The images that resulted from hurricane Haiyan, in the
Philippines, are devastating. It is hard to believe one force of nature could
have such an effect. Not that the images represent something more terrible than
those of Katrina, or Sandy or, Puket or for that matter, any natural
disaster. As humans we live with
nature and we understand the contract we have with it. We know its power, we know its
unpredictability and we know we can’t stop it. Although it thrills us most days
with the sheerness of its beauty we also accept it can plow us under whenever
it wants.
Many of us live with the anxiety, whether during specific
times of the year or throughout the year that comes with earthquakes,
tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis or typhoons, often that include residual
floods, fires and always a total sense of chaos. We know the harshness of
nature can, and will, hit us when we least expect it and we accept that no
protocol differentiates where it occurs, who gets hit and who gets spared. There are no entitled people, no
political consideration and no priority. Nature is the quintessential
democracy. Natural disasters are a part of our lives. We live with them,
respect them and can do nothing about them.
But, and I mean BUT in a big way, there are things we have to
know about all of them. Let’s call them the axioms of natural disasters.
First we must recognize we are alone. The moment they hit
the first thing we do is protect ourselves. We can never be in the right place.
There is no such place. We have to depend on instantaneous instincts to keep
ourselves alive. Since there are
generally no warnings it is imperative we first secure our own survivability,
then think about family and friends, but not until we are protected.
Second there will be no quick solution. For a period of
time, 24 hours up to one or two weeks, we have to survive on our own or we will
not survive at all.
Normally when we get hurt and go to the ER there we find
doctors, nurses, medicines and help to care for our wounds. When tens of thousands
of us have the same injuries, the same medical needs, at the same moment there
will never be enough doctors, nurses or medications to cover us all.
Third, we will be faced with virtually no communication, no
power and little or no means of coping. Phones won’t work, there be no email,
texting or cell service. For a society that seems incapable, in good times, of
surviving a few minutes disconnected from our mobile devices we will find
ourselves in a serious, unnatural environment.
History has proven that many with guns will take to the
streets shooting, stealing, raping and assaulting whoever gets in their way.
Looting is a given. No store will be safe. The facilities with food and water
will go first, followed quickly by any enterprise that dispenses drugs, then
virtually all stores will be looted of everything as though someone really
needs, and can use, a television in the midst of an unthinkable powerless
world. But the stores are there, unprotected and those who don’t care will
avail themselves of whatever they want to take. Think about stores that sell guns and ammunition. Who gets
to these first?
There will be no first responders, no authority and
virtually no rules nor law. Often roads will disappear, neighborhoods will lose
their boundaries, power lines will be down and gas valves will be open only
intensifying the threat of total personal annihilation.
Over time order will replace the chaos. Needed supplies will
arrive with those nearest the supply lines first followed, at the end, by the
outliers. The injured will be cared for, the dead buried. Finally the personal
lives of everyone involved will be rebuilt with borrowed money, the good will
of neighbors and the kindness of strangers around the world who simply want to
help.
Very few, if any, of the law breakers will be prosecuted and
very few lessons will actually be learned. The survivor’s lives will begin to return to normal with
memories of horror welded into their souls.
This is not a
fantasy. This at any moment can be reality. All of us are vulnerable to
the everyday threat of
natural disasters. We can
provide for our own survival by accepting that it could happen to us and that
we have a plan in the event that it does.
There are questions that have to be asked first.
Could we live for a week or two without phones, stores, and
roofs over our heads? Could we stay warm, fed and mobile? Do we have the tools
to free someone buried? Could we stop the bleeding, apply the tourniquet, lower
the fever, and repair the fracture? Could we protect what we have from
renegades who will operate without law, even though we ourselves don’t have
guns? Is there a plan in place for how to connect with family and friends who
live up the street, across town or on the other side of the country?
These are not random questions. We all know neighbors who
could live as such for months based on their own skills but for most of the
rest of us these are unfamiliar skills that might be essential only one time in
our lives. What will we do if we need them and don’t have them?
The answer lies in getting ready now and praying we never
need to use them. Don’t ever be fooled: We are alone.
Fascinating insights Bob. I am reminded of the blackout in NYC in 2003. I was at the office at 770 Broadway that day. And after hanging around for an hour or so when the blackout hit - orbiting around Bureau Chief, Andy Grossman's desk to try and lean more about what was happening ... I decided to walk 40 blocks home - back to Hells Kitchen.
ReplyDeleteIt was a hot day and a hot night. Lots of folks couldn't simply walk home. They were somewhat stranded ... And at night lots of folks wee hanging out on the roof tops and it was fun for a while
But the next day it was really hot out. And it was a genuine relief to find a coffee shop the next day that had a generator and air conditioning And coffee. And not much later the power came back on.
Puny when compared with some of the natural disasters you mentioned but it was a pretty big deal to me back then.
9/11 was another crazy disaster day in Manhattan. I woke up late that day ... and as I was making my way out the door I heard the news on the radio. And then spent the next 4 or 5 hours splitting my time from my couch to my rooftop looking at the coverage on TV and the scene downtown.
The most amazing thing for me that day was the tremendous relief I felt when US fighter jets flew along Manhattan ... I guess I wasn't ever counting on having a feeling like that. Growing up learning about history and all the wars America fought on foreign soil.
And another thing that still amazes me to this day about 9/11 was the amount of black cars that immediately began streaming down 9th Avenue heading to Ground Zero ... Black government vehicles ...
Thanks again for sharing here ... this is definitely some really great Fuel for Thought.
Best regards,
John Michael Troyan III
My favorite line: Nature is the quintessential democracy. Love it! That is a line EVERYONE needs to ponder and understand. So when are you writing your book, Bob?
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, Bob. "The answer lies in getting ready now." It seems that many people are either in denial or too overwhelmed at the thought of preparing on top of everything else they have on their plates...so they put it off for "tomorrow". Advance preparation is key to survival, as you pointed out...that's why we have emergency buddies, so that we can pool our resources when that time comes.
ReplyDeleteAs a spiritual person, I also appreciated that you brought prayer up, because so many people pray without putting any effort in, leaving God nothing to bless. So sad. Prayer is important, too, because it can help keep us calm and focused on staying alive and helping others in need. God sees the big picture, so we shouldn't "go it alone" to be the most successful.
I hope more and more people get to read your blog posts, Bob. You raise great points and provide thought-provoking questions...on any topic. You raised great questions here for people to seriously contemplate before faced with personal or environmental disaster. I only wish more people went beyond the reading and actually took action. People like you (and your readers) can certainly help incentivize, though. Keep those opinions coming!