Disaster: Are you prepared?
With the recent events in Ohio unfolding over the past few weeks, it has become more evident than ever that we need to take control of our lives through preparedness. From the lack of response from governmental agencies (top to bottom) to the outpouring of social media posts seeking assistance, the governmental bureaucracies and slow movement to address the situation are alarming. The immediate decision to burn off the harsh chemicals sending extremely harmful gases off in a mushroom cloud without the population living in the area knowing the extent of the hazard is, plainly put, scary. As citizens of this country, we expect that our elected officials and governmental agencies will look out for our best interests, but the response from our government, agencies, etc. over the past two weeks has been woeful. While we are not directly impacted at this moment by the disaster in Ohio, the repercussions from this event will be long-lasting.
The lack of coverage of the events and the aftermath in the region has been shocking throughout the last two weeks. We have seen little in the way of experts coming out and discussing what the effects of this will be. We have not heard from our leaders in the transportation industry to explain how something like this can occur and what steps are being taken to ensure that something like this does not happen again. In an age where everyone has a camera and an outlet to publish via social media, most of what is seen are people who were not prepared. While being prepared for every type of disaster is not practical or possible, it is clear that a large number of people were simply lost. Video after video, post after post asking, what is the government going to do to help me? People in the immediate area were forced to evacuate for just a few days. The idea that several tank cars full of hazardous chemicals and materials were going to just dissipate and clear out in a few days is absurd. Several videos shared how animals like chickens were showing signs of slow deaths and neurological-type deficits just days after the derailment. People were sharing how it was difficult to breathe and had burning sensations in their chests. Fish were dying in the streams and the waters were showing signs of pollution. The chemicals, being heavier than the water, settled to the bottom of the bodies of water. When splashed or stirred up, large oil patches emerged on the surface with rainbow patterns. While the social media posts of people living in the area were displaying all of this, it also became evident that a lot of people were simply lost with what to do next. I think this is largely in part to the fact that the people who were prepared for a situation like this were probably long gone by the time it reached dire levels. However, it was still alarming to see people who were returning and saying that they didn’t have another choice or option.
When we began the journey of preparedness and self-reliance, we were much like the people returning to these troubled areas. Several years back when a hurricane was bringing severe weather up the east coast, prolonged power outages were being forecast. We quickly realized that we didn’t have any means to provide power for ourselves when it couldn’t be provided for us. We took the necessary steps to secure a generator, which in times of panic became quite challenging. Sarah had to call dozens of stores to find one, and when she did it involved driving two and a half hours away. We had to buy the extension cords, the gas cans, and the gas just to have power. The storm came and we ended up without power for nine days. With a chest freezer full of venison and other meats and vegetables, having that generator running allowed us to sleep at night. Another interesting part of that storm was the local population’s response. The local high school became the showering place for anyone without power, emergency supplies were handed out there as well. Five-gallon buckets, shovels, rakes, etc. were being distributed. While the need for basic hygiene is essential, the need for shovels and rakes was less evident. But every day, people were lined up to receive these types of “emergency” supplies.
As we have progressed in our self-reliance and preparedness mindset, we are far from experts. I believe that learning occurs throughout life, and we must strive to continue learning. Even with tasks that we have done a thousand times, there is something that can be gleaned from the next time it is done. We are on this journey towards more self-reliance, but I don’t know if there is ever an endzone to this field. A large part of my perspective comes from the idea of getting outside of our comfort zones. Our society and culture have indoctrinated us into the belief that we shouldn’t have to work harder or that there is an “easy” button. This mindset only sets us up for the further need of assistance. We must start getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. Stress inoculation makes stressful times easier to navigate. Having plans for challenging situations is also important to reduce the effect of the stressor.
The concept of “prepping” has always been something that I have struggled with. The idea that zombies are coming just seems ridiculous and too far outside my realm of belief. But seeing the aftermath of events like what has just occurred further sets my belief in preparedness and self-reliance. My family has established a plan for what we are going to do if faced with a situation like this. This does not mean loading a trailer full of MREs and bugging out. We have established this plan for optimal living outside of our home when necessary. I think that people assume you must be rich to afford plans like this, but it’s simply not the case. Quite honestly, I have approached our preparedness from the mindset of how little we have to spend to put ourselves into a better situation. Whether that means coordinating with relatives who live in a different area to be there for each other’s families or having a remote property that you can get to, having a plan is necessary. The first option in the scenario has a minimal cost associated. Being there for your family, or they for yours is a simple conversation that can begin the process of a preparedness plan. If you financially can afford to have a property, you may even consider opening it up to those family members that you know will need assistance in times of emergency as well.
Furthermore, having simple staples that can stem the tide of an emergency changes how we approach a stressful situation. A good starting point is looking at the necessities of life. Food, water, and shelter are the most basic needs of life. Boiling down to the basics is the easiest way that I can break down preparedness. When it comes to food, I believe changing our mindsets is important. Looking at food as the fuel for life rather than fulfilling our cravings or desires makes preparedness more achievable. For water, the easiest way to treat water before consumption is to bring it to a boil. It only requires the ability to heat the water to make it consumable. Many products can treat water like the LifeStraw (great for mobility), the Berkey filtration system is an excellent option and one that we use in our home. Even disinfecting bleach can make water safe to drink. As far as shelter goes, there are a plethora of options. The concept of shelter could be an entire post altogether and something that we will explore. But in general, the best practice for starting is to bring these options down to their most basic elements. As we progressed with our journey, we secured the basics and then slowly but surely added to them to build a better plan. The concept and implementation do not have to be overwhelming. Start with the basics, build a strong foundation, and grow every day.