Anyone who has been a loyal reader of "Flyin' Brian" might remember that I was once based in Houston for a few months in 2016. Having recently completed my initial operating experience on the new jet, I transitioned to a reserve schedule and have yet to be called. Once I had some days off again, I flew to Houston to see my sister and her family. I had not seen them in Houston since I was based here, so it seemed like a good a time as any to pop in.
With two young kids, there were plenty of toys for me to play with. I quickly took to the bristle blocks and fashioned this fine aeroplane you see before ye. Note the twin turbofan engines and winglets for improved fuel efficiency. I was pretty proud of myself. Nevertheless, my visit occurred just one week after Hurricane Harvey caused catastrophic flooding, and I felt obligated to do something productive with my spare time.
I saw the pictures in the newspapers and videos on tv, but there's always that detachment. It's just too abstract to try and understand that a busy shopping center can somehow be mistaken for the ocean the next day. I was inspired watching folks help each other out. I wonder how LA would respond in the face of something like an 8.0 earthquake. I'd like to think we would help each other out, but I've been in LA long enough to suspect otherwise.
In any event, with free time and flight benefits, I had no excuse, but to contribute all 155 lbs of my brute strength to the cause of helping folks rebuild. We linked up with a nearby group of Mormons who go out everyday to clean out a few houses. And before I go further, anyone who knows me, might be taken aback that I was working with a church group, as I am quite vocal against religious groups, particularly when it comes to homophobia and other prejudices. But if they're going to use their forces for good, I'm game.
We arrived at the house in question. I asked my sister if the area was economically depressed before the flooding because everything looked pretty . . . bad. Every house and building was pretty damaged. The lead Mormon told us to remove any items that were still in closets/pantries etc. Easy enough, right? Nicole got a garbage bag. Yes! Nicole came too! Can you believe it? Poor thing got dragged into working in moldy, mildew-infested conditions for hours with no reward other than the feeling that she had helped someone. A round of applause for Nicole, please. I think she's even smiling in this picture. Who knows.
Back to clearing the closets... I began removing a few items and then the smell hit me. It was like nothing I've ever smelled before in my life. After loading up a wheelbarrow and dumping the trash at the curb, I had to take a break. I started gagging and dry heaving. That smell had embedded itself in my nostrils and I had to get some air, change my mask and get back to it.
After taking down all the drywall, we called it a day. Feeling a bit contaminated with ecoli water, mold spores, and mildew, I kicked off my shoes into a garbage bag and added them to the pile of trash at the curb. The volume of rubbish in the street was a staggering site. I'm not sure one dump truck could have managed even one house. This process could take months if not years. And I think that's the real lesson to be learned. Harvey is gone, the waters mostly receded, and a new hurricane bearing down on South Florida as we speak. Harvey is already becoming a distant memory for the rest of the country as we focus on Irma, Jose, or Trump. But as you can see here, Harvey won't soon be forgotten in these parts and these folks could use all the help they can get.
We moved on to some of the other rooms and started taking down the wet and molding drywall. You could see where the water line was. I'd estimate around 4ft high. The mold spores were probably as high as 6 ft. The walls came apart like butter and gave way to visibly wet beams. At points, I was using just my hands to take down the wall. Realistically this house should be bulldozed to the ground, but I understand this may not be an option for the family that lives here. There was at least one child living there, as we could see their artwork on the walls.
After taking down all the drywall, we called it a day. Feeling a bit contaminated with ecoli water, mold spores, and mildew, I kicked off my shoes into a garbage bag and added them to the pile of trash at the curb. The volume of rubbish in the street was a staggering site. I'm not sure one dump truck could have managed even one house. This process could take months if not years. And I think that's the real lesson to be learned. Harvey is gone, the waters mostly receded, and a new hurricane bearing down on South Florida as we speak. Harvey is already becoming a distant memory for the rest of the country as we focus on Irma, Jose, or Trump. But as you can see here, Harvey won't soon be forgotten in these parts and these folks could use all the help they can get.