June 30

FL01  AVAILABLE  
FL02  AVAILABLE  
FL03  AVAILABLE  
FL04  AVAILABLE  
FL05  AVAILABLE  
FL06  AVAILABLE  
FL07  AVAILABLE  


Weather
Hurricane Alex is the first storm to turn into a hurricane in the month of June, in fifteen years. It should make landfall Wednesday night, just south of Brownsville Texas. The Weather Dudes are still saying it might increase to a cat 2 today sometime.. The longer it hangs out over the water, the bigger it will get. Alex looks like it keeps trying to turn more to the north, but most likely will hit Mexico. South Texas is gearing up for severe rain...12"!! FEMA has placed a lot of supplies on stand-by in San Antonio.
Oil Spill News
It's still pouring into the Gulf.
Fire Season 
A unattended burn pile was re-kindled by the wind on the Plumas National Forest yesterday. One out building was destroyed. Crews were able to stop the spread of fire at about 2-3 acres. It was in an area of the Feather River Canyon, north slope, lots of shade and moisture. Another month and this would have been a bigger fire.
Home

Thanks, Bubba! That timer should work great! 

ps. Toaka says..... "July Fourth is very close! Snacks! BBQ! Oh Boy!"

June 29

FL01  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL02  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill 
FL03  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL04  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL05  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL06  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill 
FL07  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill


Weather
Tropical Storm Alex turned north last night, but most likely will turn northwest today. It should make landfall Wednesday night, just south of Brownsville Texas. The Weather Dudes are saying it might increase to a cat 2 by Wednesday. The longer it hangs out over the water, the bigger it will get. Some of the Weather Dudes say they cannot rule out a more northerly path, which would make landfall in Texas. Time will tell.


Oil Spill News
It's still pouring into the Gulf.


Fire Season 
Things are heating up. Everyday there are new starts, everyday the starts are kept in check. It's just a matter of time before we get a start and some wind at the same time.

  ps. Toaka says..... "All this news is making me hungry."

June 28

FL01  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL02  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill 
FL03  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL04  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL05  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL06  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill 
FL07  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill


Not much happening today. Still waiting.


Tropical storm Alex has back into the Gulf. Some of the hurricane dudes say it will drift to the west and make landfall in Mexico. Some of the weather dudes say it too soon to tell, they can't rule out a turn to the north. One of the weather dudettes says the storm could make landfall near Houston. One thing is for sure... we will know in a couple of more days.


The Oil Spill is still spewing. There is still an abundance of political red tape being tied up. Oil is washing ashore. People are cleaning. There are good stories.... and not so good stories. Who knows what to believe anymore.


Fire season is teasing us. There have been several starts in the grassy areas, but nothing big yet. It's close.

  ps. Toaka says..... "It's simple. One snack. Not two...just one....well OK....two would be nice."

June 27

FL01  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL02  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill 
FL03  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL04  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL05  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL06  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill 
FL07  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill


100 Degrees in parts of California today!!


Fire season is close.

  ps. Toaka says..... "100 degrees? It's time to go swimming...bring some snacks!"

June 26

FL01  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL02  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill 
FL03  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL04  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL05  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL06  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill 
FL07  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill

June 25

FL01  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL02  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill 
FL03  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL04  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL05  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL06  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill 
FL07  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill


Oil Spill News
I read an article yesterday that said Louisiana has been authorized to activate 6000 National Guard. They have only activated 1000. The Governor says he is waiting for BP to "approve" the use of more troops. Admiral Allan says there is nothing standing in the way of the Governor of activating more troops. My one and single question is..... Since when do we allow a private organization to dictate when and where we activate our military? That's like asking Jack in the Box Jack if we can have more army men to play war with. Our President authorized the Gulf Coast States to activate 17,500 National Guard.....ACTIVATE THEM! Don't ask BP or the US Coast Guard for permission. The President gave permission already. This has become so tangled with red tape and finger pointing. Even the people complaining about finger pointing are pointing fingers. The people cutting through the red tape are replacing the very tape they cut through... with another layer of red tape. They point their finger down the beach. When we are all busy looking down that beach, they put up another piece of red tape. 
Another article I read yesterday.... Labor contractors are being accused of delaying pay checks. They are being accused of losing employees job applications. They are being accused of making millions from BP and paying only thousands. 


On the Weather side of things
The first tropical depression of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season appears imminent in the Western Caribbean, as the areal coverage and intensity of heavy thunderstorm activity associated with the tropical wave (Invest 93L) continue to increase. The storm has developed a surface circulation near 16.5N, 82.5W at 8am EDT, about 100 miles northeast of the Nicaragua/Honduras border. The developing storm is affecting the weather across the entire Western Caribbean, and bands of heavy thunderstorms are quickly building over a large region. The Hurricane Hunters are scheduled to fly into 93L at 2pm EDT this afternoon to see if a tropical depression has formed.

  ps. Toaka says..... "How about that soup you were talkin' about?"

