Even though my schedule is mine right now, sleep seems to have it's own schedule as well. I've been able to reflect on a wide range of things and one is how some things actually work. Throughout this ordeal I have been impressed with the quick and correct preparation and response from the groups in the profession.

I know it's part of their business, but a hour and a half after the first report, a representative from the FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) was at the house with an envelope for expenses, telling the family to get down to Columbus. Before the two hours it took to get there, they had two motel rooms logistically to the hospital, set up and paid for the next three nights.

Erok is going to be totally confused for a while. My son belongs to a K9 group from different area units that meets every two weeks and work out the dogs with different scenarios to keep them all at peek on things they don't get to do every day on the job but have to be ready with. Before the family could get ready to leave, a member of the group was there to take Erok that night, and a different handler (so he doesn't get accustomed to any one person) will feed and 'walk' and 'play' with him every day.

The moral support from every aspect of the local first responders is overwhelming. In this case there were two 'local' areas. Men from his department were down to Columbus and stood watch while he was in surgery. Next day, a number of the Columbus Departments, including the Fire and EMS that had been on the scene visited.

It's refreshing to see part of a bureaucracy do what's needed in a timely manner. Perhaps it's because it is set up and executed from the bottom up rather than the top down, but it woks. I guess it comes with the profession but I better understand the 'brotherhood' aspect. It's like the shared experience with an 'Army buddy'.

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