fortunate for us, all of our lines were put on a power point and shown on a big screen in the balcony so we wouldn’t have to memorize much. That’s a good thing for me, especially since my memory is so bad. All we had to do was look to the balcony for our words. The rehearsal went great and I felt pretty comfortable with it.
Afterwards, I went to the flea market to buy my cologne. Just as I was getting out of my truck, a friend of mine that works security at the flea market, stopped and talked to me. We had just started talking when a pick-up, right in front of us, backed into a car while he was backing out. He didn’t just barely tap it either…he hit it hard. The security guard got out of his truck, approached the truck and advised the driver to kill the engine. Come to find out, the driver did not have a license, or insurance. It also so happened the driver of the hit vehicle just happened to be walking back to his car when he saw the truck hit his car.
So, the security guard, his supervisor, the man in the truck and the guys whose car got hit, talked for a while and tried to come to a mutual agreement on what to do. The man driving the truck was not intoxicated, but he wasn’t very steady. The security guards made him call someone to come and get the truck because they would not allow this guy to drive off in it without insurance and license. If it had been me, I would have called the police and had the guy hauled off the jail……but it wasn’t my call. Since the accident was in the parking lot of the flea market, the police would not work it anyway….but, since the guy had no license, or insurance, the police could still arrest him. The parties decided to work it out amongst themselves, so I left the scene and went inside the flea market.
The rest of the afternoon was spent at home, watching TV and playing on my computer. I actually got a nap in as well. My wife and I had a Christmas dinner/party to go to in Moore at 5:30 pm., so I got up and around at 4:30 and we left the house at 5 pm. We had a good time at the party and had a great meal. Since it was still early when that party was over, we headed over to another party we had been invited to. We spent time at that party and then headed home at 9 pm. I stayed up until around 11 pm, going over some of my lines for the Christmas musical.
I was up early on Sunday morning, rehearsing my lines and getting myself psyched up for the musical. Once I got to church, I did the final preparations to get myself ready for the musical. Gayla and I were both somewhat nervous, but we knew we could do it. I said several prayers and just put it all in God’s hands. Amazingly, things went great and the entire musical/drama was almost flawless. When it was finally over, Gayla and I both had a look of relief on our faces. Even though we did have a great time doing it and it actually brought us closer together, we were glad it was over with. Having a great performance feels so good and satisfying. I am just glad I did not make a fool of myself. After church, we went to lunch and I crashed the rest of the day on my couch.
Monday morning was tough. I did not want to get up for work. I only work four days this week and then my vacation starts…..I will be off work until after the first of the year. I need a break from some of my co-workers, who feel they have to watch every move I make.
There are two co-workers in my office that keep to themselves and don’t speak unless they are spoken to. They mind their own business and don’t joke around. I guess I will be in that mindset now. My life is my business. I will go to work, put in my 8 hours and go home. It’s pitiful when you have to watch everything you say, in fear someone is going to take what you say in the wrong way. Well, no more jokes….and no more laughter.
http://www.centralokreact.org/
Friday, December 16, 2011
Don't Drink and Drive!
Ahhhh, I finally made it to Friday. This has been one long week.
Last night was a very interesting and educational night. Our REACT team was invited to a Victims Impact Panel in Norman. This panel is something that is court ordered for those who have been convicted of Driving under the Influence (DUI). During this panel, there are normally three individuals who speak to the class. One is usually a police officer, or someone in law enforcement. They are there to tell the class what they see when they have to deal with a DUI accident. Many times what they see is very graphic and gory. They see mangles bodies and destroyed lives. Then, they are the ones who have to go to the homes of the deceased and inform their next of kin that they were killed in an accident.
The other speaker is someone who has actually had a family member, or close friend, die in a DUI-related accident. They tell about the horrors of hearing their doorbell ring in the middle of the night, just to see police officers outside their door. They know their loved one is not home, so they know the police are there to give them bad news. They tell about how they feel when they learn their loved one has been killed. They tell how they are still coping with the death and how they deal with it on a daily basis.
The third speaker is someone who has been convicted of a DUI and has actually been in an accident where a death was involved. It might have been a death of their passenger, or a death in the other vehicle they hit. They tell of how great their life was and how they had a full life ahead of them….until they decided to drink and drive and someone was killed because of their drinking and driving. Now, they have lost just about everything. They are now a felon and it is very hard for someone that is convicted of a felony, to get a job.
