Warning Signs, Be Aware Of Possible Natural Disasters

Concerned that the exchange of sweat, dribbled water, and grilling heat would cause my nipples to poke out through my work shirt, I just leaned farther forward, feeling tiny dirt pebbles fall down to the ground, while my bra had a breather from holding up the girls.

A fantasy of lukewarm, soap lathering clean up popped into my heat-addled brain. All there was to do, was wait for dark, meanwhile, there was crazy busy work to get done.

I clasped my clipboard sideways, to cover the breast area. Without direct airflow, already it was quickly making my chest warmer, and of course, sweat more. Our minds would all be on business.

The only woman visible on the construction site, and being the _ _ _ _ing inspector, I had earned the respect and healthy fear of an international covey, of hard working men. I intended to keep that respect. Women in the construction industry walk a fine line between acquaintanceship, friendship, hatred, cooperation, engineers, State Regulators, and the ability to get things done efficiently. I got ahead by working diplomatically, fairly, fast and safe.

On this job site, the liner crew had already done their thing, and had demobilized for home. The main contractor, the owners, the tractor guys, the laborers and me, were all that were left.

Earlier, in May of 2005, we had completed a landfill cell in a neighboring Texas town. Three months after we completed the project, Hurricane Katrina, hit New Orleans, and the Gulf Coast. Luckily, Nacogdoches, Texas, was not terribly affected by Ms. Katrina. It was close.

The landfill owners, and the State of Texas were very pleased with the Quality Construction, and the Reports from the landfill construction previously. The last landfill job to be done, was started before Katrina hit. It would take too long to go into, but there were problems with landfill job bids, because the price of fuel tripled after Katrina, so another contractor was called in, as well as myself, to finish this overdue project in under 30 days.

Building a landfill cell is a very big deal. There are vital environmental regulations, and processes that cannot be ignored.

Public safety is number one, so there is a lot of testing and paperwork.

No pressure.

Earthquakes:

• Cats disappear
• Dogs are antsy and / or lethargic
• Birds disappear. They are roosting at odd times, or cannot be seen.

Hurricanes:

• Abnormal swarms, or group sizes of insects.
• Strange insects, or bugs not indigenous to the area can be found.
• Birds Acting Strange. Outside of normal behavior. Moving Nests.
• Fish and aquatic critters acting outside of standard behavior.
• Extreme changes in temperature, in a short time. (24 hours or less)
• Odd odors in the air, coming with breezes.
• Weird colors in the sky.
• A quick change from cold to hot, or hot to cold.
• Very stormy or windy, then silent. [By the time you read this sign, you better be in shelter].

Tornadoes:

• Sudden changes in temperature
• The sky looks funny
• Clouds building up
• Odd odors in the air.
• Cows flying by. [By the time you see this sign, you had better be low down in the ground.]

The Texas sun beat down on the entire crew, showing us all, just how big Texas does everything. The largess of sunshine, and heat could never be ignored, even if you tried to get in under an air conditioner in a work trailer, or truck.

We started September 8, 2005, and had thirty days to finish the cell in order to comply with State Law, and the contract for the model landfill cell. Even a small 10 acre job is several million dollars, when it is on schedule. Let the price of the products used triple, the price to run equipment, transport, etc. triple. Taxpayers would be hit hard if it was not complete by October 8th, 2005.

We had the construction meeting, and got to work. September in the South is usually still very hot. High 90's with a heat index in the low 100's is about normal. The closer we got to the 29th of September, the hotter it got. At night, it wouldn't really cool down.

The closer Rita got to the Gulf Coast, the shorter our 30 days became. If this hurricane made landfall, before we completed construction, it would not withstand a hurricane, or tornado.

We made very good time through the required construction, testing, and dirt work, our french drain trench was perfect, but the truck carrying the liner cloth was stolen, so... like the action part of a movie, when they get the orchestra pumping their violins to show the tension; it is like that; we were waiting for a new truck of liner cloth, and/or cussing everyone out, involved in losing the truck, to get that S_ _ of a B_ _ _ _ truckload found. At the same time, we are watching NOAA minute by minute to see where she is going to hit.

Much of the Nation and World, looked on in horror, some crossing their fingers for, and sadly some against New Orleans. Rita followed the track of Katrina, right into that skinny hole, called the Gulf Coast. Where she would go, could not be discerned, until around 36 hours before she was to make landfall.

The tractor operators who were getting further behind, the faster they tried to go. When in regular operation, they did keep cool, listening to their jams, or preaching. Today they would have probably been blaring the weather reports as they were coming in patches, that bled through an urgency that doubled for the value of loss of our project, if we were unable to finish the cell before Hurricane Rita hit.

Kile and Roberto, the tractor operators were sure to get my attention that afternoon. "Lora, you ever seen a baby vulture?" I knew where these jokes could lead, but considering how much stress we were under, I was ready, "No, why?". Awaiting a punch-line,I looked to where they were pointing, "baby vultures, I have never seen a baby, except on that old cartoon...".

Landfills and Vultures have a precious relationship at the landfills. They should be found on most any dump or landfill. In all the years out in the field, between the three of us, there was probably 70 years experience, and none of us had ever seen anything like it. Vultures were building mounds up on the hill next to the cell. They were moving babies over there trying to get them to stay.

We had less than 24 hours, the main highways were clogged with thousands of cars, trailers, trucks, you name it, trying to escape the coast, but not being able to buy gasoline, or eventually water.

*****

The cell was finished, but the final inspection would not be done until the three feet of water abated, the winds died down to their average speed, and many pieces of humans' lives were sorted out and put back together.

The main contractor finally released me, and gave me a back way out of town. I would be so glad to be rid of the smell of Love Bugs that permeated everything I touched, wore or ate. During the period prior to Rita hitting land, love bugs swarmed everything. In reality, there should have been mosquitoes, but in their place were love bugs. Once you get a whiff of those critters, you will never forget. Sometimes I'll catch the faintest breath of the smell, and automatically go into warning mode.

Another "sign" I saw, but didn't realize it until later, was that this silver scarab bug landed on the liner cloth, the last day. It never crossed my mind to "get it," but my attempt at picture taking was shaky at best. I have a photo of it, that is not very good.

*****

If we pay attention, and connect the dots, we are given opportunities to prepare for some Natural Disasters. Hopefully this little story, along with the some of the signs to look for preceding a disaster, will save a life or two.

It happened yesterday, April 19, 2015, the skies were a bluish green on one side of the sky, while the sun continued to shine on the other.

Honestly, I did not notice any bad weather, but had been awaiting projected storms. The tornado sirens were what got me to take a look outside and see what was happening outside.

It was not long until giant, damaging hail began pounding on my door. It sounded like gunshots.

I could hear my neighbors outside laughing and walking around. I did poke my head out, and asked, "Did you know those sirens mean Take Cover?" They just laughed. I got my hallway closet ready for a disaster of larger proportions, we were lucky here, but there were signs.

When I opened the door to warn my neighbors, the air had a funky smell. All of the signs were there.