[BC] Comments about Meridian MS

[Jerry Mathis]

Good advice; I'll remember that. This is the first time I've taken care of 
stations that could be affected by hurricanes, so I wasn't prepared. And I 
hope and pray that Katrina was an exception that none of us experience, ever 
again!



Jerry Mathis
Clear Channel Radio, Tupelo & Meridian MS





>From: "Ballard F. Fore, Jr." <balfore at bellsouth.net>
>Reply-To: Broadcast Radio Mailing List <broadcast at radiolists.net>
>To: "'Broadcast Radio Mailing List'" <broadcast at radiolists.net>
>Subject: RE: [BC] Comments about Meridian MS
>Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2005 05:47:13 -0400
>
>  To Jerry and all the other CE's that have gone thru and will go thru
>Hurricanes:
>
>I store 6 MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat) and water in my Trail Blazer and the
>same at every one of my sites. Keep in mind that most of the MRE's contain
>up to 3000 calories each.
>
>One more thing....get some VERY tall boots. You know you are in trouble 
>when
>you are wearing 14 inch tall boots and you step in a 20 inch deep hole.
>
>BEEN THERE DONE THAT ! ! !
>
>
>Ballard Fore
>Vero Beach, FL
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net
>[mailto:broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net] On Behalf Of Jerry Mathis
>Sent: Monday, October 10, 2005 2:12 AM
>To: broadcast at radiolists.net
>Subject: [BC] Comments about Meridian MS
>
>Well, it's been interesting to read all the posts over the weekend
>concerning the Meridian MS radio market. I've learned a lot about what has
>gone before me here. As Spock would say, "Fascinating". I'd heard some
>"comments" from the staff about some of the other broadcast owners from 
>days
>gone by, and, well.....if you can't say anything good about somebody,
>then...you know.......
>
>I've been the Engineer here for Clear Channel since Feb 1 if memory serves.
>I've been through two hurricanes (Dennis and Katrina), and a devastating
>lightning strike from a third (offshoot of Rita) that we're still 
>recovering
>from. I've done more physical work during this time than the previous 7 or 
>8
>years combined, I'd guess.
>
>Yes, I take care of a lot of stations, but it's been pretty focused. As 
>Mike
>Gideon pointed out, I don't have all the responsibilities of a large-market
>staff. It hasn't all been Radio Engineering, though; in Tupelo, I wired the
>new studio/office building addition for telephone and LAN services.
>
>Hurricane Dennis was bad, but Katrina was a downright disaster. I haven't
>talked about it much, because it was so much worse further to the south. 
>But
>Meridian was reduced to pretty much 3rd world conditions for about a week
>after Katrina. There was practically no power in Meridian for almost 48
>hours after the storm. Getting around was difficult because of the trees 
>and
>power lines across the roads. The power being out meant no stores open,
>including gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, fast-food outlets,
>pharmacies, etc. I went 36 hours with no food, because there was none to be
>had. When a Winn-Dixie finally opened, I stood in line for an hour to get
>some basic nourishment: bread, tuna, peanut butter and jelly, mayonnaise. 
>No
>meat or fresh vegetables available. The stores all threw it all out because
>the power failure had spoiled it all.
>
>
>
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