| Did not know where to post
this. Had a little walkabout with a geologist friend and some of his crew
up what used to be the Skagit river near Concrete WA. Saw a couple of news
crews reporting on the lowered water levels and the damn dam maintenace and
the impact on salmons. Saw quite a few energy companies employees. We went
on to a secondary lake above the damn dam. It is also dry. Two dams and power
gens are shut down for months. So two more off line. But what is/was really
peculiar was at the creek feeding into higher lake we round a bend, walking
mostly head down on scrubbed river rock so you have to watch your footing.
We turned this corner around a snag and looked up shocked to see this green-grey
helicopter hovering inches over a small pool of water in what had been the
middle of the creek. The side door opposite us was open and some kind of
rope, wire or rod had been down in the water when we came upon them. What
really scared the @#%$ out of all of us was that the machine was virtually
silent while hovering. The occupants obviously saw us and decided to take
off. The door which we could not see was shut after the rod or what ever
was drawn back in. The machine looks like a helicopter with a really cool
tail thingey that channels air through tubes. But the thing was that this
machine made no more noise than a honda car a mile away until it started
to rise. Then the noise and the prop wash rolled over us and damn near took
my feet out from under me. As it flew off I could see that it had a jet engine
sticking out of the back of the cab part. It made quite an impression on
the whole lot of us. We got the heckoutoftheredamnquick. Before we left I
looked into the small pool of water and saw nothing at all out of the ordinary.
So what the hell was that all about? I put this in this thread as it was
too bizarre to have its own. Feeling really conspiracy theory kind of thing
going. Paranoia has its uses. Any ideas that make sense?
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Food for Thought,,,
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| Posted At: |
3/6/01
7:18:50 pm |
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Just got an email from anon
person from East Coast that really made me think about our national status
at this particular time.... East coast shut down with worst storm on record
& West coast in major storm conditions also. Military activity being
reported in mid-central area... hmmm???
==========
"You probably know that the Northeast corridor has been shut
down. Nobody went to work - not even Dunkin' Donuts open. No mail - no
nothing...
Trucks all taken off the roads for 30 plus hours.
Despite all this we, too, heard something LOUD...couldn't tell what for the
snow. Helicopters or maybe even a few planes by the time I got outside, they
were too far away to tell fer sure. Heck, the airports were all shut down...
I dunno... just wanted to share that because I have
a feeling something's up, too.
My wife is sure something's going on... she's pretty intuitive and I've learned
not to pooh-pooh her vibes.
I'll look forward to any news you have from down Texas way
If you have contact with a tractor-trailer driver they might have something
to share from their ventures.
| Subject: |
[hlth] Quake Causes
Post-Traumatic Stress |
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| Posted At: |
3/7/01
2:00:05 pm |
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We have definitely experienced
some of this in the last week ...
Maybe the pointers in the article will help some of you understand some weird
feelings you may have encountered.
Last night we went to a CERT Advanced Class and had a very helpful, healing,
reinforcing practical few hours with wonderful, truly effective people. The
Fire Marshall and all the instructors / firemen were there, along with so
many community-minded individuals from all over the spectrum.
We all watched video of the quake, discussed it, talked about what reactions
were sensible and which weren't, and then rotated into various modules of
review/action/planning. Very very helpful and empowering.
One thing that has been mentioned here on TimeBomb was the peculiar *confusion*
that surrounded the Ash Wednesday Olympia Quake. That confusion, even among
the most highly trained professional emergency responders, was a very pronounced
highlighted surprise brought out in the reviews.
In fact, many were at an organization meeting when the quake hit, and just
sat frozen in their chairs, staring disbelievingly at each other. They were
commenting on how, after all the drilling and teaching, it was exceedingly
odd that they did not get under tables, duck cover and hold.
So many are calling this Quake strange for a variety of reasons.
We all are feeling very fortunate that the 6.8 was not felt with G forces
the way it normally would be.
[ Fair Use: For Educational / Discussion / Research Purposes Only
]
http://www.kgw.com/health/story.html?StoryID=15318
March 7, 2001, 09:45 AM, by king5.com Staff
Quake Causes Post-Traumatic
Stress
SEATTLE Ð Linda Davis' family heirlooms made it through the earthquake
just fine. But the next day, red bumps started showing up on her forehead.
Reluctantly, she went to the doctor.
"I thought Ôshe's going to tell me itÕs nothing to worry
aboutÕ and right away she said ÔyouÕve got shingles,Õ"
Says Davis.
Dr. Mary Ballard has noticed an increase this week in stress-related ailments,
what she calls a delayed reaction to the quake.
"A lot of abdominal pain, nausea, sleep disturbances, excessive sleep or
waking up during the night - just feeling on edge,Ó says Ballard.
Psychologist Cynthia Waltman says a lot people just arenÕt making
the connection.
Although the physical trauma has passed, the psychological trauma could linger
for weeks to come, especially for older children.
"Some of those kids may have some trouble sleeping, may need a little bit
of extra attention É give them exactly what they need," says Waltman.
