Well, if the blog post title doesn’t clue you in on my thoughts right now, I’m not sure I can do much better in the following slathering of words.
The storm was a bust. We didn’t even get to set up a tower. We barely broke into the four coolers of iced Pepsi, bottled Starbuck’s coffee, Monster energy drinks, scores of bottled water and the bags of other “food” the engineers in training brought to sustain ourselves on what could have easily been a two-day soak fest. I can’t even tell if my new raincoat works. Not that it wasn’t raining or windy or dangerous conditions weren’t surrounding us. It’s just as far as these things go, you look forward to standing a foot of water — at least.
I’ve done this before. Once before. Last year I tagged along on the gang’s trip to set up in three towers in Tropical Storm Fay’s landfall on Marco Island. That was soggy and fun. The guys were so impressive. They even showed me how to heat up a can of chicken soup in the truck’s engine. (Hot soup on a rainy night IN THE MIDDLE OF A TROPICAL STORM, only an engineer.) But besides their culinary exploits it was amazing to watch these students. Their actions were swift, decisive, all based in knowledge not only from studies but real-world experience and they were having fun.
This time around was different. The students were still determined, intelligent and savvy. But there was more. There was passion. They wanted everyone to learn. This endeavor, after all, still lives at the University of Florida. But what most impressed me is what I’ve heard, Lord, even written more than two dozen times. “We offer real-world experience, an interdisciplinary education, communication is key.” I’ll bet you’d find each of these sentiments on every single College and University brochure in the U.S. But of course, you would. It’s important and necessary. But how in the world do you teach it? Hurricane hunting is one way.
Everything was a learning experience for the new guys and a teaching opportunity for the veterans. Whether a blown air-pump valve on the diesel engine (which we stopped three times on I-10 to fix… in the rain… in the wind… at night) or backing out the trucks and trailers of house dotted streets or reading the data to figure out where to set set up. They never stopped. They never complained, not even about driving to Pensacola from Gainesville and NOT setting up their towers. The real in-the-field-engineering never had a chance.
But I think that’s OK. Even as four F-250′s, three towing 6.500 pounds of what looks like a disassembled jungle gym, and soft, dry beds of the Hampton Inn called their names, there was still work to be done. All the gear had to be unloaded and brought into the rooms for safe keeping. The trucks had to be parked unobtrusively in the hotel parking lot. And then plans had to be made for the three-hour drive home tomorrow in a Tropical Storm (it’s still out there).
These guys are mechanics, electricians, computer geeks, philosophers, problem solvers, teachers and mentors. They are engineers.
To find out more about what these do http://fcmp.ce.ufl.edu/overview/overview.htm
Tropical Strom Fay, 2008
