About v-Fluence
Technology, Work Bring Peace of Mind Amid the San Diego-area Fires
On Monday, October 22, I woke up to a hazy orange sky and the smell of smoke flooding my senses. After checking to make sure there wasn't a fire in or outside my home, I went online to find the reason behind my unsettling awakening.
A quick look at the San Diego Union-Tribune Web site told the story: The small wildfire I heard briefly about the night before had turned into seven wildfires that were burning out of control across San Diego County.
First and foremost I wanted to determine if my neighborhood was in danger of the wildfires and, fortunately, several Web sites were able to help me quickly determine that my home was safe. Local news stations posted modified Google maps on their sites so residents could see whether fires were close to, or closing in on, their neighborhoods. These sites also provided tools to help residents locate the nearest evacuation site and get information about road closures. The San Diego Union-Tribune posted updates on the status of fire zones every 15 minutes on their Web site and KPBS News started Twitter feeds, a social networking service that uses instant messaging, to communicate fire updates.
I was relieved to find my neighborhood was not in the path of the wildfires but I was concerned for my fellow San Diegan residents, especially Chris Phillips and Chris Jones, two other members of the v-Fluence team who live and work here. (I'm glad to report all of us here were spared the personal turmoil and distress the fires caused for others.)
Technology also helped me let my friends and family outside of California know how we were faring. Authorities here asked residents to stay off cell phones to avoid flooding circuits and many phone lines were down. So I relied on e-mail, text messages, social networking sites and Instant Messenger to let everyone know I was safe.
After ensuring my family and friends were safe from the path of the wildfires, my attention turned to the greater city of San Diego, which had shifted into disaster mode as schools, public offices, and companies closed. Local radio and TV stations and their Web sites relayed evacuation orders, air quality warnings, and calls to stay off the roads and remain indoors.
Even with this backdrop, I was still able to report for work that day, thanks to v-Fluence's flexible work environment that allows me and my fellow team members to work from home offices. I was grateful I did not have to tackle roads flooded with evacuees and emergency personnel, fret about not being paid for time I might miss or worry about falling behind on projects.
By the end of the week, the wildfires had mostly been contained, though they had destroyed more than 500,000 acres, burned more than 2,000 homes, killed 14 people and injured 25. It was a week that I will forever remember.
Looking back, I take comfort in the fact that my work and technology were stabling factors amidst all the chaos.
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