When pigs are on the roof, it is time for disaster preparedness!
A neighbor of mine, a long time go had a favorite saying: “yea when pigs fly!” He would say this as his absolute and definitive cynical statement of disbelief on any given topic. Today on the news, we actually see 3 fat pigs barely able to stand on a slippery barn roof eating what ever has floated down the riptide waters that is licking at their hooves in the farmlands of America. Who would have thought such a situation would ever occur.
Most people in the mid-west were told that they were miles away for the river and there was no need to worry about flood protection insurance. They were reassured many times by so called experts that catastrophic flooding from swollen rivers cresting over their banks would never happen to them in the pristine farmlands in the good old US of A. I guess it was as unlikely in the eyes of many as it was as pigs flying or pigs grazing on a metal roof of a barn.
Unfortunately, 3 pigs are on a barn roof and we need to reconsider our disaster preparedness information. We need to re-examine what we have been told from disaster organizations, insurance companies and the local, state and national government emergency service agencies. Often we have been told simplistic disaster preparedness information in 30-60 second sound bits Pubic Service Announcements on TV and radio as well as quick how to brochures that are flimsy and filled with generalized disaster information as if it was being issued from God’s own mouth.
We are living in a very different time that what was the scene even 15 years ago. We always thought that the government would provide all the emergency preparedness necessities any one or any community could ever want. People thought it was crazy to think that they should have emergency preparedness kits for car, home, work and school. Many a PTA had hotly, passionate discussions of how come families were asked to supply students with a school emergency preparedness kits. The mantra was we don't want o frighten the children. The reality / was is we didn't want to feel our own fright. Denial is a wonderful opiate to reality and common sense.
Yet now we see the wisdom of having an emergency preparedness checklist attached to a well thought out emergency preparedness plan. Even after Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita not to mention the Alamos wildfires we still hear the sentiment that we don’t want to alarm anyone unnecessarily about disasters that may or my not occur. Yea I agree we don’t need to be Chicken Little, but then again, go ask the farmer with the 3 pigs on the roof if he or his neighbors are alarmed now at what has happened. I’ve got a good idea what the answer might be
If you have not started your own disaster kits and a long term emergency supply of food and other emergency preparedness necessities such as medications, water, cleaning supplies, then you need to start yesterday. Food costs and all other supplies will be rising as fast as the waters have over the corn fields of the mid-west. Inflation is already rising more swiftly than what was ever considered most likely to occur likely. Disaster kits and emergency pantries will cost much more today, tomorrow and next week unfortunately than they did even a year ago or even last month. They will cost more next month.
The terrible thought is we are not even at the summer point of when things start to really pick up with wildfires and hurricanes. We have had more devastating tornadoes than many can easily remember in the recent past. Wildfires are already happening in Florida and California made worse in multi-year drought conditions. People in Florida tell me that they really want the rain but fear that such rain will cause lightening and result in dangerous uncontrolled wildfires. The list goes on and on.
The best place to start with hurricane preparedness is to get sound disaster preparedness information. This is not the sort of information that says: place tinfoil over windows and wear metal cone caps on your head to keep others from reading and hearing your thoughts!
The thought of of a disaster can seem very crazy, especially when they have not happened and may never happen. Yet it is much more crazy and dangerous not to be disaster prepared. We are not talking outlandish stuff or downright insane stuff. We are talking about practical, basic emergency preparedness necessities.
Instead of mental cone caps, put on your thinking cap and get well researched and thought out disaster preparedness information. Get materials that are comprehensive and not a 2 page brochure that leaves you out on a limb trying to figure out for yourself what all is really needed and how much. Disaster preparedness takes more time and thought than going out and buying a couple cans of tuna fish and a can of squirt soft cheese spread with crackers.
After getting solid disaster information, then start to develop a sound emergency preparedness checklist for each member of your household including the pets that addresses as many of the possibilities of a potential disaster as possible. Then become creative in developing low cost emergency survival kits for EACH member of the household.
Think about it, many will spend more time making summer barbecue plans including how many bags of Kingsford Charcoal BBQ briquets it will take to grill hamburgers for 25 of your closest friends than they will in how to evacuate safely from a disaster situation.
Now I love a juicy hamburger off the grill just as much as anyone else but I sure would feel better if all my guests had their disaster preparedness plans, emergency evacuation routes mapped out and emergency preparedness necessities all complete and stored safely in well labeled water-proof boxes that are easy to get to at a moment’s notice. Part of me wants to say, hey don’t come for the burger unless you have your emergency preparedness plans fully complete. Stay home and get your house in order before you come to my house for dinner.
Can all of us respond positively to these emergency preparedness tips? Sure we can.
Will all the citizens and guests of this great country take this advice? I fear they won’t. I sure wish they would.
Then again my old neighbor would most likely reply by saying “Yea when pigs fly!”
Unfortunately, even with pigs on the barn roof it will not be enough for this country to have an emergency wake up call!!!
COMMENTS WELCOMED!
Please share your thoughts, emergency preparedness tips and stories here on this blog.
All I ask is that everyone be respectful and sensitive of each other and that identifying information about a person who is not the author be limited to protect their privacy.
Be Safe – Be Prepared – Help Others!
Terrie
www.trainforahurricane.com
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