Tornado

Roxie · December 12, 2021, 07:20:11 AM

Heartbroken for all in its path.

If you know of a member that was impacted by this storm, let's hear about them and use this thread as a check in point.

Fred Rogers said to look for the helpers, they are always there. Let's hear from them too.

thecfarm · December 12, 2021, 09:30:58 AM

I saw this on the news. So sad.

firefighter ontheside · December 12, 2021, 10:01:51 AM

I'm a member of Missouri Task Force 1, which is one of 28 FEMA urban search and rescue teams in the nation. We were on alert to respond, but were stood down when it was determined we were not needed in Missouri or Illinois. Local responders had the situation in Edwardsville at the Amazon warehouse well in hand. Indiana Task Force 1 was sent to Kentucky to assist with efforts there. I will let you know if I hear of the work the they are doing in KY.

mike_belben · December 12, 2021, 10:13:41 AM

thanks for your service man.

firefighter ontheside · December 12, 2021, 05:10:28 PM

Its my pleasure, Mike. They just deployed my task force, but I did not make the roster. We are divided up in 3 teams of 70. My team is third in line this month, so I wasn't likely to make the cut.

Roxie · December 12, 2021, 05:25:05 PM

How long do you think they'll be gone? Given the scope of the disaster, do you think they'll bring back the first 70 then deploy a second team?

We had an F2 travel 8 miles that was 385 yds wide within 2/10ths of a mile from me this past summer and 2 weeks later the Canadians sent electrical help. Took another 2 weeks beyond that before all the roads involved were opened. No one was hurt and we had a few homes totaled and a dozen damaged. It was nothing compared to this.

goose63 · December 12, 2021, 05:38:05 PM

With every thing elce going on this just so sad we are praying for those people

firefighter ontheside · December 12, 2021, 07:13:18 PM

We deploy for a maximum of 14 days. Most times it is shorter and there is no need to send more after that. I expect these guys to be there about a week. The only time I have heard of replacing teams with other teams was Hurricane Katrina. Indiana Task Force 1 has been upgraded from 35 personnel to 70. Ohio has deployed with 35 and Missouri with 35.

firefighter ontheside · December 12, 2021, 07:45:05 PM

Tennessee Task Force 1 has also deployed. All of these teams have dogs that detect live victims as well as cadaver. Both will be helpful in finding the missing victims.

doc henderson · December 12, 2021, 09:59:42 PM

good info Bill. thanks for the inside scoop.

Tacotodd · December 12, 2021, 10:17:30 PM

I just had a buddy in Crowley TX text me in worry how I was in AR. I'm fine and didn't know a thing about any of it.

I'm just glad that everyone else is okay.

Peter Drouin · December 13, 2021, 07:15:17 AM

All I can say is WOW!
God help them.

firefighter ontheside · December 14, 2021, 07:10:25 PM

Missouri Task Force 1 is in Mayfield KY along with Tennessee TF1. They have been searching neighborhoods for the last several days. Yesterday it was reported that they rescued a victim, but I do not know what type of rescue it was. I think the important thing is that they helped someone in need. They have also been providing some assistance to folks who have been sheltering in place with no food, water or power.

Roxie · December 14, 2021, 07:14:52 PM

It looks unspeakable, but it's good to know they rescued someone four days after. Wow.

firefighter ontheside · December 16, 2021, 07:27:03 AM

My task force is on their way home today and I assume the other FEMA task forces that responded are also heading home. It doesn't mean that all the work is done. It just means that the work we are trained for is done. Aside from pulling people out of rubble, the task forces are trained and have equipment to survey damage and enter it into a GPS system. The data from this goes a long way toward helping areas qualify for federal assistance and the data is shared with local government to help them help their folks.

Roxie · December 16, 2021, 10:53:05 AM

Thank you so much!

I saw an interview with the Governor and he was saying that one immediate problem they were having was finding enough electrical transformers to replace those destroyed by the storm. He noted that even people who had intact homes but were near those utility lines could not have the power turned on to their homes because of the danger of electrocution over the area of downed lines.

Wish I knew enough to understand how transformers are made and what possible choke point in the supply chain might impede them getting power restored.

Anyone out there that can speak to that?

beenthere · December 16, 2021, 12:35:25 PM

Roxie
Sounds like two different issues.
One being short on transformers.
The other being live power coming to the transformer. The live power is the danger to others working on the power lines elsewhere.
Just my thought.

firefighter ontheside · December 16, 2021, 01:08:44 PM

The power company workers have to locate the last spot where there is no damage and disconnect there to make sure nothing gets fed back into downed wires. This is a monumental task. The amount of power lines and poles down in Louisiana this summer was astounding. As far as transformers, they never keep enough spare transformers in an area to replace them all at one time. As power companies from other areas and even other states start to roll into the area to assist, they bring with them spare equipment. The parking lot that my task force was staged in in Louisiana was also a staging area for such equipment. There were constantly truck coming in and dropping off equipment. Now, add to that the supply chain issues that we are dealing with in general and you can imagine that getting enough transformers in a timely fashion will be impossible.

