One Dispatcher's View of the Chaos in West, TX

This is a repost of a blog I wrote and published shortly after the incident...  Just felt the need to get it out again.

I am grateful my work shift last night was a calm and peaceful one in my little part of Texas. Just to the north of me a piece, in a town no bigger than the one I live in, the wrath of God has rained down on them. I feel every bit of those dispatchers' pain. My 2nd biggest fear in doing this job is just what they experienced - my own people (fire, medics and law enforcement) being injured and feared dead on a scene. Compound that with a mass casualty incident involving practically everyone I know and I don't really know how I would handle that. I would like to think I would go into my "#dispatcher# mode" and just stay with it to avoid thinking of the alternatives.

I've worked numerous big scenes in my 10 years behind the mic - the biggest being in 2011 during the fire storms of Labor Day Weekend. I have less than 25,000 people in my entire county and on that weekend alone, we answered more than 1500 calls to #911# and our corresponding non-emergency numbers. Many of them being concerned or frightened citizens wanting information to determine if they needed to evacuate. McLennan County 9-1-1 no doubt answered just as many from their citizens. Then, of course, there are the inconvenienced drivers on I-35 who have to know why traffic on the interstate is no longer moving... Ugh! (Maybe it has something to do with the large fire ball in the sky???) But I digress...

Now, comes the time for the investigators to do their job. Do their investigation to determine the true cause of all this destruction (other than heat added to anhydrous ammonia = death)... Should they determine this was indeed an act of terrorism then no hole will be deep enough to protect the scum that did this. Lest he forget, Texas IS a death penalty state. On the other hand, if it is determined this was indeed just an unfortunate industrial accident then I say rejoice for God truly is merciful... there was an elementary school directly across the street from the plant. It could have exploded during the middle of school day. How would we ever hope to recover from that?

So, I'm home. I've kissed my sleeping 26 year old baby girl (just felt the need to hold my own) and now I will lie down myself in hopes of getting a little sleep. This had made me appreciate a little more the time I have with those I love. Don't miss a moment to tell those you love how you feel for things can change... in an instant! Stay safe my friends.