Bit of excitement in my little hamlet, today...

[Tipsy Gypsy]

Ammonium nitrate warehouse fire:
http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/local/090730_warehouse_fire_bryan_texas

Actually wasn't as bad for the residents as they feared it might be, but they took all the proper precautions, in case- ordered an evac, let the situation burn out (no real way to suppress it), set up an evac center for people and pets, etc.

Kudos to our firefighters and law enforcement for their professionalism. 

[Just Randall]

So, did you get evac'ed, or what?

Miss you, by the way. And the brewer, too. Tell him I'm thirsty.

[Breandan]

They tried to mass-evac 80,000 people, realized how many of those were rural and would have to be notified door-to-door, and kinda gave up and went with the concentrated population centers 

[Tipsy Gypsy]

Thy weren't trying to evac the entire population, and I doubt they really expected it to happen. Only about 1000 rural residents were in the area of greatest risk. However, winds were shifting around and the smoke column wasn't rising a lot, and there were areas where many of us (I live here) could have been at increased risk of exposure depending on what the wind wound up doing. Intelligent people don't wait until danger is on top of them before they do something.

No, we didn't evac, Capt., but we were ready. Miss you too, bud . Milord's got some tasty brews in progress for Faire, and no doubt some have your name on them .

[Breandan]

this makes me want to set up a Rennie Emergency Relief System and have a network of rennies in close proximity who can help each other out in disasters, especially with the hurricanes we've been getting the past few years down here.

[Lord Dragonspyre]

this makes me want to set up a Rennie Emergency Relief System and have a network of rennies in close proximity who can help each other out in disasters, especially with the hurricanes we've been getting the past few years down here.

I prefer the Rennie Emergency Action Relief System... purely for the hilarity of saying "The REARS really helped us out in our time of need."

[Tipsy Gypsy]

You guys have most definitely had your share of practice lately. I come from hurricane country too, originally, but fortunately for us, we really only had to deal with the tropical storm/depression stuff. Canned goods, emergency lighting, and every container/tub/washer full of water, and we could ride out a storm fairly well. As far inland as I am now, I still keep hurricane lamps around.

[renren]

Glad you're alright, chemical fires are scary!