Tip of the Week…Haiti, What We Can Learn

Posted by Carolyn on Jan 15th, 2010 in Before the Disaster, Current Concerns, Evacuation and Refuge, Tip of the Week | 1 comment

There are many things we can learn from the disaster in Haiti this week. It may seem there is no way we could ever experience devastation like that seem in Haiti and that may be true. Our building standards are much superior and our economy and infrastructure much stronger. While that is true, we may face a disaster just as deadly, and even if the one we face is less catastrophic there is still much to learn.

Do you realize that we have a very serious earthquake threat in the central part of the United States. It is called the new Madrid fault. The fault is not expected to move any time soon but when it does it will cause massive destruction of buildings, just as the quake in Haiti. This will have nothing to do with construction but rather what is beneath the ground. The quake will cause liquefaction. This means the earth will become like a sandy liquid which will shift and sink and cause buildings, roads, everything, to sink with it, much like sink holes, though not quite as dramatic.

There had not been a major earthquake in Haiti in two hundred years. They were overdue, just as, San Fransisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, the Wasatch front in Utah, New York, Idaho, and Reno-Lake Tahoe, to name a few. Outside of the United States: Ramallah, Jerusalem and Bethlehem, Tokyo, Burma, Vancouver and other areas are also overdue.

We all know earthquakes are not the only threat that is unpredictable and devastating. Terrorism can occur at any time, in any place and it can be just a deadly as the disaster in Haiti. Since we have many new readers this year I want to make sure they all know what those of us know who have been around for awhile and that is that I believe as Helen Keller: “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less”. I do not believe in fear. I believe knowledge will set us fear.

During 2008 we spent the year working on our Seven Steps program. This was a plan to do seven things each week so by the end of the year we would be prepared. One of the things we discussed was the possibility the family members would become separated. We have seen that in Haiti. As roads have become impassable and communications non-existent family members may be safe but unable to reach you. We talked about several things that you should do to be prepared for this.

1. You should have current photos of each family member. You need a photo of you and your family together and a photo of each family member individually. You should also include your pets in your family photo. Both photos are important. You may need an individual photo if you need to ask for help in finding a family member. Once you have found that member a group photo will help to establish your relationship to the person. After the tsunami in 2004 people were claiming children as their own after losing their own in the disaster. As much as we hate to think about it there are always those who would exploit a disaster situation. In first world nations it may be very difficult to claim your own child as officials choose to ere on the side of caution. If you find an older child or spouse and they are in a hospital it will help to establish you as a person who can make medical decisions for that adult if they cannot make them themselves.

2. Once you have these photos be sure they are in all of your family’s 72 hour kits and in your wallets and/or desk drawers at work. Be sure your children have copies in their school backpacks.

3. Send copies to your out of area contact. This person can then search for you if the need arises, or they can email or fax copies to government officials or relief agencies. They would also be able to post those pictures on message boards, which are always created after a major disaster, if the power is down in your location.

There is much more to learn from this tragedy and over the next few days I will discuss them so please check back.

Favorite items to check out:

Berkey Water Filters

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