Disaster Virgins
Why do we experience each disaster as if it were our first disaster?
Each time, reporters like myself cover floods and fires and storms as if they have never happened before...as if we aren’t wearing the exact same Wal-Mart slicker we got two years ago in Florida. We survey the damage, we speculate on the causes and we scour the government for someone to blame.
We treat regular people with the same fresh eyes, marveling at their resourcefulness each and every time. I noticed a classic example recently in the New York Times:
“...’The entire governmental system broke down; we had to rely on ourselves and our neighbors.’...Residents ran tabs at local stations to pay for gasoline for fire engines....The owner of a hardware store refused payment from volunteer firefighters for crucial supplies....A fire chief’s wife grilled steak fajitas for a crew of inmates....’This community of rugged individualists pulling together is part of the reason we love where we live,’ said Deborah Cahn, who with her family owns Navarro Vineyards. ‘But isn’t this what government is supposed to do?’”
Is this what government is supposed to do? Really?
Because history (recent and not) tells us that government, especially in a federalized system like ours, is just not going to wow you in a major calamity. The first responders are, almost always, regular people. Your friends, your neighbors, your family and hordes of strangers.
Maybe it’s time we started noticing the pattern. Maybe it’s time to spend our homeland security money inspiring and training the people who are guaranteed to be there first, every time.
TRex said on July 11, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Maybe it’s time we started noticing the pattern. Maybe it’s time to spend our homeland security money inspiring and training the people who are guaranteed to be there first, every time.
Absolutely. I’m trying to organize a neighborhood preparedness group as we speak. The one guy I’ve spoken to so far thinks I’m being an alarmist. I may have to loan him my copy of “The Unthinkable” now that I’m done with it.
Bill S said on July 12, 2008 at 10:17 am
Well said Amanda, I couldn’t agree more! Normally I go to the library but I’m buying this book!!
Max D. said on July 12, 2008 at 2:04 pm
What this says to me loud and clear is that the government’s efforts to “sheepify” the citizenry are working, and working well. Despite the government’s dismal record on most things, people still look to it as the ultimate savior. Yet it’s stories of people doing *without* the government that are deemed newsworthy? Frightening.
Amanda Ripley said on July 22, 2008 at 7:27 pm
TRex, I’m rooting for you. Please let me know how it goes. Post a message every so often so we can track your progress!
It’s funny to me that some people think you’re being alarmist if you try to make your neighborhood stronger. I find it sometimes help if you position it as a patriotic or a community building initiative. That way, people understand that they will get benefits out of doing these things even if no disaster ever happens. And that’s the best kind of preparedness, as far as I’m concerned.
I had a friend who recently had a block party in Tulsa, OK, to boost resilience in her neighborhood. Everyone had fun, exchanged phone numbers, figured out who would check in on the blind lady on the block and who had the generator. When the next tornado rolled in, everyone came together and checked in on each other. A great example of grassroots resilience--and a nice party.
bob said on July 25, 2008 at 12:00 pm
i live in an area prone to earthquake, serious snow storms, flooding, land slide, forest fire, etc. guess i did a poor job of selecting a retirement haven! plus, everything we have and buy comes via truck over a floating bridge. two years ago i became involved in CERT and went on to become an instructor and i also teach “Map Your Neighborhood”, a short course in helping yourself and neighbors.
living in an area with over 60% of the population being educated, affluent retirees, i continue to be amazed at the belief that anyone who prepares is an ‘end of the world as we know it’ survivalist and that “it can’t happen here!”.
i now begin my classes with a recording from the San Francisco 9-1-1 center during the Loma Prieta earthquake, the call receiver trying to calm a hysterical caller finally says, “Mam, you are going to have to do it yourself, the firemen are not coming”! sobering.
Marietta Ellis said on November 12, 2008 at 11:31 pm
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Sean Kellythorne said on November 17, 2008 at 7:44 pm
I’d encourage anyone to step up and start doing what needs to be done. Forget the naysayers! Get a CERT or DART training going in your neighborhood. It’s easier than you thin. Paul Garth and I started organizing right after we received our CERT training in March 2008. There was no organization or support any idea what to do next. We called meetings and a few attended and we kept on going recruiting here and there and soon we had a core. Our first “exercise” was to get a dozen people to be in our local 4th of July parade. From then on it really started to grow.
So far we had 9 ham operators at our California Shake Out drill and 65 at our Search and Rescue drill counting local and county politicians, fire fighters and our newly appointed County CERT Coordinator. Our Ham operators have a communications room at the Police Department’s Incident Command Center which we will staff in any type of emergency. Same for the local hospital.
So far our budget has been $00.00 and we have spent the same. It can be done! and it is being done by people like yo and me, caring citizens.
From my observations it is clear that the agencies and politicians have bee taking our lead. This is a grass roots movement and we want to keep it that way. Our attitude is that it is our government and they are civil servants and they need to serve us not the other way around.
We have gotten a lot of support from our politicians and we appreciate it. We also want more and I anticipate we will get more. If for no other reason that we are the most cost effective thing that has happened in this area
john said on November 19, 2008 at 3:31 pm
this time things could really change for the better i feel anything is possible recent events have made me smile
trex i fully agree with what you said about surporting those on the ground so to speak
action.s speak louder then words