That’s what I need. A song. Something snappy like Queen’s head bobbing “Bohemian Rhapsody,” or melancholy like the song “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan they play on that ASPCA commercial. Something people instantly know and can get into.
I was listening to Dick Gordon’s “The Story” on NPR last Thursday night when I heard the most remarkable thing that I had heard in a while. Dick was interviewing this delightful young musician by the name of Dafnis Prieto. A Cuban-born jazz percussionist, he received the 2011 MacArthur Genius Grant, and after listening for just a few minutes, I could see why. He was so absorbed into his music, but yet cognizant of everything around it and himself. A true genius at the drums (of several types, I might add, sometimes using multiple drum sticks in each hand!), he was an extraordinary musician who understood and expressed the power of music in a way I had never really heard of before. For him, music was his life and a way to express himself through sound. What caught and stopped me was his brilliant response to the question of transitioning between different types of music – for example, how he could so easily move from Cuban to New Orleans jazz. He said, “The wonderful thing about music is that you hold the whole world inside yourself...you can go from Brazil to Norway in a matter of seconds...there is no limit in time, space...”
Wow. No boundaries. Just ever present. That’s what I want. Something that transcends a door, a state line or an ocean. One sound, one song that binds and strengthens all of us. Imagine! Yes, John, I can imagine that now. Somehow those words really hit me. An “I am ready” song. Ready for today, ready for tomorrow, ready for whatever crisis comes my way.
Yes, yes, I really have to work on better lyrics, but I am imagining that thread of notes, flowing, swirling, gathering us all. In sound. Like Richard Rodgers, I am “with a song in my heart,” and I just need to catch that tune. Maybe if I start by humming...
B flat, please?
Showing posts with label community preparedness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label community preparedness. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Monday, February 6, 2012
If only I had...
How many times have you used this phrase, and perhaps with sad regret? I still recall acutely saying that to myself after my father passed away. I simply adored my dad and welcomed the opportunity to care for him in my home for the last five years of his life. Yet, there are still times when I wish that I had taken more time to learn about his boyhood. I wish I had heard the full story of how he lost much of his hand in a giant machine when only a boy fresh from high school. If only I had paid more attention to this pickle recipe. Sigh.
I am currently the caretaker for my mother. Astonishingly strong at 92, she lives with me, too. She’s heartbroken of course from the loss of the love of her life, but still kicking – and, as she always adds – “not very high, though.” While she takes care of herself quite well every day, she still needs some help. Alzheimer’s, that cruel memory thief, is starting to visit her more frequently now, although she seems to fight back with times of surprising clarity.
My fear, however, is something happening when I am not there. Someone is with her nearly all day, but there are a few hours in which she is alone, save for our two dogs who consider sleeping on or near her a non-negotiable right. It has hit me recently that I (Ms. Emergency Management Person!) have not really “prepared” her for a large scale disaster. I haven’t given our close neighbors keys to our house, or a list of her doctors and location of her medication. I haven’t given her specific instructions on what to do in an earthquake because, honestly, I am fairly sure she will forget them. However, imagery is apparently a potential substitute for those diminishing short-term memory cells, so I could make pictures of what to do. Pictures of protecting your head, pictures of wearing shoes, pictures of hanging on to something during an earthquake – all might just save her life, or at least reduce the harm.
So, tonight I am starting on my “Prepare My Mom” campaign. I will make instructions for my neighbors and dig out spare keys for them. I will check the bookcases in all part of the house to make sure they won’t tumble on her when the ground shakes them over. I will start making pictures of things she should do during an earthquake or fire.
I just have to start and start now. I don’t want to be filled with regret and sorrow that I could have done more, sooner and better. I want to do all I can to protect her and keep her safe. And I don’t ever want to say, I wish I had...
You can do this, too! Need to get prepared? Make a list, make it happen. I’m rooting for all of us.
