Billy Blurb

Call Me Crazy!

It is estimated that more than 95% of accidents could be avoided if there was the presence of just one thing, and it’s something we all have within our grasp to have. What is that one thing, you ask? Awareness. Seems too simple, but it’s true. If there were a greater, intentional, awareness of the potential dangers around me, it would help us appropriately address them, and adjust accordingly.

What has helped me over the past 10 years (and why you might just call me crazy) is a simple practice of talking to the potential danger. I say things like “I see you low hanging beam” when I’m climbing around in an attic; “I see you hard object just past my knuckles” when I’m pushing a wrench; “I see you metal burrs” on the pipe that I’m handling; “I see you aggressive drivers” when I’m driving down I-75, especially in traffic; “I see how heavy you are” to an oversized object I’m about to move. I have come to realize that if I identify a potential danger, it helps me prepare for it by speaking out loud about it, even at the risk of coming across as crazy. It helps remove the element of surprise, and gives me more leverage in avoiding injury, either to myself or to others.

A simple practice like that enables us to fulfill our bigger mission, that of comforting, and it happens on multiple levels. First, I myself am literally comforted by avoiding pain and injury to my body. Secondly, I comfort my team by default because they don’t have to bear the consequences of my actions. We end up comforting our customers by being able to stay on the job and finish it. And probably most importantly, I comfort my family by not having to miss days of work and still being able to provide for them. All of these are pretty important.

The following article emphasizes Heat Safety. I have found that when we are overheated, our response time is slowed down considerably, and our clarity of thought is clouded. So read the article, learn a few things, and prepare yourself for the continued heat that is coming our way. And call me crazy, but you just might find it helpful to say “I feel you ‘heat’” while you’re drinking that extra bottle of cold water. Even if people look at you weird, you’ll actually be the cool one by avoiding the potential consequences or injury.

Heat Safety Awareness Month

Heat stroke is a condition caused by your body overheating, usually as a result of prolonged exposure to or physical exertion in high temperatures. This most serious form of heat injury, heat stroke, can occur if your body temperature rises to 104 F or higher. The condition is most common in the summer months. Heat stroke requires emergency treatment. Untreated heatstroke can quickly damage your brain, heart, kidneys, and muscles. The damage worsens the longer treatment is delayed, increasing your risk of serious complications or death.

Heatstroke signs and symptoms include:

• High body temperature. A core body temperature of 104 F (40 C) or higher, obtained with a rectal thermometer, is the main sign of heatstroke.
• Alteration in sweating. In heatstroke brought on by hot weather, your skin will feel hot and dry to the touch. However, in heatstroke brought on by strenuous exercise, your skin may feel dry or slightly moist.
• Altered mental state or behavior. Confusion, agitation, slurred speech, irritability, delirium, seizures, and coma can all result from heatstroke.
• Nausea and vomiting. You may feel sick to your stomach or vomit.
• Flushed skin. Your skin may turn red as your body temperature increases.
• Rapid breathing. Your breathing may become rapid and shallow.
• Racing heart rate. Your pulse may significantly increase because heat stress places a tremendous burden on your heart to help cool your body.
• Headache. Your head may throb.

If you think a person may be experiencing heat stroke, seek immediate medical help. Call your local emergency services number. Take immediate action to cool the overheated person while waiting for emergency treatment:

• Get the person into the shade or indoors.
• Remove excess clothing.
• Cool the person with whatever means available — put in a cool tub of water or a cool shower, spray with a garden hose, sponge with cool water, fan while misting with cool water, or place ice packs or cold, wet towels on the person’s head, neck, armpits, and groin.

Invest In The Eternal

Click on this link for an update on how we are doing with our ongoing campaign to provide fresh water to those without it. This is the progress we are making on our 3rd well in Chad, Africa!

Each month, we are reminded to celebrate some very special people through their birthday and work anniversaries. Give these people affirmation and encouragement as they mark these special milestones.

Pics From Around

What Our Customers Are Saying

From The Hart

“We all suffer. We all hurt. And we all have the ability to overcome.” – Nightbirde

Back in 2021, America’s Got Talent introduced a contestant that had been struggling through a cancer battle for a few years. She had just received news that her cancer had come back and spread throughout her body and was given a 2% chance of survival, yet she still went out on that stage and sang an original song called “It’s Ok” that she had written on one of her darkest nights. She commented before she sang that “It’s important that everyone knows I’m so much more than the bad things that happen to me”, and added “You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy.”

Stunning words from someone who had just been given a death sentence. And it came from an authentic and genuine joy, that the audience and judges, yes, even Simon Cowell, were deeply moved by. Indeed, the lyrics she wrote in the middle of the night were a gift to a world that was going through it’s own dark night of Covid, and the video of that audition has been viewed over 73 million times.

Her story was compelling, and full of contrasts that left me conflicted. She was beautiful, yet her body was being ravaged by cancer. She came to the competition alone, but left adored by the crowds. She won the Golden Buzzer to advance to the finals, but had to pull out of the competition due to her declining health. She was a shining light of hope and joy, in a world that seems anything but that much of the time. Her burst onto the scene was so life-giving and inspiring, yet she died just a few months later and was gone.

She gave a lesser known gift through another song she sang, called “The Story I’ll Tell”, that helps explain her joyful disposition and her hopeful outlook, why she was ok, even when all was not ok. The words to that song say “The hour is dark, and it’s hard to see, what You are doing here in the ruins and where this will lead. Oh, but I know, that down through the years, I’ll look on this moment and see Your hand on it, and know You were here. And I’ll testify of the battles You won, how You were my portion when there wasn’t enough. When I can’t see what You’re doing, I know that You’re proving, You’re the God that comes through.” She sums it all up in the chorus that the story she’s going to tell is that she knows she is well, because her God did not fail.

I want an authentic faith like that when I’m experiencing a dark night. Not a blind, baseless hope, but a belief that there is One who takes us through the challenging times, and yet it’s somehow alright. And I want that for you as well. If you want someone to process through some of the challenges you might be facing right now, know that Barbie and I are available to walk with you through them, and to discover how there is One who is able to redeem our ruins into a good story to tell. Listen to Nightbirde’s songs through the links above (have a tissue ready), and let’s talk.

Fight Club

SW Florida Men! Are you trudging through life and going through the motions? Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? Do you need sharpened?

Would you like to connect with other men in pursuit of being a better husband, father, friend, and follower of Jesus? Do you desire to grow spiritually, emotionally, relationally, and physically?

Would you like to forge lifelong relationships with men that will have your back? What could God do in your life during this 10 week commitment?

Reach out to Ryan Stallings at (865)771-3550 or rstallings@tricountyair.com if you have questions after contemplating all the questions above. He’s been to these in the past, and is inviting you since there is a new one starting this month in Venice at Center Pointe Christian Church, 1100 Center Road, Venice, FL 34292. The kickoff is August 30th at 8pm, but don’t wait till then to find out more.

Heads Up!

You’ll be getting an email in the next few weeks about Open Enrollment, a chance to update and change any of your benefits and insurance opportunities provided through the company. Make sure you’re checking your email on a regular basis, or at least have notifications enacted so you are aware when you receive one from us.