SNAFU a go-go!

November 4, 2007
SNAFU
Yes that’s right folks, situation normal all fucked up. And here on the frozen end of the world one would like to think that things would be run a bit more efficiently, but add the government or this contractor to the operation and one gets a ridiculous, bordering on the insane methodology of dealing with small problems. Safety is the number one thing we are told repeatedly as getting injured badly requires a medivac trip to New Zealand, a 7 hour flight on the C130. One wants to then assume that safety is the first priority, but I have found several things that could not be done correctly due to lack of parts, small parts, equipment and tools. I have also "stumbled" upon safety irregularities but to report stuff seems to be put on the hot spot, one person likened the experience as being under some sort of criminal scrutiny. Rumor has it that one gets to do this reporting and filling out of endless paperwork on your time off. Since there is little of that, one day off a week, lots goes unreported.

Case in point, there is this out of compliance ladder to a trap door in a building and there was a work order to replace the ladder with an aluminum one. My friend spent the entire morning getting the materials together to fix it and at lunch found out he needed a different kind of order, which had been issued, but not marked on the order. So after lunch he found the real order and looked at the job, but to use what is on site would require the trap door to be removed and a railing put around the opening to make it "safe". But that is not what’s in the order. Now the whole thing has to wait for approval on high, a job that could have been done in one or two days is now going to take 4 or five weeks, and that’s if any parts needed can get flown in or come on the ship that arrives in February. If it comes on the 09 ship then it will get fixed some time in 09. Meanwhile, the thing remains "unsafe". Yes your tax dollars at work folks! My dear brother in law, I think of you and your work in improving efficiency. I can see why you would not want to deal with government operations, it isn’t about fixing the problems, it’s about creating work for the minions!

So in my first week, they medivaced out 2 or 3 folks. The first was a young lady who was issued a ladder for her bunk bed, but they had no bolts on site. This is a safety issue if ever there was one. She was alone in her shared room climbing in the bunk Saturday night, rather early as she was on an early shift and the ladder fell off. She fell and hit her head on a desk and was found unconscious on the floor. No one knew how long she was there. Word has it that she has a severe case of amnesia and is still in the hospital in Christchurch. Another guy cut of a chunk of his hand on a table saw. Rumor has it that a third was shipped in from Pole who was really sick and needed hospitalization. That’s just the first week. They say that the worse time for this stuff is in January. We’ll see.

One would think it might be too cold for viruses. Not so, the flu was going around big time. I got a shot and have been ok so far, but when it hits, one goes into quarantine. That means one is stuck in the room and food is brought in. I am not sure if that means the roomie is also, but my room resembles a Siberian prison cell with a view (except it is warm, unlike the common bathroom). I would loose it for sure! We had an interesting weather day yesterday; with the wind chill it was colder than Pole, -18, wc -49. Yeah. Walking was interesting. Not too bad with the wind at one’s back, but I work at the bottom of a hill and the wind was in my face. I bummed rides from workers in trucks so it worked out. Today is better and I think at -5 wc -20..

Took my first trip to the kiwi base 2 miles away. This is very rocky, hilly, volcanic terrain. Took a shuttle as it was damn windy then too although the walk is a pleasant one over, coming back is mostly uphill. Anyway I was struck by how well thought out and organized the kiwis are. The bar is a bit too pristine; at least the bars at McMurdo have some character to them. But Scott Base is very well built. One gets around almost the entire base without going outside under difficult weather conditions. This was figured out a long time ago in Minnesota and other places, they are called malls and skyways! Anyway this is the perfect place to practice for colonization for life on other planets and the moon. That’s what is happening at Pole.

McMurdo started out as a temporary military outpost and it seems like someone threw some stones up in the air, where they landed was where stuff got built. It’s not unlike old Boston that was built around the cow trails. There are some really nice modern buildings; they are all about the science which is the reason for being her in the first place. There are about 200 scientists here doing work. So the question is how many worker bees does it take to replace a light bulb for one scientist and other equations of that variation. Apparently a lot. You do the math. There are about 1,000 people here in station. At my first all hands meeting we were informed that accidents have been reduced and things are running more "efficiently". Yikes.

The bar scene is pretty wild and crazy. My favorite is the coffee house and wine bar; it reminds me of the dome, that’s Deer Lake Charlie’s in northern Minnesota. It was the old navy officers club. Gallagher’s is where they have most of the wild bands, (yes improv bands, not organized long time bands, they do a pretty good job.) Last night was 70 and 80’s night. And it gets very hot and sweaty and very crowded. They close at 11 on work nights, 1 on Saturday nights. The Southern reminds me of the Neighborhood Tavern, Effie, MN in atmosphere. Have yet to get to the corner bar, can’t do everything in the first week. But at least I made it though. The food is pretty good, they get freshies (fresh fruit) in on every flight and there are 2-3 in each week not including the returns on the medivacs.