Greetings,
I have just arrived in Dallas after an 18 hour non-stop trip up here. We planned for a 4 hour drive...big mistake.
cpap.com will be shipping tomorrow. BMI and C4S are down until Monday.
Johnny
cpap.com and hurricane rita
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wading thru the muck!
- Posts: 2799
- Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:42 am
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johnnygoodman
- Posts: 784
- Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 5:13 pm
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Howdy,
My father and I are still sitting around talking about what to take away from the whole experience. Above all, that was a brutal drive to Dallas.
Specifically on the Rita thing, getting out of Houston by land vehicle is impossible unless you leave as soon as something is brewing in the keys. We didn't see this coming and it really hurt us badly. My father and I got to Dallas on Friday, he on 4 hours of sleep and me not much better. No one else who was going to fly or drive in to help us in the temporary warehouse made it (we took back roads, they took 45 or I-10 E). They were scattered through out TX and LA in traffic. Many got there just in time to learn it was going to miss Houston. So after 30 hours on the road, they turned around and took the long drive back. This left my father and I in our temp warehouse, shipping for our lives. We managed to pull it off for the most part, but we're both perfectionists when it comes to our business and were pretty unhappy that "Plan B" didn't go seamlessly.
Luckily, Ted and Becky both work from out of state and were able to provide phone support as usual. We also had employees "pull up short" at their relatives house and work from there.
So, we made it through, and did a B- job. Unacceptable.
We're going to be looking into a lot of options in the coming months. We've bounced around some crazy ideas, like a mobile warehouse complete with a generator and satellite internet. However, if you can't drive it out of Houston, and you can only stock half of what you carry, whats the point?
This brings you down to staying in Houston for the next big one, shipping via satellite internet and a generator for as long as you have gas and then driving daily shipments as far east or west as it takes for UPS to make pick ups. It, of course, assumes that 1. we survive the storm 2. there is a warehouse to return to (its not flooded, blown in, blown over) 3. this mystical satallite doesn't get ripped off of the roof it has to sit on 4. we can operate with very few people in the warehouse, as we're not going to insist that anyone stay through a hurricane against their will. Thats nuts too but right now seems out best option.
I am done running from Hurricanes, Houston isn't a bowl like New Orleans and won't flood in the same way - so I'll take my chances here.
Johnny
My father and I are still sitting around talking about what to take away from the whole experience. Above all, that was a brutal drive to Dallas.
Specifically on the Rita thing, getting out of Houston by land vehicle is impossible unless you leave as soon as something is brewing in the keys. We didn't see this coming and it really hurt us badly. My father and I got to Dallas on Friday, he on 4 hours of sleep and me not much better. No one else who was going to fly or drive in to help us in the temporary warehouse made it (we took back roads, they took 45 or I-10 E). They were scattered through out TX and LA in traffic. Many got there just in time to learn it was going to miss Houston. So after 30 hours on the road, they turned around and took the long drive back. This left my father and I in our temp warehouse, shipping for our lives. We managed to pull it off for the most part, but we're both perfectionists when it comes to our business and were pretty unhappy that "Plan B" didn't go seamlessly.
Luckily, Ted and Becky both work from out of state and were able to provide phone support as usual. We also had employees "pull up short" at their relatives house and work from there.
So, we made it through, and did a B- job. Unacceptable.
We're going to be looking into a lot of options in the coming months. We've bounced around some crazy ideas, like a mobile warehouse complete with a generator and satellite internet. However, if you can't drive it out of Houston, and you can only stock half of what you carry, whats the point?
This brings you down to staying in Houston for the next big one, shipping via satellite internet and a generator for as long as you have gas and then driving daily shipments as far east or west as it takes for UPS to make pick ups. It, of course, assumes that 1. we survive the storm 2. there is a warehouse to return to (its not flooded, blown in, blown over) 3. this mystical satallite doesn't get ripped off of the roof it has to sit on 4. we can operate with very few people in the warehouse, as we're not going to insist that anyone stay through a hurricane against their will. Thats nuts too but right now seems out best option.
I am done running from Hurricanes, Houston isn't a bowl like New Orleans and won't flood in the same way - so I'll take my chances here.
Johnny
Johnny,
You are way to hard on yourself!!!!!!! I personally was very impressed with how you handled things with Rita and keeping cpap and cpaptalk running. You were dealing with a major catastrophe and you never shut down. That's A++++++++++ work in my book. Pat yourself on the back..you deserve it (your dad also). I think it's safe to say that we all really appreciate all you do for us! If another hurricane does come your way, please, keep yourself safe. If cpaptalk has to take a "nap" for a few days, that's ok...we'll all still be here when it "wakes" up. Really Johnny, you did a great job!!!!!
Amy
You are way to hard on yourself!!!!!!! I personally was very impressed with how you handled things with Rita and keeping cpap and cpaptalk running. You were dealing with a major catastrophe and you never shut down. That's A++++++++++ work in my book. Pat yourself on the back..you deserve it (your dad also). I think it's safe to say that we all really appreciate all you do for us! If another hurricane does come your way, please, keep yourself safe. If cpaptalk has to take a "nap" for a few days, that's ok...we'll all still be here when it "wakes" up. Really Johnny, you did a great job!!!!!
Amy