Right tool for the Right Job

“We shall neither fail nor falter; we shall not weaken or tire...give us the tools and we will finish the job.” - Winston Churchill

The Survivalist Blog has an interesting article that covers emergency preparedness two ways:

• Generic recommendations
• Specific equipment for Specific disasters

The generic preparation includes the usual suspects: water, food, and clothes plus planning, training and compassion.

Equipment preparation for specific disasters include:

• Biological attack/epidemic
• Chemical accident/attack
• Civil disorder/riot
• Financial collapse
• Nuclear war
• Radiological accident
• Transportation accident

Bottom Line
As the Survivalist points out, some of these disasters may be more common than you think. Is there a radioactive facility of some kind close to you? Do you live less than 20 miles from a chemical plant, railroad tracks, commercial freeway, an agricultural storage facility, or a manufacturing plant that uses poisonous chemicals?
One way to find out the nearby chemical risks it to ask your local fire department to let you read their “Hazardous Material Management Plan.” It lists all the hazardous materials being used by industries within the district.

Earthquakes in Tennessee?

"The story so far: In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move"
- Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

When Americans think of the earth moving, i.e. earthquakes, most people will picture California and the San Andreas fault. But there is another large fault in America that is less well know but equally dangerous - the New Madrid fault.

FEMA has predicted a large New Madrid earthquake would cause "widespread
and catastrophic physical damage" across Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana,
Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee -- home to some 44 million
people. - Reuters

The San Andreas fault shakes frequently relieving much of the stress of two plates rubbing against each other in small earthquakes. But the New Madrid fault builds up pressure over a century or more and then snaps in a very large earthquake. When the New Madrid fault last snapped, 1811 and 1812, the course of the Mississippi River was changed and church bells rang on the East Coast.

Moreover most buildings in the New Madrid fault zone are not built to be earthquake proof. In California everyone knows about (and feels) earthquakes and so preventive measures are taken. But no one alive remembers the last New Madrid earthquake and it's a case of "out of sight, out of mind."

Bottom Line

It pays to learn the kinds of natural disasters that can occur locally to you. See my earlier post, Not in My Backyard!

What Could Happen?

"The most merciful thing in the world... is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents" - H.P. Lovecraft

An important question to ask in emergency preparedness is, "exactly what event(s) am I preparing for?" Different events require different responses. During a tornado you'll seek shelter in an underground room that is protected from winds and flying debris. The same spot might work for a hurricane too but you have to consider the possibility flooding. Could a water surge drown you in your basement? On the other hand a basement is a very bad place to be during a chemical spill or terrorist attack with a heavier than air gas. A heavy gas creeps along the ground and would fill your basement and your lungs.

It is important to think about and make plans for the scenarios most likely to occur in your neighbor. To help you in this planning, here are two websites that list potential events:

• FEMA www.fema.gov/areyouready/getting_informed.shtm
• Survival FAQ www.geocities.com/tominelpaso/assess_faq.txt

I recall one podcast where an emergency instructor said he felt very safe in a suburb of Chicago. There was very little chance of earthquake, flood, hurricane, tornado, etc. So he was surprised one day when ordered to evacuate his house by the police. It turns out that an abandoned railroad car in the neighborhood had caught fire. No one knew what was inside so the fumes were assumed to be dangerous.

Bottom Line

Once you've made a list of possible local emergencies, make plans. Where would you go? What supplies would you need? What skills will you need? What don't you know that you should learn?

If it helps, plan one event at a time; don't get overwhelmed with information overload. I heard a story about a new leader of a church who wanted to be prepared for everything. Together with his counselors/advisers he made a list of things that could go wrong - someone has a heart attack, breaks a leg, the toilets overflow, etc. Then during weekly church committee meetings, he and his staff would discuss one item from the list for at most five minutes deciding how they would react and respond. Now if any of these events did occur, the church leader had a plan.

Red Cross - Be Informed

"Long ago I added to the true old adage of “What is everybody’s business is nobody’s business,” another clause which, I think, more than any other principle has served to influence my actions in life. That is, What is nobody’s business is my business." - Clara Barton, founder of American Red Cross

The final step of the "Be Red Cross Ready" plan is "Be Informed". The three key parts to being informed are:

• Get Info - learn ways to get information during an emergency (hand crank radio, HAM radio, NOAA Weather stations, local emergency systems, word of mouth, etc)
• Know Your Region - learn about the disasters that are common or likely in your area like thunderstorms or flooding.
• Action Steps - Learn First Aid (and basic survival skills)

This concludes the new three step "Be Red Cross Ready" program which simplifies the prior five step program. The two parts dropped were: "Give Blood" and "Volunteer". These acts are still highly commendable and encouraged but go beyond personal preparedness to the realm of helping others.

Bottom Line
Ensure the safety and preparedness of your family first by following all the steps and recommendations of the Red Cross program. Then once you and yours are secure, please reach out to others and help your community with Blood Drives and Volunteer work.

Not in My Backyard!

"There's no place like home" - Dorothy, Wizard of Oz

In an article published Aug 12 by Dot Earth, the author discusses studies "On Elephants’ Memories, Human Forgetfulness and Disaster". Historically when a coastal village is wiped out by a tsunami, it is rebuilt on higher ground and the village elders tell the story of the flood to the next generation. This lasts for about 100 years at which point the stories are forgotten, or no longer believed, and a village is rebuilt in the flood prone area. Today the time of forgetfulness is even shorter as a young generation disregards the lessons of their parents and peers.

"In 1992, a devastating tsunami hit the coastal resort of El Transito on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. More than 100 died; [...] The government relocated the population up coast and inland. [...] in 1995, I was astounded to see the town rebuilt, with new bars and canteens where we counted bodies 3 years earlier. [...] the town was now inhabited with newcomers from Managua, who grabbed the opportunity of cheap coastal real estate — none of the new locals or the tourists remembered or knew that their resort had been severely hit." - "On Elephants’ Memories, ..."

Bottom Line
It is important to know the disaster history for your town and region. How frequent is drought, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquake, flooding, blizzards, ice storms, lightning, etc. Be aware also of potential man-made disasters. Do you live near a nuclear power plant? Near a highway or train where hazardous materials might be transported? Near a chemical plant? In a fire prone building? Knowing the local risks is the first step in preparation.