Gratitude For Our Public Servants

Austin talks about first responders and the incredibly tough job they have.

Austin: I had a request either yesterday or the day before. I did a did a, had to have been the day before, I did my morning commentary on the lives and sad business that, not the lives, the sad business that many of our first responders have to deal with involving, you know, horrific accidents, suicides, the death of children, just horrible things. Police officers, firefighters, EMTs, members of the coroner's office. I mean, I don't know how tough you have to be.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I know that my, you know, couple of years exposure to that type of atmosphere in the air at MCG did little to come close to what those folks have to deal with because, well, I guess the EMTs and the firefighters are able to save people. And it's and that's great. And certainly cops are too.

But the coroner's office, all they do is show it for death. That's it. That's the only that when the phone rings, somebody died. And I hope that it's 105 year old person that died doing jumping jacks, watching reruns of Gilligan's Island, but sadly, doesn't happen very often.

The fire this morning that took the lives of the two little girls, and you heard Gale report on it. I didn't know and didn't really have a personal connection to either one of them myself. But I do know, a young lady that was the teacher of one of those little girls that died, and she put a very heartfelt tribute to her on social media this morning.

And it's just absolutely heartbreaking, when something like that happens and the folks that handled it, I spoke to one of the people that was on the scene this morning just a little while ago. To see. In their faces and hearing their voices. What it does to them when they have to to work. A case that is as undeniably tragic as that, I mean, I can't think of anything in the world worse than small children killed in such a way. I guess.

Somebody asked me a little earlier, said was it. You think it's different when they have folks that have died at the hands of someone violent? I just think it's both overwhelming. I mean, overwhelming grief both ways, but two of them at the same time. Siblings. You got surviving parents and other siblings that are there on the scene. Other family members that come immediately when they've heard of such a thing. And it is just one horrible, horrible and sad atmosphere.

And the very fact that these people not not only show up every time the phone rings. But they do it and they show up and their presence, is such that almost every bit of feedback that I've ever gotten from people after the fact is a message of thanks and grateful. I don't know. Certainly it's not happiness. Grateful relief that the people handling their loved ones business. Have all been as empathetic and as kind as they have been.

When my mom passed away, she passed away in her home. I had a dear friend who was also helping my mom with, physical therapy, and, she she was the one who actually went to the apartment. She got there before I did and made the actual physical discovery of mom. We hadn't been able to reach her. And anyway. Amy. Was able to get over there. I was on the way, and she she could get there quicker, so she did.

The coroner's office, Ken Boose specifically, and a couple of EMTs. And I wish I could remember their names, but it's all kind of a blur at this point. And several of the Richmond County sheriff's deputies, they did everything they possibly could to make that moment in time for me as. As easy as it possibly could be.

And I don't know what happens in places where you don't have that empathy and where you don't have that understanding. I know that it happens a lot. I mean, there are a lot of people, thank God in heaven that are put in those positions. I think by God himself, I mean, you just have no idea what it's like, unless you've been through it. But, I'll never take that for granted.

And while I give unending hell to poor leadership. Poor political leadership, poor admin, admitive--- administrative leadership with several of our governmental departments and agencies, and I have for 31 years. I'll never stop because there's no excuse for bad ideas and poor leadership. But the men and women that are actually in the street doing the work. 99% of them do it. Do it right. Do it with empathy and do it with class.

And we will never be able to repay that debt as a as a group of citizens. Just watching them serve the public or as the public. In some cases, that's being served. And I hope and pray none of you ever have to go through that.

But I'm telling you, in both Richmond County and Columbia County and Aiken County, for that matter, I know the people. Who show up when it's time to handle such business. And we are blessed. We are absolutely blessed. I can add Lincoln County to that. I can add McDuffie County to that.

These are folks that I've interacted with either professionally or personally. And I just know I know who they are, and I have the utmost, respect for what they do. There are labels over in. Aiken County is a fantastic man and we are blessed to have him. Right this minute we've got Keith Cox filling in and on an interim basis since Vernon Collins retired, and he's doing a great job.

And his staff, the deputy coroners that work for him and with him are just awesome people. And Mark Bowen, I mentioned Ken Boose a minute ago and all the folks that they've got working over there with them, wonderful people, and we appreciate them from the bottom of the bottoms of our hearts.

