The new job is keeping me busy.  At present I can project to about December being involved in at least 11 exercises.  One of the most challenging will be a communications exercise involving the Statewide Radio System.

After almost 17 years with the state of Ohio I decided it was time to move on.  On December 15th I began working for a government contractor called L-3 Communications.  They are the 9th largest contractor to the Feds and part of an even larger conglomerate.  I am assigned to the Ohio Emergency Managment Agency and tasked with working on a team that develops and delivers exercises to the state agencies and the counties of Ohio.

In  late September I was asked to teach an Engine Company Operations Class at the Mercer County Fire School.  15 attentive students took part in the morning classroom and afternoon "on the street" class.  We went over operations that and engine company should do using multiple scenarios.  A good time was had by all.

I'm in Emmitsburg at the Emergency Management Institute as part of the instructor cadre for the Series 11 Master Exercise Practioner Class.  They will graduate in on Thursday.  A very interesting group including the first Chinese national to take the class.

Yesterday I attended the Morrow County Pandemic Flu Exercise in Mt. Gilead, Ohio.  It was a small well run exercise with many good things realized and other problem areas identified.

The Knox County Health Department held their Pandemic Flu Exercise today at the Knox County Health Department and County EOC.  There was excellent participation from many parts of the county.  Health Commissioner Dennis Murray should be commended for the excellent bridges he has built with his county partners.  Mt. Vernon Fire & EMS, Mt. Vernon PD, Knox County SO, Red Cross, Citizens Corp, Medical Reserve Corp as well as many levels of the education industry took part in the exercise.  I'll write more later.

The Northwest Exercise was completed last week and was realitvley successful.  Attended the Delaware County design meeting as well as the combined Hardin-Wyandot meeting.

Yesterday was a blur.  I spent almost 2 hours on the phone with 2 poeple talking about how their MSEL should be built for the upcoming functional exercises.  Leslie fom Columbus is doing a good job and is always eager to try new things.  NE has had some design problems and hopefully they are on the right track now.  The evening was uneventful, the kids went with their dad.  The computer crashed again for the third time.  I began reloading the software last night,  I didn't check to see if it finished.

Started this thing today.  Maybe I'll be able to get my act together.