June 24

FL01  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL02  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill 
FL03  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL04  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL05  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL06  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill 
FL07  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill


NEW ORLEANS - Engineers reattached a cap on the gushing well in the Gulf of Mexico late Wednesday night after crude oil spewed uncontrolled into the water for much of the day.
A crew member aboard the Discoverer Enterprise, the ship that has been siphoning oil, told The Associated Press that the cap was placed back on the gusher around 9 p.m. EDT on Wednesday and is again capturing some of the crude. It had been off for more than 11 hours.
Earlier Wednesday, engineers had to completely uncap the broken well after an undersea robot bumped into machinery being used to collect the spilled fuel. Hundreds of thousands of gallons more poured into the water as crews scrambled to replace a critical component.
Swimming Advisory
Thick pools of oil from the spill in the Gulf of Mexico washed up along miles of Pensacola Beach Wednesday, prompting health officials to issue an advisory against swimming in the water. Dozens of workers used shovels Wednesday to scoop up the oil and orange-tinged sand. There were a few sunbathers at the beach. Tar balls have been reported as far west as Panama City and heavier oil is predicted to wash ashore farther east along the coastline in the coming days.


Another New Pot of Soup is Stirring.....
In the world of disaster support, there are rumors stirring. FEMA has been quietly lurking around the kitchen. One source stated... "it's confidential... somethings about to change".
Well, I say, get that big spoon and stir away. We are ready for a big bowl of soup!!

  ps. Toaka says..... "Soup?? Ah yes! Now you're talkin' ."

June 22

FL01  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL02  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill (off-shore)
FL03  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL04  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL05  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL06  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill (off-shore)
FL07  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill


We've put in multiple proposals for 250 man camps, 800 man camps, 1000 man camps, Floating barge camps, a "floating city" (25 miles off-shore), a proposal for a 25' Boston Whaler Emergency Response Boat to patrol the clean-up vessels, more camps, more proposals, a few 1200 man camps, staffing for existing camps. 


We are still waiting. 

June 20 - Happy Father's Day

FL01  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL02  AVAILABLE  Stand-by Gulf Coast Oil Spill (off-shore)
FL03  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL04  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL05  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL06  AVAILABLE  Stand-by Gulf Coast Oil Spill (off-shore)
FL07  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill


GRAND ISLE, Louisiana - Those on the front lines of the U.S. Gulf Coast oil spill say they are forced to fight two battles — one against the crude washing into lush wetlands and another against needless bureaucracy.
"My experience has been frustration, too much red tape, no sense of urgency. For the state and the coastal parishes that are directly affected to put forth a plan, you have to kick and scream every step of the way to get it approved," said John Young, council chairman for Jefferson Parish in Louisiana.
Last week, the U.S. Coast Guard shut down 16 vacuum barges that were sucking up crude from Louisiana marshes. The units, which consist of trucks and tanks on barges that suck up thousands of gallons of crude, needed to be checked for stability and if they had life jackets and fire extinguishers.
On Friday, the Coast Guard shut down two more barges, prompting Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser to make an angry call the the White House, which ordered them back into operation, his office said.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has blasted a lack of coordination between federal departments overseeing the fight and state and local officials waging it. "It is frustrating because it doesn't seem like the left hand knows what the right hand is doing," he said recently. "There is no streamlined system here. This is why we keep stressing that we need to see more of a sense of urgency from the Coast Guard, federal officials and BP."


Meanwhile.....
We have put another proposal together for an off-shore barge company. They are interested in placing one of our medical units onto a 80' barge and anchoring it 25 miles off-shore. Of course there are other barges there as well. They are calling it a "floating city". So.... we will be looking for personnel who do not get sea sick. Any maritime experience is crucial. We would be shuttling supplies and crews via boat, with medivacs being done via helicopter. Our barge would include a trailer, a generator.....and a crew. I'll keep ya'll posted.

  ps. Toaka says..... "You can have that off-shore stuff.... I know it would way to hard to get a snack out there. I'll wait here."

June 18 ???????

FL01  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL02  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL03  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL04  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL05  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL06  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL07  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill

Barton’s three different apologies: For Republicans, yesterday might have been their worst day since health care passed in March. Barton’s statement that BP's $20 billion fund was a White House “shakedown,” and then his apology to BP, made it seem that he was more concerned about the oil company than about relief for Gulf residents. Barton’s “shakedown”/"slush fund" remark wasn't isolated. Republicans Tom Price and Michele Bachmann said similar things about the $20 billion account, and a writer from the Heritage Foundation also justified Barton’s comments. But realizing that political damage had been done, GOP House leaders -- who rarely back down from a political fight with the administration -- said that Barton was wrong and threatened to strip his plum position on the House Energy Committee if he didn’t retreat. The Texas congressman eventually apologized twice (once for being misconstrued, the other time retracting his apology to BP).


????
What the hell?

  ps. Toaka says..... "Can you set up an escrow snack account?" 

June 17*****

WASHINGTON - BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward faced the wrath of U.S. lawmakers on Thursday as investors welcomed a plan to set up a $20 billion fund to cope with Gulf of Mexico oil spill claims.
His opening statement was disrupted by a woman shouting from the back of the room, "You need to be charged with a crime."

