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saturation point

So I called my son's school just out of curiosity. I pretended to be a reporter so they didn't mark something down on DJ's record like wacko parent.

"Can you tell me if you have any kind of plan in place in regards to evacuation due to biological or chemical attack?"

"In case of evacuation, the kids will be taken to the high school."

The high school is about half a mile away. I don't think that's a very efficient plan.

I don't think it will ever come down to the need for an evacuation, but when you read stories with headlines like "CYANIDE ALERT," you want to have your bases covered. Drudge's supersized font terror headlines don't help either.

I'm just about at the saturated point, which means I start tuning these warnings out soon. As a matter of fact, when I get back from lunch I'm going to write about my idea of romantic movies (don't think When Harry Met Sally type movies - you know me better than that) in advance of Get Your Heart On Day tomorrow.

Anyone want to tase my food before I eat it?

note: I have already received several really good entries for the Civil Defense Poster Contest. Get moving!)

Comments

Are they telling us that High Schools are built better than Elementary Schools? Hmmm..

Why the high school? I mean, are they better equipped or something? I can't imagine they have the space to hold that many kids. That just doesn't make any sense at all. Most of the schools that I'm aware of here in Philly are supposed to go into lockdown.

Based on the bullying episodes, I think D.J.'s principal should be tasting your food after you've done digesting it.

I'm already past the saturation point.
Unless someone starts shooting at me, I am about alert as I can get, without suffering a severe cranial-rectal disorder.

Man, I can't even imagine what it's like living where you do, Michele. I don't blame you for being so edgy about this. Out here (Dallas), nobody really even talks about it. We're still blissfully sure that "it won't happen here." That's pretty stupid, but I imagine that if 9/11 had taken out a couple of downtown Dallas buildings, I really WOULD be building that underground bunker I keep joking about.

And I don't have kids to worry about. I feel for you, woman, I really do. Hang in there.

As the guy whose domain name is a genuine typo, you know I'd notice this:

Anyone want to tase my food before I eat it?

Like, with a taser? It's not dead yet, and you'd like it subdued before you dig in?

Sorry, I'm not making fun of you, honest. I just thought it was funny.

Somebody ought to start a "Charles Jaco Award" or some such, for news alarmism.

For those who don't remember, some joker shouted "GAS!" while Jaco was on camera, and he lost it and scrambled for his gas mask. Too funny.

In case of overwhelming terror, I plan to evacuate my bowels. This is called condition brown.

The schools (and most other institutions) in Washington, DC have two main types of 'situations'. In the first, there is some compromise of the building (i.e. an unknown package or suspected bomb) at which time they evacuate the building for a designated place. The designated evacuation point is not necessarily a better constructed or more durable building, its just not the building that is being threatened (your building). The other type of situation will result in a S.I.P. (Safe In Place). this is basically a lockdown and was used during the sniper attacks. In case of a chemical, biological, or radiological attack in the D.C. area, the schools (or whatever building) basically locks up and hunkers down until the threat has passed or they are relieved by appropriate authority. This results in much less exposure to chem or bio agents than any possible evacuation. Of course, if the attack is on the building, things get a little dicey and the judgement of the principal would decide the course of action.

Andy