Now that this whole thing is behind us, it's time for me to come out on some of you state and federal programs that are here to either assist, or give services to the public.FEMA:
We all know about this government agency. During Katrina, they were a little late with their assistance. Here in NWA (Northwest Arkansas) they made a feeble attempt at righting a wrong. I am not one to think that living in the country was or would be easy, as it isn’t. Even with all the luxury and confronts of modern day life, it just isn’t easy. However, from what you folks have been seeing in the news, we ALL were in a bad way out here, not so. Fayetteville, AR had power days after the storm. Granted, there are some that did not have power, but for the most part most did. The nearest town had power and never lost it. Which is another part of this story. FEMA, decided to set up shop in Oklahoma, and Fayetteville, far from the areas that needed the assistance the most. Most living in the rural areas could not afford generators, and though FEMA had plenty, like the trailers during Katrina, they were not supplying these good people with some sort of hope or light. Instead, they were holding these generators for small business who needed power to run their business. Never mind the fact that they were in a city that close to 85% of the population already either had power, or would be within a few days. In fact I had not seen a member of FEMA during these last two weeks. So, why do we need these people? Here, Neighbors are those who came to one another aid. I saw it all over the place out here in the sticks. Farmers, all good men with chain saws cutting away the brush so that their neighbors could get to the store to buy bread, or get medical care. Remember this folk, you sure as hell can not count on your government. I thank god that we had the where with all to have food, and a generator.
We all know about this government agency. During Katrina, they were a little late with their assistance. Here in NWA (Northwest Arkansas) they made a feeble attempt at righting a wrong. I am not one to think that living in the country was or would be easy, as it isn’t. Even with all the luxury and confronts of modern day life, it just isn’t easy. However, from what you folks have been seeing in the news, we ALL were in a bad way out here, not so. Fayetteville, AR had power days after the storm. Granted, there are some that did not have power, but for the most part most did. The nearest town had power and never lost it. Which is another part of this story. FEMA, decided to set up shop in Oklahoma, and Fayetteville, far from the areas that needed the assistance the most. Most living in the rural areas could not afford generators, and though FEMA had plenty, like the trailers during Katrina, they were not supplying these good people with some sort of hope or light. Instead, they were holding these generators for small business who needed power to run their business. Never mind the fact that they were in a city that close to 85% of the population already either had power, or would be within a few days. In fact I had not seen a member of FEMA during these last two weeks. So, why do we need these people? Here, Neighbors are those who came to one another aid. I saw it all over the place out here in the sticks. Farmers, all good men with chain saws cutting away the brush so that their neighbors could get to the store to buy bread, or get medical care. Remember this folk, you sure as hell can not count on your government. I thank god that we had the where with all to have food, and a generator.
Ozark Electric:What can I say about Ozark Electric? Nothing good that’s for sure. The Cooperative has known for years that they had serious problems with their substations but did not spend the money to repair them. No let’s wait until there is a real need, then we will spend the time and money to correct the issue. I have never lived anywhere that has the problems that this Cooperative has. If a squirrel three miles from here gets caught in a line, we are with out power for three to four hours. Yes, you read it folks, three to four hours. It was a Tuesday when the power went out. On that Friday, we got word that they have completed the repairs to the substations and will now be working on getting power to the community. Three days after the incident we are just now getting the substation back up and running? WHAT THE?! Oh the story gets better. We wait, and we wait, and we wait some more. A week later, I start to see life again in the small town in the valley below our farm. We are now approaching two weeks now and someone from a power company from another state shows up to put in new power poles, and pull the lines. You would think that we were at war if you had seen the site of all the trucks in you front yard. They work through out the day, and get everything in place. It is now dark, and they have to retire for the evening. I’m cool with this, and understand.