Ljohnsaw · December 16, 2021, 02:17:23 PM

Quote from: Roxie on December 16, 2021, 10:53:05 AMWish I knew enough to understand how transformers are made and what possible choke point in the supply chain might impede them getting power restored.

The "on the pole" transformers are relatively standard. Like FFOS said, a particular utility is not going to have a huge stockpile standing by. Just doesn't make economic sense. But the neighboring utilities usually have an agreement to help out.

I worked for a public power organization in the next town over from me. That town was also a member of our organization. I remember many years ago (30?) that they had a substation near the middle of town. They over built (put in two main transformers) it initially. Over the years, one went out and all they had to do was swap the connections. When the town (city) grew and they needed that capacity, they had an outage and actually replace both (with newer technology - less PCBs ;)). Most of the big transformer are custom built and, in normal times, have lead times of 6 months to a year. Hopefully no big transformers were damaged.

Sacramento just had a big substation transformer blow up a couple days ago. Our historic Old Town (tourist trap) has been without power for 2 days. Really bad timing for them. Also some hotels, care facilities, etc are dark. Hoping to get have the business restored today.

Roxie · December 18, 2021, 08:52:38 AM

Bringing this back to the top in case we have any members that were impacted but haven't been able to post.

Want to hear from anyone who's helping too. I now have first hand experience and know the sound of chainsaws mean's help is on the way. That and hammer's is music to my ears.

upnut · December 18, 2021, 10:25:10 AM

If I may, rfdtv.com has a couple videos that are both disheartening and encouraging, this is a rural agriculture based site so you get a uniquely farmers/ranchers point of view.....

Scott B.

mike_belben · December 18, 2021, 11:25:25 AM

The way trucking works will have a lot to do with timeframes on getting xformers in. Theres a manufacturer in TN and i think another in florida. Transformers is a flatbed load and so is lumber. But lumber is crap comodity freight with lots of brokers competing against each other to place one load of lumber on the cheapest truck and make 50 bucks on it. Lumber producers are the leaders of brokering practices designed to push down freight cost in their favor. Nothing personal.

Transformers and fiber optic cable are high value low volume freight with big profit margins because there are few manufacturers. So they are naturally higher paying coveted freight with just one broker probably on contract with the manufacturer for the shippers entire freight demand.

This brokers deal is probably locked in quarterly money wise and he is not gonna give away the farm and lose money personally just because there was a storm 3 states away. It takes more money in an already high market to get the rate high enough to bring in a bunch of immediate trucks. If broker says hey we need you to pay more on freight to get these transformers out then the shipper (manufacturer) will start thinking we need a different broker to get us more trucks cheaper. Freight is not an altruistic system so there are delays from everyone protecting their paycheck. And no a govt subsidy to move them faster wont work itll just go in one pocket and nothing will change. The extra money needs to go to the truck on a bumped up fuel surcharge payment so that it goes to the company and not the driver. Remember the company decides where the trucks go and theyre in it for them first, driver second.

Another issue is with good freight the broker who has it under contract really wants to keep it a secret or other startup brokers will sniff out that factory and start soliciting their broker services to undercut the guy who has it. You dont wanna send too many unknown truckers to the plant that you found on load boards because that advertises freight to the world. then more truckers will be trying to back solicit the shipper for a direct freight contract that cuts out the broker.. So in freight when you find a golden goose you keep that sucker under wraps.

When you are a broker quietly moving transformers (or steel out of armorel arkansas, the secret flatbed mecca of america) and trying to keep the golden goose hid, youve gotta wait for your trusted carriers to get a return load back to the transformer plant. Well how many loads are coming out of a distaster area? None. How many flats are flooding in with lumber? Tons. They all want a load out. A lot of guys may sit and wait trying to find something but there wont be enough.

So the trucks have gotta deadhead back or deadhead (drive empty at their own expense.. Bad) in to another area to get freight to get to another lane or back home or back to the xformer plant. Its slow unless the buyer of the product is willing to pay a fortune for expedite and no one pockets their expedite money to get it on a truck. The trucks dont move fast without extra money. And remember, the new trucks are on elogs so they have to park every 11hours no matter what. Why is the old truck with the old hand the most chromed out on the road?

Cuz that dude can still say show me the money and ill run 30 hrs overnight. make it worth my while to cook a logbook. Im your man in a jam, save my number big dollar broker guy.

There will always be excellent money in freight when one person needs another person to break the law to cover a mistake that will cost someone a lucrative contract.

Corley5 · December 18, 2021, 11:36:39 AM

We had a severe windstorm a couple days ago and many people are still without power and will be for several days due to a shortage of transformers. There are shelters open for people to get warm and eat. It's cold. We're on a main line and were only out about 3 hours.