By Bill Cornwell
The Facts
Published September 21, 2008
That whistling noise we heard early last Saturday morning was a bullet grazing past our community and hitting Galveston. But for 20 or 30 miles west, we would be where Galveston is today.
I still have a list of addresses, homes that were still occupied by residents who ignored mandatory evacuation notices.
I was lead officer on Lake Jackson’s Fire Engine 5.
Our assignment was to drive a sector of Lake Jackson hours ahead of Ike. The information we were obtaining was for rescue and body recovery post-hurricane.
Thankfully, the list wasn’t required.
Even though we sit in dark houses and look out over debris-strewn lawns, we are the lucky ones.
If you still have a home, family and friends, you have no complaints.
When The Facts’ managers and I broke from our meeting prior to the hurricane, I told them to look around and take stock — “What you see now may not be here when you come back. Life will change.”
A few miles away that prediction came true. Galveston, Bolivar and points east took the brunt of Hurricane Ike.
My dear friend, Dolph Tillotson, publisher of The Galveston County Daily News, is facing the nightmare I envisioned for most of our county: Loss of basic services — water, sewage and power — grocery and retail disruption, commercial and industrial uncertainty.
With the exception of our battered friends in Surfside Beach and Quintana, the rest of our communities remain intact.
We are the lucky ones.
It might not seem so now, but we are.
Here are some positive thoughts:
I think Surfside Beach will recover and reinvent itself.
Perhaps this situation will bring the infrastructure the city needs to move forward.
Many laughed when our county officials called for a mandatory evacuation Wednesday.
Thank you to those who endured the criticism and made that call.
Our municipal leaders did an exceptional job.
They have worked nonstop and are the reason your basic services continue to operate.
Don’t blame them for your electricity woes.
Our sheriff, police, Department of Public Safety, emergency medical personnel and fire departments were out there guarding property, clearing streets, marking downed power lines and putting out fires.
In many cases, they went well above the call of duty.
Many of our local businesses, especially those selling building materials and groceries, worked off of generators to open as soon as possible to meet our basic needs.
Several local restaurants opened back up quickly to the relief of those craving iced tea and a hot meal.
Because of the lack of power, our neighborhoods have become more social places.
As we sit out in our lawn chairs and stop to offer each other help, many of us are getting to know our neighbors for the first time.
I could go on, but the point is we should count our blessings.
Brazoria County, its municipalities and its residents have done a good job in a tough situation.
We are alive, the power will come back on and this experience will have made us wiser and more appreciative of what we have.
Bill Cornwell is editor and publisher of
The Facts.
Copyright © 2008 The Facts
No comments:
Post a Comment