On your own
Heartbreaking and horrifying as the destruction of New Orleans is, the saddest part of the tragedy is that people won't learn its lesson.
And that is: If my life depends on government action -- at any level -- I'm in trouble. If disaster strikes, I'll be left to fend for myself. I can't storm-proof my home, though I will reinforce it however I can, but I can take steps so that if I keep my roof but lose electrical and water service that I'll survive.
'Cause, as we have seen, the gov't ain't comin'.
That means supplies of and water, nutrition bars, Pop-Tarts, canned fruit and meat, can openers (Yes: 2. What if one breaks?) and enough different varieties of food that I don't get sick of them. Hand sanitizer, baby wipes, bleach and other cleaners to sanitize whatever my bathroom facilities are if I can't flush toilets. Buckets, hand-cranked radio, flashlights and -- though it's not recommended because of the fire hazard -- candles. I have plenty of the jar kind so they should be safer.
That means keeping my cell phone charged and my car gassed up. And even my computer battery charged. I probably will not buy a generator because you have to operate it outside and my yard won't be secure or secluded enough to prevent theft. Besides, I'll need that fuel for my car if I need to flee.
Judging by what I've seen and heard, I might want to buy a gun for the first time in my life. Just in case.
This is not an exhaustive list. I'm just rattling things off the top of my head.
I remember a news story years ago on people going through so-called CERT training. That's Citizens Emergency Response Team. The premise was this: If emergency workers were unavailable to help you or your neighbors, how would you help yourself? The goal was to teach people some basic skills that would help them cope with a disaster until professional help could come.
Demand for the class was not heavy. Even in the post-9/11 world and now what we've seen with hurricanes last year in Florida and now this one on the Gulf Coast, people still don't think it can happen to them. It's not just hurricanes. I lived through an ice storm that knocked power out for a week. If you think you'd be miserable without air conditioning in August, try a week of winter without heat!
And that is: If my life depends on government action -- at any level -- I'm in trouble. If disaster strikes, I'll be left to fend for myself. I can't storm-proof my home, though I will reinforce it however I can, but I can take steps so that if I keep my roof but lose electrical and water service that I'll survive.
'Cause, as we have seen, the gov't ain't comin'.
That means supplies of and water, nutrition bars, Pop-Tarts, canned fruit and meat, can openers (Yes: 2. What if one breaks?) and enough different varieties of food that I don't get sick of them. Hand sanitizer, baby wipes, bleach and other cleaners to sanitize whatever my bathroom facilities are if I can't flush toilets. Buckets, hand-cranked radio, flashlights and -- though it's not recommended because of the fire hazard -- candles. I have plenty of the jar kind so they should be safer.
That means keeping my cell phone charged and my car gassed up. And even my computer battery charged. I probably will not buy a generator because you have to operate it outside and my yard won't be secure or secluded enough to prevent theft. Besides, I'll need that fuel for my car if I need to flee.
Judging by what I've seen and heard, I might want to buy a gun for the first time in my life. Just in case.
This is not an exhaustive list. I'm just rattling things off the top of my head.
I remember a news story years ago on people going through so-called CERT training. That's Citizens Emergency Response Team. The premise was this: If emergency workers were unavailable to help you or your neighbors, how would you help yourself? The goal was to teach people some basic skills that would help them cope with a disaster until professional help could come.
Demand for the class was not heavy. Even in the post-9/11 world and now what we've seen with hurricanes last year in Florida and now this one on the Gulf Coast, people still don't think it can happen to them. It's not just hurricanes. I lived through an ice storm that knocked power out for a week. If you think you'd be miserable without air conditioning in August, try a week of winter without heat!
posted by jack at 10:04 AM
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