After attending this class last night and listening to the stories, I have come to the conclusion (which I already knew) that drinking and driving, or driving under the influence of drugs, can change yours and somebody else’s life forever. Not only does it destroy your family, your life and your goals, it also destroys the lives of other families. It isn’t worth it. Please, don’t drink and drive.
http://www.centralokreact.org/
Last night was a very interesting and educational night. Our REACT team was invited to a Victims Impact Panel in Norman. This panel is something that is court ordered for those who have been convicted of Driving under the Influence (DUI). During this panel, there are normally three individuals who speak to the class. One is usually a police officer, or someone in law enforcement. They are there to tell the class what they see when they have to deal with a DUI accident. Many times what they see is very graphic and gory. They see mangles bodies and destroyed lives. Then, they are the ones who have to go to the homes of the deceased and inform their next of kin that they were killed in an accident.
The other speaker is someone who has actually had a family member, or close friend, die in a DUI-related accident. They tell about the horrors of hearing their doorbell ring in the middle of the night, just to see police officers outside their door. They know their loved one is not home, so they know the police are there to give them bad news. They tell about how they feel when they learn their loved one has been killed. They tell how they are still coping with the death and how they deal with it on a daily basis.
The third speaker is someone who has been convicted of a DUI and has actually been in an accident where a death was involved. It might have been a death of their passenger, or a death in the other vehicle they hit. They tell of how great their life was and how they had a full life ahead of them….until they decided to drink and drive and someone was killed because of their drinking and driving. Now, they have lost just about everything. They are now a felon and it is very hard for someone that is convicted of a felony, to get a job.
After attending this class last night and listening to the stories, I have come to the conclusion (which I already knew) that drinking and driving, or driving under the influence of drugs, can change yours and somebody else’s life forever. Not only does it destroy your family, your life and your goals, it also destroys the lives of other families. It isn’t worth it. Please, don’t drink and drive.
http://www.centralokreact.org/
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
We are Central OK REACT
I love to volunteer. I am part of two different organizations I volunteer for and both organizations are community minded. The one I am most active in is Central Oklahoma REACT (Radio Emergency Associated Communications Teams). Many people don’t realize what is involved in being a REACT member. They don’t know all the extensive training and classes we go to in order to be a part of this team.
This organization isn’t a free-for-all…and not just anybody can join. You must be honest, have integrity and have an unquestionable character. The reason those are so important is because we work very closely with emergency management and many law enforcement agencies. That’s one reason why we will not allow anyone on the team that has been convicted of a felony. Even if that felony happened 40 years ago, it is still not acceptable to our team. All of our team members have to go through an OSBI background check and we have to provide a copy of our Motor Vehicle Record to prove that we are legal to drive. Any kind of traffic infraction is gone over with a fine-tooth comb. We are very picky on who we allow to be a part of our team.
Once the OSBI background check is clear and the MVR is acceptable, that member pays dues of $42.00, which covers dues to REACT International, insurance and our REACT ID’s. They are also required to purchase a black REACT polo shirt, to be worn at our different events. All in all, it is about a $100.00 investment to join the team. When they first start out on the team, they are interviewed by the Board of Directors. If that goes well, they are put on probation status for six months. That way, the Board can watch them and see if they are a fit for the team or not and it gives them a chance to decide if REACT is right for them. After three months on the team, they go through another interview with the Board of Directors.
During their probationary period they are required to take several of the National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) courses online. These are a requirement through REACT International. They must complete ICS-100, ICS-200, ICS-700 and ICS-800. They must take each test and pass. Once they pass their tests, they will be awarded a “certificate of Completion” from FEMA. Also during the six months probationary period, they are required to get CPR/First Aid Certified. Once their six month probationary period is over, they go through an extensive interview with the Executive Board of Directors, to make sure they have completed everything in a timely manner. Once the Board gives its approval, they are officially a REACT member.
During the year, there are many opportunities to attend training classes. There is training on traffic control, flagging, crowd control, search and rescue, motorist assists, storm spotting and other training. The Central Oklahoma REACT Team 6023 has a set of by-laws and SOP’s (standard operating procedures) that we use to operate with. These by-laws and SOP’s are followed very closely. There are protocols that we must follow, depending on the situation. We are governed by a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer….and five Board members, including a Chairman of the Board.