Following day:
No crews in sight, we wait, we wait, and we wait some more. It’s almost noon, and a truck pulls through the cattle gate and climbs the hills of the farm. With him, a flat bed truck with a dozer. I don’t ask questions, I sit and I wait some more. Always waiting we were. After two hours I grab my truck and drive o the top of the hill to ask questions. On our property there is an old house deep in the woods. It belonged to a member of my wife’s family during the turn of the century at some time. There’s even the shell of an old Model T, an actual outhouse, a smokehouse for cooking, and a water pump, which still pump water to this day. It’s inhabited, and has been this way for years. Ozark in its wisdom wants to run power to this shack. I don’t complain or ask questions; I just let them go on about their jobs. The lineman tells me that I should have power by the end of the day. OK, but I heard this yesterday. The flat bed and lineman leave for the day. Nothing, no one around, no sound of power tools or voices of the men working in the field. It’s getting late now, and still nothing. I drive the three miles down my road to find the crew, and they are on their way up my road. But it’s late, and no longer hopeful that power will be restored. They get to work, this army of linemen, when another smaller truck (F150) pulls through my field to call it a day. Still no power and I am hot at this moment. I go to the gate; this part is important, to speak with the foreman, one I had not seen, and he advises that they are done. "Done" I ask, I see no power here. He then becomes snide and rude, "We are done, I’m not going to risk my men’s lives working in the dark." I have a real problem with this, as these trucks have lights, bright lights. I ask him why it was that he was not on the hill that afternoon? His reply was, "We were getting power to the town below." Remember that the town below me has had power for days now. Even some of my neighbors have had power for days. I say nothing, as for one, he was on the other side of my barbed wire fence, and two my wife and daughter were in the house. I go to the barn; steaming, and tend to a calf, and start to muck after the horses. I’m still steaming, and they are still in my field. The trucks are starting to roll through the gate as I emerge from the barn. I don’t know what came over me, but his was the last truck and I tried to block him in. I asked him to step put of the truck, of which he wouldn’t, he speed away. This was Sunday last, and that Monday the lights were back on. But the funny thing is, a Police officer showed up at my door while I was away taking care of my daily duties. When he heard the truth, he laughed and took me out of the system. So, the lesson of the story is this. Don’t curse out your power man, he may just call the cops. Oh, and by the way, the garbage they left in my yard is still here, I wonder if it’s going to be the same foreman to pick it up? I just may have to have my dogs out of their kennels on his next visit.
No crews in sight, we wait, we wait, and we wait some more. It’s almost noon, and a truck pulls through the cattle gate and climbs the hills of the farm. With him, a flat bed truck with a dozer. I don’t ask questions, I sit and I wait some more. Always waiting we were. After two hours I grab my truck and drive o the top of the hill to ask questions. On our property there is an old house deep in the woods. It belonged to a member of my wife’s family during the turn of the century at some time. There’s even the shell of an old Model T, an actual outhouse, a smokehouse for cooking, and a water pump, which still pump water to this day. It’s inhabited, and has been this way for years. Ozark in its wisdom wants to run power to this shack. I don’t complain or ask questions; I just let them go on about their jobs. The lineman tells me that I should have power by the end of the day. OK, but I heard this yesterday. The flat bed and lineman leave for the day. Nothing, no one around, no sound of power tools or voices of the men working in the field. It’s getting late now, and still nothing. I drive the three miles down my road to find the crew, and they are on their way up my road. But it’s late, and no longer hopeful that power will be restored. They get to work, this army of linemen, when another smaller truck (F150) pulls through my field to call it a day. Still no power and I am hot at this moment. I go to the gate; this part is important, to speak with the foreman, one I had not seen, and he advises that they are done. "Done" I ask, I see no power here. He then becomes snide and rude, "We are done, I’m not going to risk my men’s lives working in the dark." I have a real problem with this, as these trucks have lights, bright lights. I ask him why it was that he was not on the hill that afternoon? His reply was, "We were getting power to the town below." Remember that the town below me has had power for days now. Even some of my neighbors have had power for days. I say nothing, as for one, he was on the other side of my barbed wire fence, and two my wife and daughter were in the house. I go to the barn; steaming, and tend to a calf, and start to muck after the horses. I’m still steaming, and they are still in my field. The trucks are starting to roll through the gate as I emerge from the barn. I don’t know what came over me, but his was the last truck and I tried to block him in. I asked him to step put of the truck, of which he wouldn’t, he speed away. This was Sunday last, and that Monday the lights were back on. But the funny thing is, a Police officer showed up at my door while I was away taking care of my daily duties. When he heard the truth, he laughed and took me out of the system. So, the lesson of the story is this. Don’t curse out your power man, he may just call the cops. Oh, and by the way, the garbage they left in my yard is still here, I wonder if it’s going to be the same foreman to pick it up? I just may have to have my dogs out of their kennels on his next visit.
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