Wisconsin's unique landmarks once again find themselves in the pages of the latest novel to be presented to readers of history, thrillers and religion in a work that combines all three genres into an adventurous global conspiracy.
The Epoch Point, just released on May 1 and written by Wisconsin native Spencer Zimmerman, is a fictional novel that includes historical facts, certain to intrigue history buffs who are interested in history from the local to the international level, especially as that history thrillingly plays out into what Zimmerman describes as a worldwide "conflict between God and the devil, good and evil."
According to the book's synopsis, the lead character, Robert Davis, is "a young Airman fresh out of Air Force basic training," reflective of Zimmerman's own recent service in the Air Force. "After being held captive in China, (Davis) suddenly finds himself unraveling the most immense conspiracy in history...soon uncovering hidden facts suggesting Russian and Iraqi involvement...discovering the diary of Lee Harvey Oswald...As the clues surface, an evil emerges powerful enough to rewrite the entire history of humanity...before long the conspiracy takes on a supernatural form, marked by [natural disasters] and the wrath of God...Nothing [prepares] (Davis) for the final suspenseful twist the story takes, a da Vinci style revelation that reaffirms his belief in Christ."
When Disaster Strikes …
Flood victims don't have to go it alone. One catastrophe specialist explains how his business is helping the University of Iowa clean up the muck.
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Dennis McKinley is the professional to call when the floodwaters recede. With more than 20 years in the industry, he serves as a project manager for BMS Catastrophe, a privately held company with 731 employees in Fort Worth, Texas, that specializes in cleaning up after fires, floods and other disasters.
Not surprisingly, the Midwest flooding has drawn BMS to the University of Iowa in Iowa City, where 20 campus buildings and numerous athletic fields and facilities remain closed. McKinley's responsibility is to "un-muck" the swamped campus by removing sitting water, airing out drenched walls and removing other remnants, such as sewage and dirt. For McKinley and his crew, time is critical. The ability to salvage part of a building largely depends on how quickly the insides are treated. NEWSWEEK's Susan Elgin talked with McKinley about his messy job. Excerpts:
NEWSWEEK: How does the flooding in Iowa compare with the other disasters you've cleaned up?
Dennis McKinley: I would rank it right up there with the worst that I've ever seen. The floods have displaced a lot of folks and the extent of the damage is extensive.
Some have drawn comparisons between this flood and Hurricane Katrina. Do you think that's valid?
It doesn't matter if even one home is flooded: If it's your home, it is your Katrina. I sympathize with these folks. From my observations of the areas that were hit down here, they were hit equally bad. The biggest difference is that you have services right outside of the affected areas. I can go into a hotel and have a hot shower and a meal at night. During Katrina, I couldn't. We lived in tents and hoped for a shower every few days. That event was so widespread. Certainly, this is bad, but at least there are hotels and family and friends nearby that were not affected that can help. I've been in this business for 20 years, and I hope I'll never see anything like Katrina again in my lifetime.
When did you arrive in Iowa?
I came on June 12. The water had not crested in Iowa City and was still rising in the Cedar Rapids area.
Do you always arrive before the disaster hits?
Not always, but we'll go into a hurricane area before it hits, or in this case, before the river crests. If we know disaster is imminent, we will start staging equipment that we will need so we can start to work as soon as it is over. It's difficult because we never know exactly where the storm is going to be and we're always concerned about the safety of our people. In the case of Katrina, we were close when the hurricane hit, but certainly not downtown. It can be nerve-racking at times; floods are a lot easier to predict.
What is your normal day like?
I don't really have a normal day. Before I came here, I was home for a little over a month, which was very unusual for me. When I get a call to go on a job, I'm up at 5 in the morning. I start the first meeting at 6:30 to make sure crews are lined up for the day. During the day I'm checking on crews and making sure all of the logistics are in place. I spend the later part of the day and evenings at meetings with University of Iowa officials to make sure everyone knows what our status is. I spend until about 10:30 p.m. on documentation and then wake up the next morning and repeat the cycle. That will go on for two to four weeks until a project smoothes out or is completed.
How long are you on the road, in a given year?
I'm gone 300 days a year, give or take. As far as number of actual jobs, that depends on the year and size of the project. The University of Iowa is a large project, so I will be here for quite some time. This year, before Iowa, I ran eight projects in various sizes, such as buildings affected by a fire or flood, and I'd be done in a week or two.
You live in Texas. Do you ever watch the news and see a story about heavy rain in the Midwest and think, "I wonder if I'll be there soon?"
Every day. Even if I go out for lunch or play golf with my son, my wife is watching the news. If she sees something, I'll get a text message, saying, "There's flooding in the Midwest—do you think you'll have to go?" It's always on our minds.
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