5 MYTHS PEOPLE HOLD ABOUT DISASTERS

For 10 months now I have been working within Washington State's Emergency Management Division. I was called in, in response to the massive flooding that occurred as a result of severe storms in November last year. The extent of the damage in ten different counties resulted in a presidentially declared disaster, which opened the door for federal assistance for those who were affected.

What I thought was to be a 60 day assignment stretched out over months, providing me with a first hand experience of what people go through when disaster befalls them, from the initial shock and disbelief, to the long recovery process. Many never do recover, economically or emotionally.

One of the wonderful people I have been working with is John Vollmer, the Deputy State Coordinating Officer of Human Services for the Emergency Management Division, formerly the Disaster Preparedness Public Education Coordinator. John has been involved with Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management for many years. I have been privy to many stories from his extensive experience, and his unique perspective.

John willingly obliged to share some of his wisdom for my new preparedness blog. Thank you John!!

Why People Don't Prepare-The 5 Obstacles to Disaster Preparedness
by John Vollmer:

1. Disaster won't happen here.

Myth debunked:  If you have yet to experience disaster, consider yourself "lucky", but not exempt. Nearly every year, in one form or anther, disasters happen somewhere in the state (Washington), nearly every day, somewhere in the world. Just because you weren't affected by the last earthquake, windstorm, fire or flood, doesn't mean you'll be as "lucky" next time.  

2. Disaster may happen here, but it won't happen to me.

Myth debunked: This is how I felt for years. I had a career that allowed me to live in many places around the world. Before each move, I was required to attend a presentation by experts on the hazards association with moving. They warned, "be prepared, have a household inventory, get insurance, have a will, etc." Thinking myself an expert of sorts, I ignored the warnings and moved without making the preparations, until...shortly after moving to a small community in Spain, my boss came and informed me that there had been an accident and 100% of your belongings were destroyed. Over $35,000 worth of household goods-we had lost everything! From this tragedy, which produced many of the same effects as a flood or earthquake, we learned that disaster could happen to anyone.

3. If we do have a disaster, it won't be that bad.

Myth debunked: On October 17, 1989 the San Francisco area experienced an earthquake that lasted just 15 seconds. In those 15 seconds, 3,200,000 people experienced a 7.1 earthquake that did 7 billion dollar in damage, displaced 12,053 people, killed 62 people, and injured 3,757 people....... 

4. If it's that bad, there is nothing I can do about it anyway.

Myth debunked:  A schoolteacher told an associate she was terrified of earthquakes. When asked if she had done anything to prepare, she commented, "There is nothing you can do to prepare for an earthquake, they just happen."  While I agree that there is nothing you can do to control when an earthquake occurs or how bad it will be, I do believe you can control, to some extent, the quality of your life following almost any type of disaster by preparing ahead of time.

5. We don't need to prepare, the government will help.

Myth debunked: Many overlook the fact that the local government we count on in emergencies may be affected and taken clear out of the picture in a disaster (they may be in the same earthquake, or flood, etc.). Have you ever considered how many emergency services people work in your community? How many people do they serve? Do the math and you will realize that even when government is not affected, there still are not enough emergency responders available to meet the overwhelming need for help created by most disasters.  You are far better off depending on your own resources in a disaster.

**********************************************

Thank you again, John.

And what about you readers? Do any of these obstacles stand in your way? For me, I tend to default to #2 - "It won't happen to me." I realize this comes from my optimistic outlook on life, and my hopefulness (translate as naïve) that my mind is strong enough to create something different. I forget that I'm still in kindergarten, dealing with the garden variety of manifesting fabulous realities. I choose to be prepared, regardless!

For useful information on preparedness in our state visit the Washington State Emergency Preparedness site. This site covers a lot of ground.

          To find out about emergency preparedness in other states: Click Here

           

I met Steven Knopp when my son and I attended his bowmaking workshop this summer. From that absolutely wonderful experience I decided to do an interview with him for the MastersConnection, focusing on his vast experience with archery and the martial arts. During the interview I discovered what a remarkable and self-made man he is, passionate about so many things. He is a wilderness guide and preparedness consultant, and has for many years taught primitive technologies and survival skills. I wanted to include the other parts of that interview as they are so appropriate for this blog. Enjoy!
 

LOUISE:  The wilderness, nature, self-sufficiency and alternative health, are at the core of your life. When did this begin for you?

STEVEN: It was my way of living from the time of my late teenage years, when I left home, even before I moved out here, and even before I began to participate in RSE.  Self-sufficiency, organic gardening, farming.  I grew up around sovereign, self-sufficient people who did all these things for themselves.  I always did that.

I had a wonderful home way in the mountains in North Carolina.  When I decided to leave there and come to the west coast, I wanted something even more wild and beautiful than what I had there.  I didn't want to go less.  I wanted more.  In particular, when I moved back to Washington state I lived way out in the wilderness along the edge of the Olympic National Park and the Olympic wilderness, I lived as extremely self-sufficiently as you could.  When I moved here I really pushed the whole thing to the extreme edge.  I was a survival instructor and taught survival classes all over the west.  I attended many primitive skills and survival type rendezvous events where other people who teach these things, gather together to learn from each other.  I would teach at these things.  I was a wilderness guide. So when I was not growing all my own food and hunting and fishing to provide for myself, I was taking people into the wilderness and teaching them these skills.

It's been my great love, my passion, my great teacher.  I made the choice to live that way very early on and pursued it.  Now I am comfortable living in any kind of circumstance, from extremely primitive or eighteenth or nineteenth century style homesteading, to modern high tech.  I can really blend all those worlds.  I did it for many years.  I pushed the edge of the envelope as far as you can possibly do it today.

