Just got off of a 4 hour rotation at the Austin Convention Center.  They have us cycling through there on 4 hour shifts with 3 engine and 1 ladder company helping with medical stuff.  Everyone that I refer to as a "refugee" has a colored wristband that designates them as such.  Everything here is just me calling it like I see it.  Before everyone chimes in I know that I can't "lump all types of people into one observation", and that "everyone is not like that."

Some observations-

-  The place is pretty clean.  Granted they have staff walking around 24 hours a day with brooms and cans picking up anything that "missed" the trashcan.  I had to tell one guy that I was wheelchairing over to triage to pick up the paper plate he threw on the floor in the triage room.  He got mad, cussed me and the nurse and walked out of the triage area.  Other than that I had no negative run-ins with refugees during that 4 hours.  Probably shouldn't have said anything about it but I have kind of a sore spot for people throwing trash on the ground.  Last shift, two women wearing wristbands were walking across 5th street one block from the center and threw an empty water bottle on the street.  I stopped the engine and told her that she dropped something and she picked it up only to throw it again I am sure.    It seems some of the people have no regard for where they drop their discards and whose city/state/country that they are trashing.

-   Medically speaking there are lots of sick people.  There are many older folks coming through the triage center with diarrhea, fever, and nausea.  There are also many people in wheelchairs.  Rates of diabetes, HIV infection, and TB seem to be high as well as is the norm for poorer poplulations.  I have heard some reports that TB is getting rampant at the Astrodome.  We were asked to do alot of tasks like wheel someone outside in their wheelchair so they could smoke, blow up an airbed for someone, look up a number for a lady who had lost her glasses, etc.  

-   Food-  The cafeteria was huge.  They were serving chilidogs for lunch and it was expansive enough that there was no discernable line to wait in.  All kinds of sodas, water, granola bars, fruit, were free for the eating.  They even had an "Icecream party" at 3PM.  On a side note I saw a kid walking with his icecream and he dropped his spoon on the concrete floor.  Before I could stop him he grabbed it and shoved it into his mouth while he shifted his icecream around for a better grip.    Once again the area was clean with busy little worker bees cleaning up constantly.

-   Sleeping arrangements consisted of rows and rows of cots like you guys see on the news.  I am sure it is the same at each shelter.  Most of the cots were covered in comforters and sheets that looked like donation items.  There were bigscreen TV's in the dormrooms playing CNN.  Supposedly tonight is going to be the first night of the curfew.  They will lock the doors at midnight.  I am not sure what this will accomplish as most folks who want to go out will just stay out all night.  We will be dealing with them until tomorrow morning I am sure.    There were lots of people sleeping at 1PM.  More than I would have thought.  Kids were running around with absolutely no supervision.  This bugs me too.  When I say kids I am talking about 12 year-olds on down to 2 year-olds.  There would be a little group of a half a dozen or more 2 to 12 year-olds moving from dorm to dorm and hallway to hallway.  Kids would fall off of the group and other kids would join.  When a 2 year-old was found by himself once wandering around, we asked a group of kids where he was supposed to be.  They said they knew him because he was hanging out with them yesterday.  When we asked them what his name was they didn't know.  We stayed with them until we ran across someone who said he was his uncle and the kid seemed to know him so we let the group go.  Another kid about 6 y/o was crying on his cot and said that everyone had left him and were not coming back.  We comforted him and told him that they would be back but after an hour he got up and wandered off.  I found him in the next dorm over crying and carrying on so I carried him back to his cot kicking and screaming.  Several men who didn't know him stopped and offered to take him to find his folks but I thought it better to stick him with the Red Cross lady and make sure that he made it back to his cot.  Turns out his sister (don't know how old she is but she has a gold tooth upfront) shows up a couple of hours later at the cot and goes to sleep.  Evidently she was "watching" him while the parents were who knows where.  As you can see this isn't a very good situation with kids running around unprotecting amoungst 5K people.

-  Crime -  No one has broken into any of our vehicles but we are keeping the gate locked 24/7 instead of just at night.  We are across the street from the convention center.  They had a man forge a prescription for Vicodin.  While the cops were holding him the Red Cross asked what the problem was.  The cops told them that he had forged and they said "well just tell him to come back later and we will get him a script."    The cops told them that he was going to jail and then the Red Cross folks said "Awwwwwwwwww."  Sigh, some people just don't get it.  FWIW there the shelter also has its own METHADONE clinic.  Also one guy lost his Vicodin and Xanex prescriptions THREE times in the course of 4 hours.  

