Hello friends,
There is always something going on isn't there. As my mom would say, if it's not one thing, it's another, and that pretty much sums up the country and the world on the whole.
What isn't lacking is the hate and lies that are constantly spewing forth like an overactive volcano. For example, certain party members and, of course, the media, are jumping on the tragedy in Texas and railing about budget cuts and staffing shortages. Why? Because if the President hadn't cut so much money from the weather service budget, then the tragedy never would have happened. If he hadn't fired all the weather forecasters, then this horrific event never would have happened. It is all his fault! Blah, blah, blah.
Wrong! That is all lies and nonsense. In the first place, any budget cuts have not even gone into effect. Secondly, there were more than enough forecasters on duty for the weather event. They generally run with two, and bump that up to five for significant weather events, calling in extras or requiring overtime.
So, no, that did not effect the forecasters' ability, but they have to lie...it's who they are.
Then next up in the blame game is "climate change". Ah, but we know better. Climate change is a man-made, bureaucratic hoax to manipulate the minds of the masses into believing that we are somehow responsible for global warming, cooling, etc. Don't get me started on geoengineering, and what that could be doing to the weather...trying to fix something we did that we really didn't do in the first place. Oy!
At any rate there are several factors that led to this tragic event. One, it happened in the middle of the night when everyone was sleeping. Likely no one even heard the warning since cell service is between spotty and non-existent in that area. Also, I doubt that anyone had a weather radio either. Sirens? Nope.
To credit the forecasters, they put out watches and warnings and then an emergency flood warning to evacuate immediately which I think went out about 4 a.m.
Since the camp was so close to the river, it would seem that an evacuation plan could have been in place in the event of an emergency. Perhaps someone could have been on watch monitoring the weather with a way to communicate quickly with other adults. This is just speculation on my part. Maybe it would have a difference, maybe not. I suspect plans and procedures will change now, though.
We all say that things like this shouldn't happen, but they do. That is the way nature works and given the wide shallow river, the amount of rain and the fact that it is in hill country, flooding can happen quickly. It has done this multiple times in the past. What made this more deadly is that it happened at night.
It is devastating for the families and the community, and our prayers are with them, as well as all the search and rescue personnel. They have seen things that they will never forget.
Until next time, stay safe and stay sane.