For adults, Waltman says the quake is likely to hit you harder if you have
experienced some prior trauma.
Dealing with trauma
Because they get overwhelmed with fear during a trauma, survivors often have
particular symptoms that begin soon after the traumatic experience. The main
symptoms are re-experiencing of the trauma - mentally and physically - and
avoidance of trauma reminders. Together, these symptoms create a problem
that is called Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a specific set
of problems resulting from a traumatic experience that is recognized by medical
and mental health professionals.
Trauma survivors commonly continue re-experiencing their traumas. Re-experiencing
means that the survivor continues to have the same mental, emotional, and
physical experiences that occurred during or just after the trauma. This
includes thinking about the trauma, seeing images of the event, feeling agitated,
and having physical sensations like those that occurred during the trauma.
Trauma survivors find themselves feeling and acting as if the trauma is happening
again: feeling as if they are in danger, experiencing panic sensations, wanting
to escape, getting angry, thinking about attacking or harming someone else.
Because they are anxious and physically agitated, they may have trouble sleeping
and trouble concentrating. These experiences are not usually voluntary; the
survivor usually can't control them or stop them from happening.
Mentally re-experiencing the trauma can include:
-- Upsetting memories such as images or other thoughts about the trauma.
-- Feeling as if it the trauma is happening again ("Flashbacks").
-- Bad dreams and nightmares.
-- Getting upset when reminded about the trauma (by something the person
sees, hears, feels, smells, or tastes).
-- Anxiety or fear - feeling in danger again.
-- Anger or aggressive feelings Ð feeling the need to defend oneself.
-- Trouble controlling emotions because reminders lead to sudden anxiety,
anger, or upset.
-- Trouble concentrating or thinking clearly.
-- People also can have physical reactions to trauma reminders such as:
-- Trouble falling or staying asleep.
-- Feeling agitated and constantly on the lookout for danger.
-- Getting very startled by loud noises or something or someone coming up
on you from behind when you don't expect it.
-- Feeling shaky and sweaty.
-- Having your heart pound or having trouble breathing.
How children and adolescents respond to trauma
Reactions to trauma may appear immediately after the traumatic event or days
and even weeks later. Loss of trust in adults and fear of the event occurring
again are responses seen in many children and adolescents who have been exposed
to traumatic events. Other reactions vary according to age:
For children 5 years of age and younger, typical reactions can include a
fear of being separated from the parent, crying, whimpering, screaming,
immobility and/or aimless motion, trembling, frightened facial expressions
and excessive clinging. Parents may also notice children returning to behaviors
exhibited at earlier ages (these are called regressive behaviors), such as
thumb-sucking, bedwetting, and fear of darkness. Children in this age bracket
tend to be strongly affected by the parents' reactions to the traumatic event.
Children 6 to 11 years old may show extreme withdrawal, disruptive behavior,
and/or inability to pay attention. Regressive behaviors, nightmares, sleep
problems, irrational fears, irritability, refusal to attend school, outbursts
of anger and fighting are also common in traumatized children of this age.
Also the child may complain of stomach aches or other bodily symptoms that
have no medical basis. School work often suffers. Depression, anxiety, feelings
of guilt and emotional numbing or "flatness" are often present as well.
Adolescents 12 to 17 years old may exhibit responses similar to those of
adults, including flashbacks, nightmares, emotional numbing, avoidance of
any reminders of the traumatic event, depression, substance abuse, problems
with peers, and anti-social behavior.
How to help children deal with PTSD:
After a disaster occurs, the family is the first-line resource for helping.
Among the things that parents and other caring adults can do are:
Explain the disaster as well as you are able.
Encourage the children to express their feelings and listen without passing
judgment. Help younger children learn to use words that express their feelings.
However, do not force discussion of the traumatic event.
Let children and adolescents know that it is normal to feel upset after something
bad happens.
Allow time for the youngsters to experience and talk about their feelings.
At home, however, a gradual return to routine can be reassuring to the child.
If your children are fearful, reassure them that you love them and will take
care of them. Stay together as a family as much as possible.
If behavior at bedtime is a problem, give the child extra time and reassurance.
Let him or her sleep with a light on or in your room for a limited time if
necessary.
Do not criticize regressive behavior or shame the child with words like
"babyish."
Allow children to cry or be sad. Don't expect them to be brave or tough.
Encourage children and adolescents to feel in control. Let them make some
decisions about meals, what to wear, etc.
Take care of yourself so you can take care of the children.
Most people who are exposed to a traumatic, stressful event experience some
of the symptoms of PTSD in the days and weeks following exposure, but the
symptoms generally decrease over time and eventually disappear.
If you need assistance, the Red Cross has set up a special hotline for anyone
experiencing post-trauma stress who needs to speak with a counselor. That
number is 1-800-660-4124.
Crisis counselors can also help. In King County, call the Crisis Line at
206-461-3222 or toll-free at 800-244-5767. In Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom,
San Juan and Island counties, call CARE Crisis Response Services at 425-258-4357,
or toll-free at 800-584-3578 or TTY 800-846-8517.
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