As you can very well see, we are volunteers doing professional work. We go through many hours of constant training and we stay in touch via email, text messaging, facebook and two-way radios (operating on a repeater system). We are always looking for volunteers who want to be a part of our team. If you are looking for excitement, adventure and want to help your community, REACT is for you.
www.centralokreact.org
This organization isn’t a free-for-all…and not just anybody can join. You must be honest, have integrity and have an unquestionable character. The reason those are so important is because we work very closely with emergency management and many law enforcement agencies. That’s one reason why we will not allow anyone on the team that has been convicted of a felony. Even if that felony happened 40 years ago, it is still not acceptable to our team. All of our team members have to go through an OSBI background check and we have to provide a copy of our Motor Vehicle Record to prove that we are legal to drive. Any kind of traffic infraction is gone over with a fine-tooth comb. We are very picky on who we allow to be a part of our team.
Once the OSBI background check is clear and the MVR is acceptable, that member pays dues of $42.00, which covers dues to REACT International, insurance and our REACT ID’s. They are also required to purchase a black REACT polo shirt, to be worn at our different events. All in all, it is about a $100.00 investment to join the team. When they first start out on the team, they are interviewed by the Board of Directors. If that goes well, they are put on probation status for six months. That way, the Board can watch them and see if they are a fit for the team or not and it gives them a chance to decide if REACT is right for them. After three months on the team, they go through another interview with the Board of Directors.
During their probationary period they are required to take several of the National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) courses online. These are a requirement through REACT International. They must complete ICS-100, ICS-200, ICS-700 and ICS-800. They must take each test and pass. Once they pass their tests, they will be awarded a “certificate of Completion” from FEMA. Also during the six months probationary period, they are required to get CPR/First Aid Certified. Once their six month probationary period is over, they go through an extensive interview with the Executive Board of Directors, to make sure they have completed everything in a timely manner. Once the Board gives its approval, they are officially a REACT member.
During the year, there are many opportunities to attend training classes. There is training on traffic control, flagging, crowd control, search and rescue, motorist assists, storm spotting and other training. The Central Oklahoma REACT Team 6023 has a set of by-laws and SOP’s (standard operating procedures) that we use to operate with. These by-laws and SOP’s are followed very closely. There are protocols that we must follow, depending on the situation. We are governed by a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer….and five Board members, including a Chairman of the Board.
As you can very well see, we are volunteers doing professional work. We go through many hours of constant training and we stay in touch via email, text messaging, facebook and two-way radios (operating on a repeater system). We are always looking for volunteers who want to be a part of our team. If you are looking for excitement, adventure and want to help your community, REACT is for you.
www.centralokreact.org
Monday, December 12, 2011
Busy Weekend!!
It was a busy weekend, to say the least.
Last Friday evening, Karla and I went to a “dinner theater” at my mom and dad’s church in Edmond. We enjoyed a nice meal and then got to enjoy a nice musical presentation. It was something fun for Karla and I do do….and to top it all off, dad had baked his famous chocolate chip cookies and gave us a plastic bag full.
I was up early Saturday morning (as usual) because I had to be at my office at around 8:30 am for the big Line Maintenance turkey giveaway. A few days last week, several of our crews went out into the neighborhood and passed out “coupons” for free turkeys. All the residents had to do was bring the coupons to our office between 9 am – noon to claim their free turkey. Unfortunately, there were many people that heard about the turkey giveaway, but did not have a coupon. Those that had coupons were separated from those that did not have coupons. The ones with coupons went first, then the ones without coupons.
Most everybody cooperated, but there were a few that really got irate because they had been sitting idle for a long time and felt someone would cut in front of them and get a free turkey….and they would not get one. If a car had three coupons, they were given three turkeys. If a car had no coupon, they were given only one turkey. That did not settle well with many people. It amazed me at how many people got mad because all they got was one turkey. They should be happy they got anything, especially for free. We were cussed at and yelled at by some of those who expected free turkeys for everyone in their vehicles, but ended up with only one. It did give me a good feeling to give to others……and the happy and positive people outweighed those that were negative, or mad. It was very interesting to see how many “needy’ people drove up in expensive cars and trucks, to receive a free turkey.
After the turkey giveaway, I headed home to rest. Then, I went to Sonic, bought lunch for me and another friend and went to his house to eat so he could change out the thermostat in my truck. It didn’t take long to change out and, before I knew it, I was back home watching TV. During the evening, I received a text from my mom, informing me my brother-in-law (sister’s husband) had a stroke. They were on their way to the hospital and told me they would keep me up to date on what was going on. Since Karla and I were waiting to see if we needed to go to the hospital or not, we stayed at home and watched TV.
