USNA09mom--all ok?

[AF6872]

<p>Peskemom:
Our prayers are with you and we hope everything is OK.</p>

[AF6872]

<p>Shogun: </p>

<p>Take care and, again, our prayers are with you.</p>

[GreatAmerican]

<p><a href=“http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/10/defense_uavfires_071024/[/url]”>http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/10/defense_uavfires_071024/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>

NASA and the Air Force plan to fly over Southern California on Wednesday with their UAVs to help firefighters combat raging wildfires that have devastated the region.</p>

<p>A NASA spokesman said the agency’s Ikhana UAV — a version of the Pentagon’s Predator B built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems — is being readied for a nine-hour mission from the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.</p>

<p>The Air Force plans to fly its Global Hawk by Northrop Grumman on daily 16-hour missions over the coming seven days from Beale Air Force Base near Sacramento, one source said…

</p>

[momoftwins]

<p>I’ve been away for several weeks and am just catching up to the posts this morning. </p>

<p>shogun and peskemom, I’m so glad you’re safe. And shogun it’s wonderful that the homes are standing, but an absolute miracle that the horses are alive. </p>

<p>Stay well!</p>

[GreatAmerican]

<p><a href=“http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/10/navy_disaster_muster_071025w/[/url]”>http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/10/navy_disaster_muster_071025w/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>

Forty-eight hours into the Navy’s San Diego wildfire disaster muster, officials say they have accounted for 95 percent of their people in the San Diego County area. Now, officials say they will begin to focus on those most affected and get them help.</p>

<p>As of early Thursday afternoon, Navy officials had accounted for 156,953 of the 165,117 total people with close Navy ties in the San Diego County area. Of those, 8,039 had been evacuated from their homes and one Navy civilian had been reported killed: Thomas Varshock, 52, of Tecate, Calif., worked as a geo-technical engineer for Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest in San Diego, the Navy said…

</p>

[GreatAmerican]

<p><a href=“http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/10/airforce_maffs_fires_071025/[/url]”>http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/10/airforce_maffs_fires_071025/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>

As widespread wildfires ravaged parts of Southern California the week of Oct. 22, forcing a million people to flee their homes, all six of the Air Force’s Military Airborne Fire Fighting System units were engaged in the battle. Their first missions were flown Oct. 24…

</p>

[Zaphod]

<p>I see pekemom and shogun are still posting. Since I don’t expect WIFI to be available at government relocation centers, I guess it’s safe to conclude that they are still OK. :D</p>

<p>Stay safe!</p>

[Cougar_62]

<p>I’ve been away from the forum for quite a while, but I had to check in and make sure the So. Cal contingent was okay. Looks like things are geting better all around.</p>

<p>My Daughter is currently a student at Northwestern Prep, down near Lake Arrowhead. We were understandably worried when we saw houses in the area burning, but everything has worked out well for them. The faculty, staff and about 80 students were ready to evacuate, but the fires never got closer than about 8 miles and they were not forced to leave. The Durbecks, who run the school, have kept us informed throughout the ordeal and we are very thankful to them.</p>

<p>All the students were bussed down into San Bernadino today to take the ACT and have a special pass to get back into the evacuation area. The local fire is 85% contained so were breathing a sigh of relief.</p>

<p>By the way, it’s really early, but if any students don’t make the Academy this year I can’t speak highly enough of Northwestern Prep.</p>

<p>Glad to hear most of the regulars are safe!</p>

[usna09mom]

<p>FEMA blasted for ‘news’ conference</p>

<p>Agency employees, not reporters, asked questions at the event. Homeland Security calls the lapse ‘offensive and inexcusable.’</p>

<p>By Jordy Yager
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer</p>

<p><a href=“FEMA blasted for 'news' conference”>FEMA blasted for 'news' conference;

<p>October 27, 2007</p>

<p>WASHINGTON — No one had any hard questions for the deputy administrator of FEMA, an agency deeply tarnished by its delayed action after Hurricane Katrina, when he held a news conference Tuesday to talk about the California wildfires.</p>

<p>“Are you happy with FEMA’s response so far?” someone asked.</p>

<p>Indeed, the deputy administrator was. “I am very happy with FEMA’s response so far,” responded Vice Adm. Harvey E. Johnson Jr.</p>

<p>The news conference looked like a success in the Bush administration’s effort this week to demonstrate it could respond competently to a disaster.</p>

<p>On Friday, however, the agency admitted that the softball questions were posed by FEMA employees, not reporters.</p>

<p>The White House was not happy with FEMA’s response.</p>

<p>“It is not a practice that we would employ here at the White House,” said Press Secretary Dana Perino, mentioning three times that it was an “error in judgment.” “It’s not something I would have condoned, and they, I’m sure, will not do it again.”</p>

<p>The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, was less happy.</p>

<p>“This is inexcusable and offensive, and stunts like this will not be tolerated or repeated,” said spokeswoman Laura Keehner. "It was a lapse of judgment, and we find it offensive, and it won’t happen again….”
<a href=“FEMA blasted for 'news' conference”>FEMA blasted for 'news' conference;

[Zaphod]

<p>The funny thing about it, of course, is that more USEFUL information was passed out in that news conference than if the “professionals” had been allowed in.</p>

<p>Remember, we’re still waiting to find the 10,000+ dead that the “professional” media claimed were going to be found when the floodwaters in New Orleans subsided. :rolleyes:</p>