Evacuation Sept. 23 2010

Due to a Gas Leak on State Street our street and several others surrounding us were Evacuated.

My neighbor and I were walking to pick up the kids from school, when we noticed that we could smell natural gas in the air. Thinking nothing much of it, we continued on our way. Once we reach the school we were informed that they had evacuated the neighborhood across the highway from us. When we discovered this, Alicia (my neighbor and the Relief Society Pres.) and myself (primary pres.) kicked into action. Alicia called moms and offered to take their kids to our homes, while I gathered and counted to make sure all of the kids in that neighborhood were accounted for. When we finished this and prepared to departed from the school the principal stopped us and informed us that we would not be able to return home either, due to the high concentration of natural gas in the air around our homes. So stranded we were. We had left home with no diapers, no cars, no money, no snacks, and of course we hadn't thought to bring with us all of our important documents and cherished memories. All those things that you would naturally gather if you were informed that you had to leave your home. Thankfully, we were able to get home for a few moments and gather some things. Prepared for the worse we were happy when at 6:45pm we were allowed to return to our homes.

It was much like a ward party!! Everyone we knew and love was there!!

Here is Chase (he fell off his trike earlier that day) happy to be surrounded by people who all wanted to play with him. The kids really had a great time.

The American Red Cross was amazing. With in a half hour they had set out donuts, gathered the children to play games with them. Set up a movie and started to gather information from the adults. They even had formula and diapers, and later pizza. I was really impressed with how fast they acted and how organized they were.

By the end of the whole thing, regardless of how much fun and how well we were taken care of, we all just wanted to get home. What an experience. I am sure we will not forget it any time soon, and we will be better prepared in the future.