Early Sunday morning, I received a text, informing me that my brother-in-law was doing much better. I then received a text message from our youth minister, informing me he was sick and would not be at church. So, I got to church early to help get things set up for Sunday School and one of the other youth leaders had already taken care of setting things up. Since the children were doing their musical during the morning service, I did not have to run the sound for it. One of the other guys was running the sound for them. I was able to sit with my wife and daughter during church. But, all good things must come to an end. During the children’s musical, Stephen sent me a text message and told me he had a flat….and no spare. So much for my relaxing morning. I left church and headed to near Edmond to rescue him. Unfortunately, the tire was shot, so he was going to have to buy a new one.
My son is not real good at maintaining vehicles. He needs a front-end alignment, but hasn’t taken time to get one. Because of that, the insides of both his front tires are wearing quickly. The radials are showing. We grabbed his tire and headed back to church. As we talked, we decided it would be better for him to purchase a used tire, instead of a new one, until he could get his front-end aligned. Fortunately, there is a place that sells used tires down the street from the church. He was able to buy a tire for $20.00, so he could at least have something to drive on. Since it was a very busy day for the whole family, he had no choice but to hang out with me all afternoon, so it would be later that evening before he could put his tire back on his car.
That afternoon, our REACT team was having our monthly meeting, including a luncheon and our annual elections. Since Stephen was stuck with me, he had no choice but to stay for our meeting. There was free food, so he did not mind. We had a good meal and a good meeting. I did not want to be treasurer next year, so I chose not to run for re-election as treasurer. Instead, I was voted in as Board member. I was happy with that decision and hope to be voted in as Chairman of the Board. That vote will take place at the first of the year. I was also the recipient of the “Most Outrageous Incident of 2011” award, That award was for the day I chased and corralled a donkey that was running loose on I-240 early one Saturday morning last Summer. Overall, we had a great time at the meeting.
I don’t really have that much planned this week. I have Stephen’s bed in our storage building that he is giving away to some friends. I am hoping to get it out of my storage building this evening and get it delivered. I also have to continue to go over my part of the Christmas musical that we are presenting to the church this coming Sunday. I have a major role as an actor, so I have many lines. Fortunately, there is a big screen set up in the balcony that will have my lines on it, so I don’t have to memorize much of anything. I told the music minister at the very beginning I would not do the part unless I had the words in front of me. I don’t do well as memorizing…..so, I now have a big screen to look at with my lines on it.
http://www.centralokreact.org/
Last Friday evening, Karla and I went to a “dinner theater” at my mom and dad’s church in Edmond. We enjoyed a nice meal and then got to enjoy a nice musical presentation. It was something fun for Karla and I do do….and to top it all off, dad had baked his famous chocolate chip cookies and gave us a plastic bag full.
I was up early Saturday morning (as usual) because I had to be at my office at around 8:30 am for the big Line Maintenance turkey giveaway. A few days last week, several of our crews went out into the neighborhood and passed out “coupons” for free turkeys. All the residents had to do was bring the coupons to our office between 9 am – noon to claim their free turkey. Unfortunately, there were many people that heard about the turkey giveaway, but did not have a coupon. Those that had coupons were separated from those that did not have coupons. The ones with coupons went first, then the ones without coupons.
Most everybody cooperated, but there were a few that really got irate because they had been sitting idle for a long time and felt someone would cut in front of them and get a free turkey….and they would not get one. If a car had three coupons, they were given three turkeys. If a car had no coupon, they were given only one turkey. That did not settle well with many people. It amazed me at how many people got mad because all they got was one turkey. They should be happy they got anything, especially for free. We were cussed at and yelled at by some of those who expected free turkeys for everyone in their vehicles, but ended up with only one. It did give me a good feeling to give to others……and the happy and positive people outweighed those that were negative, or mad. It was very interesting to see how many “needy’ people drove up in expensive cars and trucks, to receive a free turkey.
After the turkey giveaway, I headed home to rest. Then, I went to Sonic, bought lunch for me and another friend and went to his house to eat so he could change out the thermostat in my truck. It didn’t take long to change out and, before I knew it, I was back home watching TV. During the evening, I received a text from my mom, informing me my brother-in-law (sister’s husband) had a stroke. They were on their way to the hospital and told me they would keep me up to date on what was going on. Since Karla and I were waiting to see if we needed to go to the hospital or not, we stayed at home and watched TV.