-  As far as outside the shelter the "wristbanded ones" are starting to show up at the regular ne'er-do-well haunts  like the Salvation Army center and the ARCH (Austin Resource Center for the Homeless).  There are also plenty of wristbands at the watering corners for illicit drug sales and use.


Sorry to be so longwinded but I will save the rest for short blog-like updates as the days go on.  I am sure that tonight and saturday night (my next shift) will be busy.  With other firemen and cops I talk to it should provide a nice little window into life in and around the shelter.  It should be noted that I received several blessings from people thankful for our help.  The Red Cross actually asked that people STOP donating stuff as they had more than they could manage now.  There has been a huge outpouring of help and support from the community.  I am kinda wondering what is going to happen when all of the volunteers get tired of working there.  The next month should be interesting.  FWIW the plan is to give the people a bus ticket to anywhere in the country that they want to go and an unspecified amount of cash.  That should prove interesting as well.


Debo

Quoted: -  As far as outside the shelter the "wristbanded ones" are starting to show up at the regular ne'er-do-well haunts  like the Salvation Army center and the ARCH (Austin Resource Center for the Homeless).  There are also plenty of wristbands at the watering corners for illicit drug sales and use.

It don't take long do it?

God bless you for being a better man than I.

I wish I could say that your experiences were not predictable. Unfortunately that is just not the case.

As a fellow Austinite I thank you for stepping up to the plate. My wife and I have made monetary donations as well as food, but I am not a big enough man to put in time at the Convention Center. I would blame it on being in Graduate School at UT but I would be lying.

I hope everything stays relatively low key and that the situation doesn't get any worse for you guys or for the city of Austin.

Keep up the updates and thanks again!!

Quoted: I hope everything stays relatively low key and that the situation doesn't get any worse for you guys or for the city of Austin.

Same here.  I live downtown, near the new Wholefoods building.  I hope these people don't begin to engage in illegal activity, especially violence or property crimes.  I like go out on Friday and Saturday night, and this weekend seemed fine, but I will stop if problems start.  I hate to sound so negative; I did donate, of course, but at the same time it isn’t fair that at least some of the refugees are taking advantage of the situation.  I suppose the only good thing is that I don’t go to any "establishments" east of Congress Ave.  (The convention center is on the east side of downtown for those unfamiliar with the area.)

tag

Good thing Austin cops have such a heavy presence in that part of town anyway.  I feel bad for the people over at the Railyard (aka train wreck) condominiums - they are like a block away.

Our Ladder Company is doing their 4 hour rotation right now.  I will stay up and try to debrief them after midnight.  I will try to get a short post in if we aren't running too many calls.  Wednesday nights are sometimes as busy as Fri/Sat nights.  Go figure.  I am going to go sit out front of the station and see if anyone meanders that I can talk to.  
Debo

Thank you for the informative and staightforward account of what you observed.

Thanks for helping out, and for keeping us informed.

Talked to a cop awhile ago and he said that they made 50 refugee arrests for drunk and disorderly.  That is approx 1% of the total population.  One guy was saying "You can't arrest me, I am a refugee!!!"    Word is that AFD is going to have a booth for recruiting into the fire department at the convention center starting tomorrow.  Also, I talked to the Police chief today and he said that as the water is drained from NO there will be 3000 LE's sent there from around the country.  Also a rumor from PD that a courtesy van was stolen from the Four Seasons hotel a few blocks away.  Two more groups of people came by and thanked us for helping them.  Truckie guys are still over there but should be back in an hour or so.


Debo

Quoted: Talked to a cop awhile ago and he said that they made 50 refugee arrests for drunk and disorderly.  That is approx 1% of the total population.  One guy was saying "You can't arrest me, I am a refugee!!!"    Word is that AFD is going to have a booth for recruiting into the fire department at the convention center starting tomorrow.  Also, I talked to the Police chief today and he said that as the water is drained from NO there will be 3000 LE's sent there from around the country.  Also a rumor from PD that a courtesy van was stolen from the Four Seasons hotel a few blocks away.  Two more groups of people came by and thanked us for helping them.  Truckie guys are still over there but should be back in an hour or so. Debo

I hate to say it, but it looks like the crime rate will go up in those places where the refugees are living.  They appear to be of low character.

