Today has been a whirlwind to say the least… I received a call at about 6 am this morning from my office manager asking me to go into our other office to call patients and let them know the office would be closed today and tomorrow. I spent two hours with a co-worker calling people, all while the radio sounded with warnings for all “non-essential” personnel to remain at home, indoors, and taking precautions to remain safe. The rest of the day went relatively smoothly, I ran some errands, and tried to nap off a killer headache that resulted from a restless night of sleep the night before.

It is now 8 pm, and the Harris Fire is still eating up the wilderness surrounding my town. The eastern portion of my town has now been issued a mandatory evacuation, and we have taken the necessary precautions in case we are next. I have a list next to me with the essential items I need to bring along if we are issued an evacuation notice, and it reads as follows:

1. Phones/Chargers
2. Computers
3. Bedding - air bed, blankets - us and dogs
4. Food/Dog Food/H2O
5. Clothes - use duffel and/or suitcase
6. Flashlight
7. Deodorant/Toothbrushes
8. Lock Box

I have no idea if we are going to be loading up Grimace with these items in the next hour, day, or ever, but I am prepared to be out of here in 20 minutes or less with my family if the Harris Fire decides to spread its tentacles my way. The air is definitely getting thicker, and the smoke that used to reside in the distance has silently crept closer to my back door. The neighbors have been loading items into their cars, and the dogs seem to know something is not quite right. I am biting my tongue as I am typing it, but it feels like the end of the world.

October 22nd, 2007 | Natural Disasters, The House