Early Sunday morning, I received a text, informing me that my brother-in-law was doing much better. I then received a text message from our youth minister, informing me he was sick and would not be at church. So, I got to church early to help get things set up for Sunday School and one of the other youth leaders had already taken care of setting things up. Since the children were doing their musical during the morning service, I did not have to run the sound for it. One of the other guys was running the sound for them. I was able to sit with my wife and daughter during church. But, all good things must come to an end. During the children’s musical, Stephen sent me a text message and told me he had a flat….and no spare. So much for my relaxing morning. I left church and headed to near Edmond to rescue him. Unfortunately, the tire was shot, so he was going to have to buy a new one.
My son is not real good at maintaining vehicles. He needs a front-end alignment, but hasn’t taken time to get one. Because of that, the insides of both his front tires are wearing quickly. The radials are showing. We grabbed his tire and headed back to church. As we talked, we decided it would be better for him to purchase a used tire, instead of a new one, until he could get his front-end aligned. Fortunately, there is a place that sells used tires down the street from the church. He was able to buy a tire for $20.00, so he could at least have something to drive on. Since it was a very busy day for the whole family, he had no choice but to hang out with me all afternoon, so it would be later that evening before he could put his tire back on his car.
That afternoon, our REACT team was having our monthly meeting, including a luncheon and our annual elections. Since Stephen was stuck with me, he had no choice but to stay for our meeting. There was free food, so he did not mind. We had a good meal and a good meeting. I did not want to be treasurer next year, so I chose not to run for re-election as treasurer. Instead, I was voted in as Board member. I was happy with that decision and hope to be voted in as Chairman of the Board. That vote will take place at the first of the year. I was also the recipient of the “Most Outrageous Incident of 2011” award, That award was for the day I chased and corralled a donkey that was running loose on I-240 early one Saturday morning last Summer. Overall, we had a great time at the meeting.
I don’t really have that much planned this week. I have Stephen’s bed in our storage building that he is giving away to some friends. I am hoping to get it out of my storage building this evening and get it delivered. I also have to continue to go over my part of the Christmas musical that we are presenting to the church this coming Sunday. I have a major role as an actor, so I have many lines. Fortunately, there is a big screen set up in the balcony that will have my lines on it, so I don’t have to memorize much of anything. I told the music minister at the very beginning I would not do the part unless I had the words in front of me. I don’t do well as memorizing…..so, I now have a big screen to look at with my lines on it.
http://www.centralokreact.org/
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Avoid Frozen Pipes
Avoid Freezing Pipes
Following The Steps......
Taking the steps below before freezing temperatures arrive can help you avoid frozen pipes.
Seal cracks.
Caulk around doorframes and windows and around pipes where they enter the house to reduce incoming cold.
Wrap all pipes in unheated areas. Pipes in unheated areas such as the crawl space under the house, attic, garage and unheated basement should be wrapped to prevent freezing. Use insulating tape and wrap it over the entire length of exposed pipe. You can also use flexible molded pipe sleeves. Cover all valves, pipe fittings, etc. with insulating tape or fiberglass. We do not recommend electric heat tape for insulating water lines.
Protect outdoor pipes and faucets. In some homes, the outside faucet has its own shut-off in the basement in addition to the shut-off valve for the entire house. If you have a separate valve for outside faucets, close the valve, remove hoses, and drain the faucet. If you do not have a separate valve, wrap the outside faucets (hose bibs) in newspapers or rags covered with plastic.
Drain in-ground sprinklers. Check the manufacturer's instructions for the best way to do this.
Open cupboard doors in the kitchen and bathrooms. Water lines supplying these rooms are frequently on outside walls. Any air leaks in siding or insulation can cause these pipes to freeze. Leaving the doors open when the temperature is below freezing allows them to get more heat.
Let faucets farthest from the street or at the end of the system drip in below-freezing weather. This will add to your bill, but the amount will be nothing compared to the inconvenience and cost if the meter or pipes freeze.
Turn off all your water and drain your system if you are leaving for a long time. Turn off the main shut-off valve, then turn on all faucets, sinks tubs, showers, etc. and flush the toilets. Turn off the water heater. Then go back to the main shut-off valve and remove the plug so it can drain completely. Leaving your furnace on a low setting while you are gone helps, but it may not prevent freezing.
What should you do if a water pipe freezes?
You should make sure it never happens again! When the water freezes, it tries to expand inside the pipe. It pushes against the sides of the pipe, as well as any nearby valves, seams and faucets. The freezing action of the water is more than capable of rupturing any pipe.