Quoted: -   Medically speaking there are lots of sick people.  There are many older folks coming through the triage center with diarrhea, fever, and nausea.  There are also many people in wheelchairs.  Rates of diabetes, HIV infection, and TB seem to be high as well as is the norm for poorer poplulations. I have heard some reports that TB is getting rampant at the Astrodome. We were asked to do alot of tasks like wheel someone outside in their wheelchair so they could smoke, blow up an airbed for someone, look up a number for a lady who had lost her glasses, etc.

Marvelous.





And the stories of small children left alone for hours on end amid a mass of thousands of strangers just sickens me.

Quoted: Quoted: -   Medically speaking there are lots of sick people.  There are many older folks coming through the triage center with diarrhea, fever, and nausea.  There are also many people in wheelchairs.  Rates of diabetes, HIV infection, and TB seem to be high as well as is the norm for poorer poplulations. I have heard some reports that TB is getting rampant at the Astrodome. We were asked to do alot of tasks like wheel someone outside in their wheelchair so they could smoke, blow up an airbed for someone, look up a number for a lady who had lost her glasses, etc. Marvelous. And the stories of small children left alone for hours on end amid a mass of thousands of strangers just sickens me.

They fricken lack basic parenting skills as well.  No wonder many grow up to be thugs.  Is it possible to turn this around?

Did you see the "Famous Heineken" Looter there yet?

Did you see the "Famous Heineken" Looter there yet?

Ha!!  No not yet.  I did just get some info that everyone over there got $1500 debit card yesterday.  


Debo

Did you say fiften-huna-dala's?

I bet you by friday night they will be broke again..

Quoted: Did you say fiften-huna-dala's? I bet you by friday night they will be broke again..

Bring on the welfare cases! Cha-ching$$$

Lots of Austinites here... how come I haven't seen some of you guys at the monthly ARFCOM dinners??  You need to go check out the Hometown forums sometime, y'all!


I didn't know Austin had taken any refugees... I hope it doesn't turn out bad.  You think some people would have the civility to behave when people go out of their way to help them, but some people just don't care.  

I think that alot of them will behave just fine.  Some will go back to NO too.  Alot of them will stay wherever the diaspora sends them.  Alot of them will be a problem wherever they end up.  Some of them here have already gone out and bought blue headbands (crips) and have had some issues with the locals wearing red headbands (wannabe "bloods"?).  I think that this weekend is going to be off the hook.  I work on Saturday night but I will keep tabs on the station and will post Friday night's activity as well.

Lots of Austinites here... how come I haven't seen some of you guys at the monthly ARFCOM dinners?? You need to go check out the Hometown forums sometime, y'all!

Yeah, I really need to get out for that.  Newborn twins at home keep me hopping but I will start checking the HF and hook up with you boys.


I have been killing time trying to stay up but things are getting slow and the truckies still aren't back yet.  I am going to get some sleep while I can.  I will talk to them in the AM and try to post then.  Very few tourists or refugees out tonight  (whewwwwww).  If we get up for any calls tonight I might check in to keep you all posted.  

Hitting the hay-

Debo

Quoted: Lots of Austinites here... how come I haven't seen some of you guys at the monthly ARFCOM dinners??  You need to go check out the Hometown forums sometime, y'all! I didn't know Austin had taken any refugees... I hope it doesn't turn out bad.  You think some people would have the civility to behave when people go out of their way to help them, but some people just don't care.

That is literally the first time I have heard of an Austin dinner.  When/where is the next one?

ETA:  IM me, I don't want to hijack the thread.

Quoted: Did you see the "Famous Heineken" Looter there yet? Ha!!  No not yet.  I did just get some info that everyone over there got $1500 debit card yesterday.   Debo

Drudge has a link,its $2,000 per adult

$2,000

Again,

Quoted: FWIW the plan is to give the people a bus ticket to anywhere in the country that they want to go and an unspecified amount of cash.  That should prove interesting as well.

Hmmm.  Would it be unethical to drop a mass of flyers at the shelters listing all of the states which have better welfare benefits than Texas?  

