Asset or Liability

    One of the problems with disasters is they have no soul. They don’t discriminate and they don’t care who they hurt.  As evidenced by the recent monster tornado in Oklahoma, the only advantage you have in some instances, is your level of preparedness.  

    After a disaster, there are two kinds of people, those who have been injured (or worse) and those who have not.  The casualties are out of the game, so to speak, and the rest of us (the uninjured) fall into two categories.  There are those who are equipped to handle a disaster and there are those who, for one reason or another, never thought this could happen to them and have failed to prepare.  

Of the survivors, there are assets and liabilities.  Those who have sought out training or set about storing up supplies, have just become assets.  The survivors who have neither training nor supplies, are now liabilities. They, in many cases, are a drain on the resources, much like the injured.

    The military knows when the shooting starts, soldiers don’t necessarily panic, rather they perform to the level of their training.  When the bullets start flying, their programming takes over and what they have memorized in training becomes their pattern of behavior.  The more intense the training, the more “routine” the activity seems.  Instead of running wildly in a circle, a trained combat soldier will get down, seek cover and concealment and hopefully live to see another day.  

    For those trained in First Aid, coming across a traffic accident is simply another exercise except now the blood is real and so is the pain.  These are the ones who become assets in time of disaster.  Humans tend to rise to the level of their training in a crisis.  Maybe its time to ask yourself:  What am I trained for?  When’s the last time I was pushed into a crisis?  How would I respond in a REAL disaster?  Would I be an asset or a liability?

    Why not seek out a First Aid class this summer?  Even if you don’t think you could ever be used in a disaster, maybe you could be the family hero when your charge needs something  slightly more than a Band-Aid.  At least your training in triage gives you an understanding of what needs to go to the emergency room and what can be treated at home.  

Citizen Emergency Response Team (CERT) training is held periodically and is a weekend well-spent that will equip you to be a huge asset to your community in the event of a disaster.  In fact many jurisdictions won’t even let would-be volunteers into the disaster area without CERT validation.  The attitude of the on-scene commanders is that someone without proper credentials is simply one more liability, but a CERT member can help lessen the load of the full-time emergency responders.  

    So what will it be?  Asset or liability?  The choice is yours.

    As always, send your comments or questions to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com. 

Ham Radio

Chapter 2

    A few weeks back I wrote a column on the relevance of amateur radio as it relates to disaster preparedness.  Researching for the column sparked an interest in the topic and since then I have taken the training, studied, tested and earned my technician level ham radio license.  Call sign: KG7CZK.  I haven’t sprung for any gear just yet, so it would be fruitless to try to contact me on the airwaves. But keep your fingers crossed.

    Following is an email sent by a reader, Bob Weed, regarding an incident some years back in which amateur radio played an active role in a disaster right here in Coos County:  My Dad, Chet Weed, W7TLQ and I, W7SCY were the only communications between Myrtle Point and the outside world in December 1955 during the West Coast floods.  Myrtle Point was isolated by floods toward Coquille and slides between the Powers Junction and Roseburg, and the phone lines were out too.  During that time, John Cawrse in Remote managed to get a short phone call through to tell me that a slide had covered a home just east of Remote.  Since the Oregon Emergency Net (an Oregon network of Ham Radio operators) was mobilized during the emergency, I was able to contact a fellow ham in Roseburg and he put together a caravan of an ambulance and a bulldozer on a truck, as well as the ham, (Don, W7SHA),  to try to get to Remote for a rescue.  Don had a “mobile rig” in his car and he accompanied them and kept in touch with us to report their progress.  As I recall, it took them most of the night to get there, unloading the bulldozer at several slides and clearing the road to get to the scene of the accident.  Sadly, all the residents of the home were deceased. (Editorial research discovered there were actually two survivors in the house.)

Dad and I both received a “Public Service” award from the American Radio Relay League for our communications during that time and I still have mine in my records.  I am still a licensed ham and still active on the Oregon Emergency Net when we are in the Oregon area, to maintain that emergency preparedness.

Again, thanks for the memories!

Thanks for the story, Bob.

Even in this day of internet and cell phone high tech communications, ham radio is every bit as relevant as it was in 1955.  If the power grid were to collapse in time of earthquake, it is likely the cell phone system would be rendered inoperable as well.  Ham radio does require electricity, but many hams are set up to run off alternate power sources such as solar, generators and vehicle electrical systems.  For this reason many first responder agencies have forged partnerships with the amateur radio community.  Hams will be pressed into service to provide communications with other agencies and with the outside world.  A well-equipped amateur radio operator can bounce signals off the moon and communicate with hams on the other side of the planet.  To combine a hobby with a needed service during times of disaster is rewarding indeed.

As always, if you have questions, comments or know where I can get a killer deal on ham radio gear, email me at disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.

Disaster Preparedness

The Bible Version

Sometimes around our church, the topic of preparedness comes up in casual conversation.  Among church folk, as in any other group,  you will find a wide range of opinions.  Some are die-hard preppers planning for the worst and others are mixing faith with foolishness and believe somehow they will be miraculously protected and provided for in the event of a disaster.   In light of that I researched the Bible and surprisingly I find there are quite a few references on the topic.  

Beginning with the story of Joseph in Genesis (the coat-of-many-colors guy), it seems King Pharoah had a puzzling dream.  The dream was about seven fat cows and seven skinny cows with the skinny cows eating up the fat cows.  Joseph interpreted the dream to mean that there would be seven years of agricultural and economic plenty followed by seven years of famine.  The overall message was to stock up during the good years so there would be no shortage when hard times came. (Genesis 41)  Sure enough, Joseph advised Pharoah to stock up and when hard times came, there was plenty, not only for their own country, but enough to share.  But it was only because they had heeded the warning and laid in supplies ahead of time.

Then there is the Proverb I have posted on my blog that says, “A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.” Proverbs 22:3 (New Living Translation) The message there is that fool gets warned and does nothing, while the wise person makes preparation against dangers.

Consider now the story of the ten virgins in the New Testament. (Matthew 25)  They were waiting for a wedding.  Half were ready, half were not.  They are described as “five were wise, five were foolish.” The five “preppers” were allowed access to the wedding and the other five were excluded.  Although there are several interpretations of that story, I’m sure there’s a lesson on preparedness in there somewhere.  If failure to prepare equates to foolishness, then it would be wise to be ready.

And finally, Jesus held a powwow with the disciples the night he was arrested.  (Luke 22)  In essence He said, “Remember when I sent you out the last time, I told you not to take any money or supplies?”  They all nodded in agreement. He continued, “Now this time when you go, make sure to take your knapsack, your money and some supplies.  And also take a sword, if you don’t have one, sell your coat and buy one.”  

If your interpretation of these passages of the Bible differs from mine or you have a comment or question you may email me at disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.