Unfortunately, a water pipe may freeze even if you have taken precautions. Perhaps you lost electrical power for several hours, the temperature inside your house fell and the pipes froze. Or maybe you left on vacation, turned down the heat and weren't expecting an early blizzard. Or perhaps your heat tape quit working, and you didn't find out until you discovered none of the faucets worked.
Whatever the cause, it's important that you thaw out your pipe for two reasons:
1. You almost certainly need the water.
2. You should be at home when the pipe thaws, just in case the pipe and/or joint is ruptured.
Bear in mind that a frozen pipe doesn't leak - the water is ice. You'll discover you have a leak only after the ice melts. If you're not home, a ruptured pipe can cause a great deal of damage.
Here are some methods to thaw out frozen pipes:
CAUTION!: Before you try any of these methods, first open the faucet the frozen pipe supplies. The steam you create while heating the pipe can burst the pipe if it doesn't have an escape.
Method #1: Use electric heat tape on the pipe, and wait for it to thaw out. This is a good method to use because it slowly thaws the pipe, which means it reduces wear and tear on the pipe itself.
CAUTION!: Remember to use only heat tape certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory for use with mobile homes. Be careful never to wrap the heat tape back over itself. This could cause the heat tape to overheat and start a fire.
Method #2: Wrap the pipe with several layers of cloth or toweling and pour hot water over the cloth / toweling. Repeat several times until the pipe is unfrozen.
Method #3: Direct a heat lamp on the pipe itself. Place the lamp at least a foot away from the pipe. Cover adjacent areas with a layer of aluminum foil so the heat does not scorch these materials. Make sure the heat lamp is on dry ground. Even better, plug it into a ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlet.
CAUTION!: Do not use any direct heating method if the frozen pipe is next to a gas pipe! Call a professional for help.
Method #4: Hold a hand-operated hair dryer to the pipe, and slowly move up and down the length of the frozen section. Make sure you are standing on dry ground. Because you are working this close to water, plug the dryer into a GFCI protected outlet.
You will know the pipe is thawed out when water starts to trickle out of the open faucet. Let the water run for a while to completely clear the pipe. Then, close the faucet and check for leaks.
CAUTION!: Do not use a propane torch to thaw out frozen pipes. Do not use a propane torch even if it has a fire spreader attachment. This is not only a fire hazard, bit it's also a quick way to destroy your plastic plumbing pipes.
Following The Steps......
Taking the steps below before freezing temperatures arrive can help you avoid frozen pipes.
Seal cracks.
Caulk around doorframes and windows and around pipes where they enter the house to reduce incoming cold.
Wrap all pipes in unheated areas. Pipes in unheated areas such as the crawl space under the house, attic, garage and unheated basement should be wrapped to prevent freezing. Use insulating tape and wrap it over the entire length of exposed pipe. You can also use flexible molded pipe sleeves. Cover all valves, pipe fittings, etc. with insulating tape or fiberglass. We do not recommend electric heat tape for insulating water lines.
Protect outdoor pipes and faucets. In some homes, the outside faucet has its own shut-off in the basement in addition to the shut-off valve for the entire house. If you have a separate valve for outside faucets, close the valve, remove hoses, and drain the faucet. If you do not have a separate valve, wrap the outside faucets (hose bibs) in newspapers or rags covered with plastic.
Drain in-ground sprinklers. Check the manufacturer's instructions for the best way to do this.
Open cupboard doors in the kitchen and bathrooms. Water lines supplying these rooms are frequently on outside walls. Any air leaks in siding or insulation can cause these pipes to freeze. Leaving the doors open when the temperature is below freezing allows them to get more heat.
Let faucets farthest from the street or at the end of the system drip in below-freezing weather. This will add to your bill, but the amount will be nothing compared to the inconvenience and cost if the meter or pipes freeze.
Turn off all your water and drain your system if you are leaving for a long time. Turn off the main shut-off valve, then turn on all faucets, sinks tubs, showers, etc. and flush the toilets. Turn off the water heater. Then go back to the main shut-off valve and remove the plug so it can drain completely. Leaving your furnace on a low setting while you are gone helps, but it may not prevent freezing.
What should you do if a water pipe freezes?
You should make sure it never happens again! When the water freezes, it tries to expand inside the pipe. It pushes against the sides of the pipe, as well as any nearby valves, seams and faucets. The freezing action of the water is more than capable of rupturing any pipe.