When order was restored, Hayward apologized to the residents of the Gulf.

"I know that this incident has profoundly impacted lives and caused turmoil, and I deeply regret that," he said.

"I give my pledge as leader of BP that we will not rest until we make this right. We’re a strong company and no resources will be spared," Hayward said.

Lawmakers did not adopt President Barack Obama's more conciliatory tone toward BP in opening remarks, quoting Hayward's own words back at him and accusing the CEO and BP as a whole of skimping on safety in order to save money.

Accusing Hayward of a "reckless disregard for safety," Rep. Bart Stupak also referred to a string of gaffes by BP executives.

"We are not small people," Stupak said, an apparent reference to chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg who on Wednesday said the company was not greedy and cared "about the small people."

"I am sure you will get your life back; a golden parachute back to England," Stupak told Hayward.

STILL WAITING

There is a need for more support bases all over the Gulf Coast. We have heard excuse after excuse. The first wave of excuses.... "we don't know where the oil is going to come ashore." Then came.... "It's a holiday weekend". "The man with the spending authority is having a BBQ with his family". Oh....and.... "We are looking for land to build a camp on." Then another friday afternoon arrived....they take the weekends off you know. Monday morning, briefings and meetings, catching up on what was missed over the weekend. "We need a hurricane evacuation plan." "We don't have a medical plan." 

Then there are stories coming in about the camps that have been built. Vendors are asked to remove the logos from their vehicles. They are asked to not where their logos one their shirts and hats. God forbid that vendor hand out a business card or a phone number. One vendor was not allowed to drive over to another camp, as they felt he might be "talking to somebody."

This is America. Back in 1776, we kicked the shit out these ideas of life. We started our own country, with our own freedoms. It's time we, as Americans, stand up again. It's time we put our foot down on this bullshit. 

I have kept silent long enough. CALL YOUR SENATOR!!! CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN!!! WRITE LETTERS!! Go on CNN AC360 (Anderson Cooper), send him an email!! Flood every portal of communication you can find. Become an American Virus! Let them all know we will not tolerate being censored. We will not tolerate being kept in the dark. WE WANT THE TRUTH....NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH. We can handle it. The question is....Can BP and the Government handle it?

June 16

FL01  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL02  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL03  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL04  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL05  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL06  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL07  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill

WASHINGTON - A day after telling the nation he would make BP "pay for the damage their company has caused," President Barack Obama on Wednesday met with the oil company's leaders to insist that it be held responsible for all damages from the worst oil spill in U.S. history.

BP executives, including Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg, CEO Tony Hayward and BP U.S. boss Lamar McKay, walked into the West Wing of the White House just before 10 a.m. ET for talks with Obama that were scheduled to last 20 minutes.

The meeting came a day after Obama, in a televised address to Americans, accused BP of recklessness and vowed to fight the spill "with everything we've got."

"We will make BP pay for the damage their company has caused," Obama declared in his first Oval Office address, a venue often reserved for matters of war. Obama described the massive spill as a "siege" on the shores of America.

The Latest Rumor!

There has been a bid process going on for over a month now. 1000 bed camps. Several of them. This morning it was brought to my attention, BP has not awarded contracts for these camps yet, as the bids do not include a "MEDICAL Plan". Monday we needed to create a hurricane evacuation plan. Now we need to create a medical plan. Frontline MEDICAL is plugged into all of this. We are a MEDICAL support provider. This is what we do. All of our bids include an ICS 206 (MEDICAL PLAN). Our services more than adequately provide the needed medical support for these camps. From County level to Federal level, Frontline MEDICAL has received high praises for the services we provide. Our MEDICAL plans go above and beyond what is needed.

Sooo.... I will put together, yet another MEDICAL plan. It will get submitted. We will wait.

  ps. Toaka says..... "Are you kidding me?"

June 15

FL01  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL02  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL03  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL04  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL05  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL06  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill
FL07  AVAILABLE  Gulf Coast Oil Spill


I bet you'll never guess!  Ah.... you were right. We are still waiting. Before we set up any new camps, disaster evacuation plans have to be developed. It seems we already have this kind of stuff in place. We have done this before. When a storm is coming.... we are going. When the storm passes... we go back. Sometimes we don't need to go anywhere. Right there, where we are, is the best place to be. Sometimes we run east, sometimes west.  Sometimes it's best to head straight north. South is usually not an option. You get the picture. The "plan".... break down the camp and move away from the storm. Simple.


Any way you look at it, it's another delay. The longer the delay, the less money is spent. 


The President is in Pensacola today. He will address the Nation tonight.

Anderson Cooper (CNN) seems to have the best news about the Gulf.


Admiral Allen says that BP may be collecting up to 25,000 barrels per day by the end of the week. 25,000???!!!?? I thought it was only leaking 5000 per day. At the current price of oil, 25,000 barrels per day is equal to around 2 million dollars per day.

  ps. Toaka says..... "Two million per day? That would buy me a lot of snacks!"