And I'm glad that on the sad occasions when the worst news has to be delivered, that we have such wonderful and blessed individuals, I say blessed with the talent of empathy and the insight to deal with these tragedies in a, in a in a positive way. I'm I'm very thankful that we have that.

So I just want to take a quick minute. The death of those little girls this morning reminded me I did not. I was requested to play the morning commentary where I basically said what I just said, but I didn't get a chance to do it. And now's a good time to remind you. Be thankful for what we have.

Nobody likes dealing with severe weather. But, it's part of life. Depending on where you live in the United States, you might come up against hurricanes, tornados, severe thunderstorms, blizzards and more. I've certainly had my fair share of severe weather events. Probably my most vivid memory was being in an ice storm, which knocked power out for about a week where I lived, including during Christmas. It was freezing cold, so my family and I had to go to a hotel that was out of town. Needless to say, our Christmas plans were totally different that year. So, what are some severe weather safety tips that may safe your life?

Before we get to the main tips, let's get through some basics. Stay informed when a severe weather event is approaching. It's simple but important. You don't want to be caught off guard when bad weather strikes. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Weather Service both have information that they provide leading up to and during a severe weather event. So, make sure to get the latest information in the case of any weather emergency. Local meteorologists also have good information, but the main alerts come from the National Weather Service.

Another mistake some people make is not taking "watches" seriously. For example, you might see that there's a severe thunderstorm watch in your area and think, oh, it's just a watch, I can go out for a walk. Don't do it. "A watch is used when the risk of a hazardous weather or hydrologic event has increased significantly, but its occurrence, location or timing is still uncertain," the National Weather Service explains. We'll get more into the specifics of a watch, warning and advisory later in this story.

Let's get into some severe weather safety tips that may safe your life.

A weather advisory, watch and warning all need to be taken seriously. So, what do they mean? According to the National Weather Service, "a warning is issued when a hazardous weather or hydrologic event is occurring, imminent or likely." A watch is where "the risk of a hazardous weather or hydrologic event has increased significantly, but its occurrence, location or timing is still uncertain." Finally, an advisory means, "hazardous weather or hydrologic event is occurring, imminent or likely."

During a severe thunderstorm, and any severe weather event, the best thing to do is stay inside and sheltered. "The best defense against thunderstorms is to stay inside a sturdy building or shelter that can protect you from deadly lightning, large hail, damaging winds, flooding rain and tornadoes," the National Weather Service says. Also, you don't want to risk getting hit by lightning, like in the image below.

During a tornado, get underground if possible. If you don't have a basement, get to the lowest floor possible. Also, during a tornado, watch for flying and falling debris. The National Weather Service advises to "use pillows, blankets, coats, helmets, etc. to cover up and protect your head and body from flying debris."

Be prepared. Have a good emergency kit, both in your house and your car. For the car, "An emergency kit should include booster cables, shovel, tow rope, sand or cat litter, and a flashlight with extra batteries," the National Weather Service says. "Do not forget a first aid kit, non-perishable food, and blankets or sleeping bags."

This one my mom and dad always tell me to do. And, they're right. "Keep your gas tank near full to avoid ice in the tank and fuel line," the National Weather Service advises.

Heat can make for a severe weather event, too. So, dress appropriately when it gets really hot. "Lightweight, light-colored clothing reflects heat and sunlight, and helps your body maintain normal temperatures," the National Weather Service says. They add to guzzle lots of "water or non-alcoholic fluids."

Sometimes, you just have to leave ahead of the storm to be safe. In the case of a hurricane, the National Weather Service says to "leave immediately if ordered." They also say that if you are allowed to stay, to "take refuge in a small interior room, closet or hallway on the lowest level during the storm. Put as many walls between you and the outside as you can," and "stay away from windows, skylights and glass doors."

Weather isn't just about thunderstorms and tornados. Air quality is a big part of weather events these days, too. Be on the lookout for air quality alerts in your area. If you have respiratory issues, you should wear a mask when out and about in bad air quality. You should also say inside if the air quality is especially bad.

Even on a perfect weather day, if you're at the beach, there are risks. The NOAA states, "To stay safe, you need to stay aware of the weather, the ocean, tide, and what is going on around you." They add, "Storms, such as thunderstorms, tropical storms, and hurricanes far out at sea can create dangerous waves and currents at the beach, even on a sunny day!"