Unfortunately, a water pipe may freeze even if you have taken precautions. Perhaps you lost electrical power for several hours, the temperature inside your house fell and the pipes froze. Or maybe you left on vacation, turned down the heat and weren't expecting an early blizzard. Or perhaps your heat tape quit working, and you didn't find out until you discovered none of the faucets worked.
Whatever the cause, it's important that you thaw out your pipe for two reasons:
1. You almost certainly need the water.
2. You should be at home when the pipe thaws, just in case the pipe and/or joint is ruptured.
Bear in mind that a frozen pipe doesn't leak - the water is ice. You'll discover you have a leak only after the ice melts. If you're not home, a ruptured pipe can cause a great deal of damage.
Here are some methods to thaw out frozen pipes:
CAUTION!: Before you try any of these methods, first open the faucet the frozen pipe supplies. The steam you create while heating the pipe can burst the pipe if it doesn't have an escape.
Method #1: Use electric heat tape on the pipe, and wait for it to thaw out. This is a good method to use because it slowly thaws the pipe, which means it reduces wear and tear on the pipe itself.
CAUTION!: Remember to use only heat tape certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory for use with mobile homes. Be careful never to wrap the heat tape back over itself. This could cause the heat tape to overheat and start a fire.
Method #2: Wrap the pipe with several layers of cloth or toweling and pour hot water over the cloth / toweling. Repeat several times until the pipe is unfrozen.
Method #3: Direct a heat lamp on the pipe itself. Place the lamp at least a foot away from the pipe. Cover adjacent areas with a layer of aluminum foil so the heat does not scorch these materials. Make sure the heat lamp is on dry ground. Even better, plug it into a ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlet.
CAUTION!: Do not use any direct heating method if the frozen pipe is next to a gas pipe! Call a professional for help.
Method #4: Hold a hand-operated hair dryer to the pipe, and slowly move up and down the length of the frozen section. Make sure you are standing on dry ground. Because you are working this close to water, plug the dryer into a GFCI protected outlet.
You will know the pipe is thawed out when water starts to trickle out of the open faucet. Let the water run for a while to completely clear the pipe. Then, close the faucet and check for leaks.
CAUTION!: Do not use a propane torch to thaw out frozen pipes. Do not use a propane torch even if it has a fire spreader attachment. This is not only a fire hazard, bit it's also a quick way to destroy your plastic plumbing pipes.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
The Sossmobile is Back on the Street!!
The good news is……I got my truck fixed and it is running great. Yes, for a grand total of $550.00, I got a major tune-up and a few other things done to my truck, making it a smooth ride. Karla and I had actually decided if the repairs were over $500.00, we would just get rid of the truck and find something else for me to drive….but, since it was only $50.00 over, we decided to have it repaired and keep it. I really did not want to go buy another vehicle. I hate vehicle shopping. I actually picked the truck up on Wednesday afternoon…and it runs and sounds much better.
Not much happened during the latter part of last week. I had a REACT Board meeting on Thursday evening and then on Friday morning, I received a text message that one of our teenagers from church, who was pregnant, had her baby. Everything went well and she had a healthy baby. I left the office at 1:45 pm and spent the rest of the afternoon at the hospital with the new mom and baby. Just after I arrived at the hospital, I had the privilege of holding the baby and then got the opportunity to assist with giving the baby her first bath. It felt really strange….but a good kind of strange. When I decided to leave the hospital and go home, I went to the hospital parking lot and could not find my truck. It was cold, wet and nasty and I could not remember where I parked. When I went into the hospital, I got turned around, so I could not remember where I parked.
I walked around for a good 30 minutes, trying to find my truck. I did eventually find it and decided that I would not be going back to that hospital anytime soon. To top it all off, I had to pay $5.00 to park. That, to me, was ridiculous! As I left the hospital, Karla and Gayla were just arriving. I left the hospital, stopped at Del Rancho and then headed home. After being home for about an hour, Gayla called to tell me she was staying the night at the hospital with the new mom and I needed to come back up to the hospital to pick Karla up. I was not looking forward to another trip to that hospital. When I arrived, I told Karla where I was parked. It didn’t matter. She got lost too. I finally drove around the hospital, trying to spot Karla……she was walking down the street and talking to me on the phone. I finally found her and we went home.