I am currently the caretaker for my mother. Astonishingly strong at 92, she lives with me, too. She’s heartbroken of course from the loss of the love of her life, but still kicking – and, as she always adds – “not very high, though.” While she takes care of herself quite well every day, she still needs some help. Alzheimer’s, that cruel memory thief, is starting to visit her more frequently now, although she seems to fight back with times of surprising clarity.
My fear, however, is something happening when I am not there. Someone is with her nearly all day, but there are a few hours in which she is alone, save for our two dogs who consider sleeping on or near her a non-negotiable right. It has hit me recently that I (Ms. Emergency Management Person!) have not really “prepared” her for a large scale disaster. I haven’t given our close neighbors keys to our house, or a list of her doctors and location of her medication. I haven’t given her specific instructions on what to do in an earthquake because, honestly, I am fairly sure she will forget them. However, imagery is apparently a potential substitute for those diminishing short-term memory cells, so I could make pictures of what to do. Pictures of protecting your head, pictures of wearing shoes, pictures of hanging on to something during an earthquake – all might just save her life, or at least reduce the harm.
So, tonight I am starting on my “Prepare My Mom” campaign. I will make instructions for my neighbors and dig out spare keys for them. I will check the bookcases in all part of the house to make sure they won’t tumble on her when the ground shakes them over. I will start making pictures of things she should do during an earthquake or fire.
I just have to start and start now. I don’t want to be filled with regret and sorrow that I could have done more, sooner and better. I want to do all I can to protect her and keep her safe. And I don’t ever want to say, I wish I had...
You can do this, too! Need to get prepared? Make a list, make it happen. I’m rooting for all of us.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
As plain as the nose on your face
That’s pretty obvious, my mother would say. “As plain as the nose on your face.” Having inherited my honker from my dad, that is, I’d have to say, pretty obvious. Other things are pretty obvious, too, yet people steadfastly don’t see it. Take climate change. Not theory. Not speculated. Not a maybe. It is. There is a preponderance of evidence out there and even without an Excel spreadsheet, the polar bears will tell you, this is real. The last 20 years have been the hottest in at least 400 years. Arctic ice is thawing so rapidly that in another 30 years, arctic summers will be completely ice free! Coral reefs, which are highly sensitive to slight rises in ocean temperatures, have had record die-offs. (1)
There are still some nuts out there who think that this is something akin to the earth’s menopausal hot flash and a natural phenomenon, but look at it this way. Modern society produces tons of atmospheric gases every day, ostensibly creating a planet-sized snuggy that traps in heat. Industrial and auto pollution is an all time high. Why? Because there is an astonishing number of us. Back around 1 BC there were around 300 million people (about the number just in the United States today)in the entire world. It took 2000 years to bump that to 1.6 billion, or about 5 times as many. Then it took only the last 100 years to multiply that another FOUR TIMES to a world population of over 6 billion. There has not been a single other factor or species impacting the earth as much as we are.
Denial is apparently what some people do best and that also applies to getting prepared for emergencies. Now, if you live in Southern California, you WILL experience an earthquake. There is no thermometer to stick in the ground and say, “Wow, the ground is really heating up for a good one,” but the numbers do point to something big. Statistically speaking, earthquakes have occurred along the San Andreas Fault every 150 years or so. The last one was 155 years ago, so we are “ripe” for something. Unlike climate change, we don’t see markers letting us know how close we are to a large seismic event, so preparing it is really hard to get excited about.
Just like substantial climate change, the big one is coming, so let’s do something today. As far as climate change, think more carefully about your impact on the world. Can you walk more than drive? Can you purchase things that require less manufacturing? Can you buy cars that are less polluting? Sure you can. So you can also get a tub for your earthquake supplies. You can put a gallon of water person per day in there and toss in some hardy granola bars. Add a large zip-type bag of toilet supplies and you are one giant step on your way.
So, please, think of yourself, your family, and, if it helps, the polar bears. Some conscientious effort on your part will help us all.
