Dan once pointed out the City of Seattle real time emergency dispatch list. I’ve found myself rooting around his site for it more than once of late as sirens spiraled off into the night. Early this evening there was a long-repeating distant lowing noise, the sort I associate with air-horns for air-raids and tornado alerts. It was to the north and west of here. It repeated an insistent pattern for several minutes, nearly inspiring me to leave the couch.

A few minutes later, as bellowing firetrucks barrelled through the intersection, the shaking of my house inspired me to the action of linking to that list. In future when idly curious about events of human disaster, I can consult my own site archives rather than Dan’s.

Moments later, another siren. “Motor Vehicle Accident,” I read, as the police car roughly shouldered through the crowd of gawking SUVs and Smarte Cars, rubber whip antenna flailing authoritatively. “10th Av E / E Roanoke St.”

I fell back against the cushions. My work for the night was done.