Ballard area residents set to participate in national disaster response exercise

A team of national, regional, state and local agencies and organizations have undertaken an effort to develop, facilitate and evaluate a recurring series of disaster exercises entitled "Formidable Footprint".  This series of exercises serves as an opportunity for governmental agencies along with community and faith based organizations to assess their capability to prepare for, respond to and recover from a variety of natural disasters which affect communities and neighborhoods.

Several Ballard Area residents have signed up to participate, and we look forward to the expertise they will gain in this exercise.  More information. 

Then and now: links to 2011 photos and corresponding 2012 photos in some of Japan's most devastated areas

Some solid photography and a presentation that allows you to scroll between then and now from the same vantage point.

These photos have copyrights on them, so I will simply link to them, not repost any of them here.

Link to MSN photos

Community rallies to rebuild in Spicewood TX

From the Statesman in Austin TX - a wonderful example of a community coming together during and after wildfires that destroyed 45 homes in a community of 5,000 residents.

"Neighbors began banding together as soon as the fires threatened their homes. About 150 firefighters — many of whom went days without sleep — battled the fire for 11 days, said Chief Ken Van Rens of the Pedernales Fire Department. Mark Creaney Sr., a 62-year-old U.S. Navy veteran, said a handful of homeowners stayed behind to help fight the flames that consumed homes along Paleface Ranch Road. He credits them for saving his house.

In the scramble of the evacuation, residents also set up their own command posts and used a school bus routing map to keep track of where aid was needed, Creaney said. When scavengers and looters began prowling the area, residents of about 50 homes off Red Brangus Drive formed a makeshift neighborhood watch group that took turns doing surveillance over the area almost 24 hours a day."