LOUISE:  For you to make known the unknown.  You have traveled to so many places on our beautiful planet and carry this love of the natural world wherever you go.

Earth Will Survive, But It's Questionable Whether Humanity Will

Run to see Leonardo DiCaprio's documentary 11th Hour This is a somber, beautifully done film. Even though I have been keeping myself informed about the earth and her changes, I was struck by how far into the devastation of this planet we are, a stark reality facing us that is more pervasive than one's complacent mind would think. There were many moments where deep breaths and putting a hold on my emotions were essential, if I wanted to make it through to the end. My God, what have we done?

It spun me into a contemplation of what is it about humanity, that most of us wait until the writing is on the wall......and in this case, in the skies, and in the forests and oceans, to the very edge of life itself? There was a time when I was far more environmentally conscious in my actions. But I too, have wandered far from a symbiotic relationship with precious Terra.

In "The 11th Hour", over 50 of the world's most prominent experts, researchers, and activists including Stephen Hawking, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Sylvia Earle, present a sweeping exposé of the factors that have contributed to the magnitude of this crisis, all of which are primarily rooted in greed, and a philosophy of growth and consumption without end-raping the earth, taking, taking, taking, without thought to the future, without thought to the very essence of what sustains and nourishes us.  

According to some of the experts, the earth has always gone through dramatic changes, species have always become extinct, yet there were clear indications that the species we seem to be most concerned about, the human species, is walking a very delicate, and fine line. The war on valued life is coming to its zenith, and the tragic consequences for the future are upon us now.

Thom Hartmann, from The 11th hour:

"The problem is not a problem of technology. The problem is not a problem of too much carbon dioxide, the problem is not a problem of global warming, the problem is not a problem of waste. All of those things are symptoms of the problem. The problem is the way that we are thinking." (Ah yes. As within, so without.)

While this was a somber film, it was not presented in a doom and gloom way. It was hopeful. It ended with a call to action, a call to change the way we think, and an optimism that sparks motivation. You can visit The 11th Hour Website which is loaded with ways to take action and become involved, biographies of the film's experts with their links, where the film is playing nationwide, and much more.

"The best thing about the dilemma we're in is that we get to reimagine every single thing we do. What a great time to be born! What a great time to be alive! Because this generation gets to essentially completely change the world."

     - Paul Hawken, Bay Area entrepreneur and environmentalist 

In closing, I couldn't help but wonder, with what these experts know, are they prepared? Do they have safe shelters? Have they planned?

To find out playing times at Yelm Cinemas: LINK

Find out where it's playing in the U.S. : LINK

"In order to get to a place of true inspiration and true hope, you have to know what the reality is that you're dealing with. And that was the intention of The 11th Hour. Taking the blinders off and seeing things as they are."  - Nadia Conners, Co-Director 

An interview with the directors of the film in the Global Intelligencer October 2007.

SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH

Whether you've always lived on the fringe or are busy creating your fortunes, preparedness is becoming a household term. From Amazon dot com's preparedness store selling "kits", and providing lists to help you prepare, to the Department of Homeland Security's fourth annual National Preparedness Month campaign, it 's like Y2K on steroids.

 

Just search the internet on preparedness- you will be presented with an onslaught of articles, businesses, organizations, government agencies, and individuals, presenting reams of information, ideas, and products.

 

I attended the "Preparedness Fair" on the grounds of Olympia's state capitol this week. Booth after booth of information on how to prepare for an earthquake, a tsunami, a volcanic eruption, a fire, or a flood, what you need to do, what you need to have. List after list, pamphlet after pamphlet. Like the others in attendance I went from table to table collecting information, which in the end filled up a large plastic bag. It's enough to cripple you from even taking the first step.  I walked away wondering if I'd ever open that bag and read even one of those pamphlets. I wondered how many people who attended would.

Where to begin? Take a deep breath and go for a long walk. Once you've found that calm and clear place, decide that you'll take one step, do one thing,  towards your preparedness.

Being prepared and self-sufficient is a new journey for me, yet one that seems so natural. Whether it's global warming, cataclysmic disasters, political upheaval or economic turmoil, isn't as important as the deeper understanding that being prepared is absolutely essential as we walk through these fragile times.

When I took stock of my life and my cupboards I was reminded that being prepared is not just about all the "stuff" that one may need, but the state of mind one is in. While this isn't news, it's easy to get caught up in the 'have to get' part, forgetting about the 'being' part, which is first and foremost.

We have the most extraordinary opportunity to see what we're really made of, what we're really capable of. We have been blessed with profound teachings and a love so grand and unfathomable-these will be the fertile ground and precious water for the seeds of our future. We are preparing for the unknown, in a greater way than we ever thought. This truly inspires me.

While I'm not an expert, I do have a very inquisitive mind, and a deep commitment to the Great Work. It is not my intention to repeat what others are already doing, but it's my frequency specific that will pull a thread through what's already out there, weaving it all together. I chose to share my journey in this blog format so that others may benefit from what I uncover along the way, both from a practical as well as inspirational perspective.

There are so many wise and wonderful voices out there, rich from life experience, experts in different areas, passionate about many things. I want to draw upon the gifts of our community both near and far, to educate, inspire, and support each other in our efforts.

As I evolve so will this blog, in form and content. Visit often.  I welcome your feedback, ideas, wisdom and humor. We're all in this together.

May we be inspired and motivated to our greatness. It's time.