We were up early on Saturday morning. We had breakfast at the church and then spent all morning in the church sanctuary, decorating for Christmas. After the decorating, I went to Hibdons and spent two hours getting my oil changed. When I finally left, I went home and took a long nap. I got up just in time to head to the church for the OU/OSU Bedlam game. We had planned a bedlam party for the students, so they could get out of the house and enjoy football and fellowship. We had a great time, despite the fact the game was all OSU. I congratulate OSU on their win, especially since OU played terribly.
The rest of the weekend went quietly by. After church on Sunday, I took a nap and then headed to the church for choir rehearsal. We have our musical/drama on December 18th and Gayla and I have the leading drama parts. So, we spent the afternoon rehearsing…and then Karla, Gayla and myself, went out to eat. Afterwards, it was back home for the evening to rest up and get ready for Monday.
It was a long and very busy Monday. To top it off, it was bitterly cold and the wind was blowing hard. I got a lunch hour, but I spent it at my desk. After work, I was scheduled to go by a REACT team member’s house and have him re-mount my REACT radio antenna. On my way over to his house, as I was getting off the interstate at NE 10 & I-35, I noticed a lady on the shoulder with a flat tire. After I stopped and assisted her, I came upon another lady whose car died….she thought the battery was dead, so we tried to jump it. We could not get it started, so she called a tow truck. I was finally back on the road to my friend’s house. It was hard working on my truck because it was cold, dark and windy…..plus, my heater still does not work well. After spending about an hour on it, we finally got the antenna re-mounted.
It was a very long day and a tiring day. When I got home, I spent about 15 minutes on the computer and then went to bed.
www.centralokreact.org
Not much happened during the latter part of last week. I had a REACT Board meeting on Thursday evening and then on Friday morning, I received a text message that one of our teenagers from church, who was pregnant, had her baby. Everything went well and she had a healthy baby. I left the office at 1:45 pm and spent the rest of the afternoon at the hospital with the new mom and baby. Just after I arrived at the hospital, I had the privilege of holding the baby and then got the opportunity to assist with giving the baby her first bath. It felt really strange….but a good kind of strange. When I decided to leave the hospital and go home, I went to the hospital parking lot and could not find my truck. It was cold, wet and nasty and I could not remember where I parked. When I went into the hospital, I got turned around, so I could not remember where I parked.
I walked around for a good 30 minutes, trying to find my truck. I did eventually find it and decided that I would not be going back to that hospital anytime soon. To top it all off, I had to pay $5.00 to park. That, to me, was ridiculous! As I left the hospital, Karla and Gayla were just arriving. I left the hospital, stopped at Del Rancho and then headed home. After being home for about an hour, Gayla called to tell me she was staying the night at the hospital with the new mom and I needed to come back up to the hospital to pick Karla up. I was not looking forward to another trip to that hospital. When I arrived, I told Karla where I was parked. It didn’t matter. She got lost too. I finally drove around the hospital, trying to spot Karla……she was walking down the street and talking to me on the phone. I finally found her and we went home.
We were up early on Saturday morning. We had breakfast at the church and then spent all morning in the church sanctuary, decorating for Christmas. After the decorating, I went to Hibdons and spent two hours getting my oil changed. When I finally left, I went home and took a long nap. I got up just in time to head to the church for the OU/OSU Bedlam game. We had planned a bedlam party for the students, so they could get out of the house and enjoy football and fellowship. We had a great time, despite the fact the game was all OSU. I congratulate OSU on their win, especially since OU played terribly.
The rest of the weekend went quietly by. After church on Sunday, I took a nap and then headed to the church for choir rehearsal. We have our musical/drama on December 18th and Gayla and I have the leading drama parts. So, we spent the afternoon rehearsing…and then Karla, Gayla and myself, went out to eat. Afterwards, it was back home for the evening to rest up and get ready for Monday.
It was a long and very busy Monday. To top it off, it was bitterly cold and the wind was blowing hard. I got a lunch hour, but I spent it at my desk. After work, I was scheduled to go by a REACT team member’s house and have him re-mount my REACT radio antenna. On my way over to his house, as I was getting off the interstate at NE 10 & I-35, I noticed a lady on the shoulder with a flat tire. After I stopped and assisted her, I came upon another lady whose car died….she thought the battery was dead, so we tried to jump it. We could not get it started, so she called a tow truck. I was finally back on the road to my friend’s house. It was hard working on my truck because it was cold, dark and windy…..plus, my heater still does not work well. After spending about an hour on it, we finally got the antenna re-mounted.
It was a very long day and a tiring day. When I got home, I spent about 15 minutes on the computer and then went to bed.
www.centralokreact.org
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