We all got a good night's sleep last night.    Talked to the Truckies this AM and they said it seemed pretty calm from 8 to Midnight when they were there.  They said there wasn't much need for them and they flirted with the volunteers more than anything else.    They related some points- Population was down from 4700 to 2000.  Evidently lots of people are taking the free bus ticket and heading out.  Everyone there was issued the number of a travel agent that will provide a free bus ticket anywhere in the country.  There are still buses bringing people to the convention center but alot more taking them away from it.  -More stories of kids running around with nobody watching.  One of the volunteer aid workers was holding an infant (4 months old) and told the guys that she had no idea where the parents went off to or where the kid belonged.   They were gone for hours.  
- They talked to one guy who seemed to blame the whole mess on the mayor.  He said that there was a school that the city told them they could evacuate to and buses would come take them out.  He said no buses ever came and alot of people drowned in the school after the water rose.  

  Last night was quiet downtown.  There were a few roving packs of 15 to 19 yearolds from the shelter that evidently wandered around all night because they locked the doors at midnight.  We never had to make any calls on them.  Hopefully things will be slowing down soon although there are still 2000 people in the shelter next door.  

Debo

tag and thank you for the info.  Very interesting.  Thank you too for your time and patience with these people.  I guess Jackson has his new name - since refuggees is racial they're wristbands.  Patty

Yellow school buses picking kids up for school this morning.  Everything else is quiet.

Debo

Quoted: Did you see the "Famous Heineken" Looter there yet? Ha!!  No not yet.  I did just get some info that everyone over there got $1500 debit card yesterday.   Debo

Really? The Daily Texas today said $2000!  Apparently they will get federal housing vouchers this week as well.  So that debit card need not be spent on housing.

ETA- too bad Midtown Live! burned down - they would fit right in.

ETA- too bad Midtown Live! burned down - they would fit right in.

LOL yep.  Although Paradox is going to be hopping on Sat.  Will be a good show out front of the station.  

Debo

thanks for your posts and for your service helping these folks out!

Quoted: Quoted: Did you see the "Famous Heineken" Looter there yet? Ha!!  No not yet.  I did just get some info that everyone over there got $1500 debit card yesterday.   Debo Really? The Daily Texas today said $2000!  Apparently they will get federal housing vouchers this week as well.  So that debit card need not be spent on housing. ETA- too bad Midtown Live! burned down - they would fit right in.

the $1500 dollar cards are from the red cross, they still get the $2000 from fema.

TXL

tagged, thanks for your service Irish.

As the people on the MS coast still wait for FEMA to show up . . .

tag

Yes and remember, since the shelters will not be open forever they will place these huddled masses in Government  housing in all our towns and cities, thus exporting these Tired these poor, these diaseased and Drug addicted and Drug Dealing masses to a neighborhood near you!!

Up here in Dallas Co the RC is giving them $600-1200 on the cards, rated by the number of dependants.  When I was at Reunion the line was already forming at about 7:00a.

So if one shows up at my house looking for trouble, and I bag him, what do I do next?  Do I report it to Parks & Wildlife?  Do I remove the tag and send it in?  Do I have to take the whole thing, tag and all, to a TPWD office?  We need to know out here in the boonies before they show up here.

Quoted: Lots of Austinites here... how come I haven't seen some of you guys at the monthly ARFCOM dinners??  You need to go check out the Hometown forums sometime, y'all!

I haven't made a lot of the dinners so I can spend more time entertaining my dog.  Seriously.  

I vote that we do the right humane thing and pay Cuba to take them.  They'll be able to turn them into something usefull if anyone can.  And it's a fair exchange since we've already taken in millions of theirs including their "jail purges".  It'll be a lot cheaper too since the average Cuban lives on a few dollars a year.  

Quoted: So if one shows up at my house looking for trouble, and I bag him, what do I do next?  Do I report it to Parks & Wildlife?  Do I remove the tag and send it in?  Do I have to take the whole thing, tag and all, to a TPWD office?  We need to know out here in the boonies before they show up here.

