Sector 3 Reports in August

Hello Elves of Sector 3! I send you greetings from Christmas Island in Zimbabwe.

I’m watching with great interest the situation with the test flights in Sector 5. I want to see how they handle it because I think in a month or two those flight could be coming our way. If that happens – and I hope we are lucky enough to be chosen – it could impact what we work on during the months of September or October. So I want to be ready.

So…let’s get to work, shall we?

First, I know this could be a month of change for some of you. The seasons are changing in all areas. So, when you get a chance, please check in via an Elf Status report and give me a good idea of how available you might or might not be at this time. I want to give you enough to do but not too much so that you do not feel overwhelmed.

Second, while the weather remains good in most areas, I say we get to work sending in roof reports and chimney inspections.

As always, be very careful doing these reports. Do not get on rooftops to do these reports. Stay safe!

I usually get questions about how many houses you need to do roof and chimney reports for. The hope is that you will do your house, and if close enough, the homes on either side of you. If you can do more houses in your neighborhood, that’s even better.

What if you live in an area where the homes do not have chimneys? You don’t worry about it. You do not need to send in a report stating there are no chimneys. If there are no chimneys don’t say anything. Flight Command will assume – and pass along to Santa – the info of “no known chimney”.

Some Elf Supervisors think it is too early for these roof and chimney reports. I don’t. In fact, I think it is the best time to do them.

Finally, please try to send in a local weather report every Wednesday. Why Wednesday? I don’t know. Frankly, I love doing weather reports. I even do them myself right here in Christmas Island. I just love reporting on the weather. I think it is fun. I want us to get used to doing them every week so that when the test flights are here we’re strong with weather reporting. It’s pretty critical.

Ok, that’s it for now. Thank you for Elfing.

About this Elf: Elf Rolf Janssen

Elf Rolf is a native of Austria. As a young man he moved to Russia and was a refugee of that country in 1915 when he found his way to Santa’s employ. Skilled in carpentry, Rolf was given duties in Santa’s workshop where he worked for many years. Charged with building the first airplane Santa ever flew in 1927 — thanks to his wood working skills — Elf Rolf was transferred to the Research and Development Department where he served for many years as a sleigh designer and eventually as a flight test pilot.

Rolf took a departure from that work in the mid-1960s when he pursued a degree in computer science, a pioneering field for the North Pole. He returned in 1968 and for years served in data processing before being transferred to the North Pole Tracking and Flight Command Center as an IT specialist. He was instrumental in helping Santa to set up a network of satellites that have become the backbone of North Pole information systems to this day.