I had originally set up this blog because of my strong passion for loom knitting. That hasn’t changed, but my life has. My job is another major passion in my life, and working in this field has changed my perspective on many different aspects and occurrences that affect people in day-to-day life. The second that I started in this field of work, I knew I had found what I was meant to do. Emergency management affects everyone, whether they realize it or not, and I wanted to share how that happens, what I am learning, what I want to do, and how I want to change.
I have written before on how I got my job, but for those who don’t want to dig through a year of posts to find out, I will just gloss over. I had been working for an oil and gas well information company when I became frustrated with the way I was treated. I did what I usually did–ran to Robert (my best friend) and asked for some work to do on the side, volunteering for the police deparment at the university where I now work (a good 62 miles from my home, three counties away). He had me rewrite and edit the universitiy’s polices and procedures that deal with emergency management, and I became engrossed in what I was doing. I saw problems and solutions, and ideas began to form left and right. When the task was done, the VP of the division found out I had done them and done it for free, and told my chief to hire me. There was no position, so I was hired as “non-student, non-regular” which was only a temp position. Chief got me to go back to school to finish my degree, and I quit my job at the O&G info company. I was dropped to part time, but the pay was good enough that I was still able to (barely) afford my bills. Then a position opened up on the Parking side of the department, I was hired as the Asst. Director’s admin (the Chief is also the Director of Parking), and I was also tasked as being the Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator. And here I am. Robert is the Emergency Management Coordinator (bonus working with my best friend), and is also a sergeant at the PD.
I have already managed several situations on my own, and loved it all. I am at my strongest when these incidents happen. We are still dealing with the pandemic of the H1N1 virus, and I am sure I will be talking a lot about it. Being right next to Mexico, our state has the highest amount of cases currently, and we are worried about the second wave that is predicted to hit in the fall–also predicted to be not only worse in numbers and spreading capabilities, but also in mortality rates.
Anyway, my main goal when it comes to EM is to not only learn as much as I possibly can and become as much as an expert as I can, but also to put my university on the map as a leading example in campus emergency management. Here’s to hoping!! 