I beleive it would come under the standard hunting license, however since they are already tagged, no tagging required I also beleive that there is no closed season, or bag limit. You should contact TPWD and let them know how many you bagged. The .gov will be along shortly to take care of them for you


BTW: you owe me a keyboard, mine is now covered with soda

The Red Cross has started putting a lot of these folks up in local hotels, and the fun has already begun. They have been trashing one of them, and we were doing a walkthrough last night in response to complaints from the management about loud, constant parties and vandalism. Apparently, the thin veneer of civilization is hard to re-apply, once it has worn off. Apparently this group has decided to use the STAIRWELL at the hotel for a bathroom. I am not kidding, and this is a fairly decent hotel, one of those "extended-stay" apartment type places. Absolutely disgusting. Other than that, they seem to have gotten the message and things have quieted down.

I have also noticed that many of the vehicles with LA tags we are finding in the local parking lots lack all of the appropriate registration stickers, and many appear to be brand new. I wonder how many were "liberated" from dealerships? We aren't getting timely vehicle records from LA (computers must be underwater or something), so it may be months before we get all of the stolen vehicles identified and recovered.

Quoted: So if one shows up at my house looking for trouble, and I bag him, what do I do next?  Do I report it to Parks & Wildlife?  Do I remove the tag and send it in?  Do I have to take the whole thing, tag and all, to a TPWD office?  We need to know out here in the boonies before they show up here.

No, no follow-up needed.  Just say GWB issued the order as related by that asshat Kenye West.

Quoted: The Red Cross has started putting a lot of these folks up in local hotels, and the fun has already begun. They have been trashing one of them, and we were doing a walkthrough last night in response to complaints from the management about loud, constant parties and vandalism. Apparently, the thin veneer of civilization is hard to re-apply, once it has worn off. Apparently this group has decided to use the STAIRWELL at the hotel for a bathroom. I am not kidding, and this is a fairly decent hotel, one of those "extended-stay" apartment type places. Absolutely disgusting. Other than that, they seem to have gotten the message and things have quieted down. I have also noticed that many of the vehicles with LA tags we are finding in the local parking lots lack all of the appropriate registration stickers, and many appear to be brand new. I wonder how many were "liberated" from dealerships? We aren't getting timely vehicle records from LA (computers must be underwater or something), so it may be months before we get all of the stolen vehicles identified and recovered.

Great.

Quoted: Quoted: The Red Cross has started putting a lot of these folks up in local hotels, and the fun has already begun. They have been trashing one of them, and we were doing a walkthrough last night in response to complaints from the management about loud, constant parties and vandalism. Apparently, the thin veneer of civilization is hard to re-apply, once it has worn off. Apparently this group has decided to use the STAIRWELL at the hotel for a bathroom. I am not kidding, and this is a fairly decent hotel, one of those "extended-stay" apartment type places. Absolutely disgusting. Other than that, they seem to have gotten the message and things have quieted down. I have also noticed that many of the vehicles with LA tags we are finding in the local parking lots lack all of the appropriate registration stickers, and many appear to be brand new. I wonder how many were "liberated" from dealerships? We aren't getting timely vehicle records from LA (computers must be underwater or something), so it may be months before we get all of the stolen vehicles identified and recovered. Great.

Yep, the folks from NO lack basic social skills and character.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Did you see the "Famous Heineken" Looter there yet? Ha!!  No not yet.  I did just get some info that everyone over there got $1500 debit card yesterday.   Debo Really? The Daily Texas today said $2000!  Apparently they will get federal housing vouchers this week as well.  So that debit card need not be spent on housing. ETA- too bad Midtown Live! burned down - they would fit right in. the $1500 dollar cards are from the red cross, they still get the $2000 from fema. TXL

I heard someone say that there is no way to verify identity -- "I lost my ID in the flood".  Thus, folks will be able to go through the line multiple times and rack up the dough.

The more I hear, the less I care about these "people".

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Did you see the "Famous Heineken" Looter there yet? Ha!!  No not yet.  I did just get some info that everyone over there got $1500 debit card yesterday.   Debo Really? The Daily Texas today said $2000!  Apparently they will get federal housing vouchers this week as well.  So that debit card need not be spent on housing. ETA- too bad Midtown Live! burned down - they would fit right in. the $1500 dollar cards are from the red cross, they still get the $2000 from fema. TXL I heard someone say that there is no way to verify identity -- "I lost my ID in the flood".  Thus, folks will be able to go through the line multiple times and rack up the dough.

They should stamp their hands with the ink that only shows up on a black light just like they do when you are underage in da club.  The stamp could say "this n***a got paid bitch."  I hope that doesn’t violate the CoC, that is not my intention.