My latest excitement
By daeckardt
@daeckardt (6237)
United States
September 4, 2011 10:39pm CST
I thought not much could happen when staying in a hotel near the disaster response headquarters, but last night the smoke detector went off in the hotel at 1:45 in the morning waking me from a sound sleep. At first I thought it was the alarm on my phone, but it didn't stop and when I became a little more awake, I realized it was coming from outside the room and my roommate commented/asked if it was the fire alarm. I opened the door and found out that it was. We didn't rush to get dressed and out of the room because it seemed that no one was in a hurry to get out. We were outside for over ten minutes and the fire department hadn't come yet (even though they were just around the corner) so one of the other red crossers called them. It turned out that the motel didn't call at all. I was told later that the hotel had already been fined because of not getting the alarm fixed before. We were out there for over half an hour before we were given the "all clear". Barrel of fun!
In the morning we walked to the chapter office to get processed into the system and it was nice to get a walk in (about 20 minutes or so) rather than sitting around again all day. We then walked back to the headquarters building which was near the hotel. Once I got checked in there, logistics was looking for volunteers to go shopping so I drove while another girl navigated. We didn't find any fans, but it kept us busy for a while. When I got back from doing that, they were telling people about what we would be doing even though I missed half of that meeting. I was in the first wave of people sent out (of those that had got in yesterday). We drove the 100 or so miles and when we tried to get to a restaurant we ran into too much traffic. Even though it only took about 10 minutes to get back to the main road, it took an hour and a half before we decided to turn around because we hadn't found the restaurant but there was just too much traffic. When we stopped at a service area to eat, we got a call from headquarters telling us to stay there for half an hour as there was a heavy storm ahead of us. After we got here, we heard that a tornado had touched down not too far away. Fun day! At least there is internet in the hotel they put us in tonight. Hopefully we will be staying here for the entire operation. It is really nice here! If I am able to get on again tomorrow, I will tell you more. Have a great week!!!
1 person likes this
5 responses
@GardenGerty (160996)
• United States
5 Sep 11
I guess I thought that an alarm from a motel or hotel was on a direct line to the fire department. They sound pretty careless. I guess you are in a different hotel now. Lots of driving and traffic. It must feel good to see some different sights although I am sure there is a lot of devastation to deal with as well.
2 people like this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
6 Sep 11
I guess they didn't want the fire department to come because they had already been fined for not getting the alarm fixed. I went out today and they were gutting the houses that we were visiting. Most of them had been condemned. It was really sad to see so people displaced and we are currently limited on what we can do for them. We are just taking their information so that when management decides whether we can provide financial assistance all we have to do is call them.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160996)
• United States
6 Sep 11
I imagine you are carrying a heavy burden of sad stories.
1 person likes this
@margeryann (1845)
• United States
5 Sep 11
I'm glad that the smoke alarm wasn't for real! I bet that was scary and a mess when you didn't get much sleep yet it being that early.Hopefully it doesn't go off anymore.It always takes me a while to go to sleep too so that would be a big mess. It sounds like you've had a real adventurous time already!I'm glad that you got internet in your hotel. Hopefully you do get to stay there the whole time. It would be nice to not have to move around constantly. Thank you for keeping us updated!
2 people like this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
6 Sep 11
I don't know if it went off again as I am no longer in White Plains. There has been no problem with the hotel I am staying at now. I just hope they continue to not give me a roommate. I went out today and didn't do much. I could have done some of the cases, but I don't like management looking over my shoulder. Oh well...
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
18 Sep 11
I did have a roommate for two nights. She had been put into a motel room that was under renovation and it was filthy. She was assigned to the car I was in so I told her I had an extra bed in my room. We weren't able to get the arrangements made that day so we took care of it the next day. Originally they were going to have her bring her stuff in the day after that, but then there were some drunk guys in the courtyard outside her door and it freaked her out. After that, my manager asked if she could come over that night instead of the next day and I said yes. I wouldn't wish conditions like that on anyone. After two days she was moved to western NY to help there. I stayed here in Albany and haven't had a roommate since. I will be going home tomorrow, but not sure where I will stay yet. I will probably check back into the budget inn for a week while looking for an apartment. Have a great weekend!!!
@margeryann (1845)
• United States
6 Sep 11
I'm glad that you aren't in the hotel still for in case it would go off every morning.That is cool that you don't have a roommate.That would be a mess having one and having problems getting along with them because of them being irritating 
! I'm glad that everything is going good for you so far!
! I'm glad that everything is going good for you so far!1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
5 Sep 11
wow you are such an inspiration. i wonder how someone can come out of such terrible cancer and go on to have all that energy. i sure hope that happens to me. and you are helping others like paying it forward. what a brave and kind person you are. 
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
6 Sep 11
I sure didn't feel like I had so much energy today. I think part of the problem today was that I was with three other people and didn't do much but carry books and watch what my partner was doing as we went door to door with houses that were marked as major damage or destroyed by damage assessment. We couldn't really do much, but I guess that people appreciated our presence. Hearing them talking about that made it more worth while for me.
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
5 Sep 11
Wow that is disturbing to know that the hotel does not have some kind of plan when it comes to fire alarms. Most have direct lines and the fire department comes out automatically. The least they can do is make sure to call, but maybe they had something to hide. Sad because it could have been a real fire.
Sounds like aside from all the traffic that a few diversions is keeping you all from what you needed to get done. I am glad though that you are doing okay with all and willing to lend a hand there. 
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
6 Sep 11
I think they may have had that at one time, but I heard that they had already been fined once because of the alarms going off so often. I'm glad I'm not staying there any more. Have a great week!!!