(1) Read a great Op-Ed piece from the LA Times: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-oreskes-judging-climate-change-20120122,0,6437230.story
There are still some nuts out there who think that this is something akin to the earth’s menopausal hot flash and a natural phenomenon, but look at it this way. Modern society produces tons of atmospheric gases every day, ostensibly creating a planet-sized snuggy that traps in heat. Industrial and auto pollution is an all time high. Why? Because there is an astonishing number of us. Back around 1 BC there were around 300 million people (about the number just in the United States today)in the entire world. It took 2000 years to bump that to 1.6 billion, or about 5 times as many. Then it took only the last 100 years to multiply that another FOUR TIMES to a world population of over 6 billion. There has not been a single other factor or species impacting the earth as much as we are.
Denial is apparently what some people do best and that also applies to getting prepared for emergencies. Now, if you live in Southern California, you WILL experience an earthquake. There is no thermometer to stick in the ground and say, “Wow, the ground is really heating up for a good one,” but the numbers do point to something big. Statistically speaking, earthquakes have occurred along the San Andreas Fault every 150 years or so. The last one was 155 years ago, so we are “ripe” for something. Unlike climate change, we don’t see markers letting us know how close we are to a large seismic event, so preparing it is really hard to get excited about.
Just like substantial climate change, the big one is coming, so let’s do something today. As far as climate change, think more carefully about your impact on the world. Can you walk more than drive? Can you purchase things that require less manufacturing? Can you buy cars that are less polluting? Sure you can. So you can also get a tub for your earthquake supplies. You can put a gallon of water person per day in there and toss in some hardy granola bars. Add a large zip-type bag of toilet supplies and you are one giant step on your way.
So, please, think of yourself, your family, and, if it helps, the polar bears. Some conscientious effort on your part will help us all.
(1) Read a great Op-Ed piece from the LA Times: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-oreskes-judging-climate-change-20120122,0,6437230.story
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Cruising Takes a Bruising
Aside from the snappy title, this weekend’s tragedy is far from light-hearted. A cruise ship called the Costa Concordia hit a reef Saturday, January 14, 2012, near Italy in its tour of the Mediterranean Sea. The Isola del Giglio, a lovely little island off the coast of Italy, situated just above the “knee” if you were to view Italy as a leg with a boot at the end, has a nasty little reef of sharp rocks just off its coast. Apparently the ship’s captain steered frighteningly very near the coast and off the original course when the ship found the rocks that lodged a giant boulder and put a 50 meter (150-foot) gash in the hull.
Whether human error or not, the real tragedy was seemingly in the manner in which the disaster was then handled. First of all, those on board were told that it was only an electrical problem, even though the ship was already starting to list. Secondly, the staff seemed ill-prepared to act appropriately to assemble and get people into life jackets and life rafts. Finally, the man at the helm, the ship’s Captain, did not react immediately to the situation and call for help. In fact, he left the vessel before everyone was off, which in Italy, carries a twelve-year sentence!
I have friends who cruise extensively and said that they feel very safe on the ships. While that is great, because disasters of this type CAN happen, however rare, we, as consumers, need to get more involved in our vacation plans than figuring out how many flip-flops to pack.
Whenever I travel, I consider the following things. I think you can find them helpful and possibly LIFE SAVING!
1. Always have maps of where you are, in the big picture and the small picture. When I travel, I like to have a street map of where I am, so I can use alternate routes if possible and steer away from areas that reportedly have problems. When I am in a hotel, the first thing I look at [after claiming which side of the bed I want...] is the emergency evacuation route on the back of the door. I want to know how far I am from the stairs and which way to turn if I cannot see because of smoke. I check windows to see if they open and what my options are if I need to exit that way. [NOTE: If I were in Burj Khalifa in Dubai, outside routes are definitely NOT an option... Curious how that would look? See the latest Mission Impossible-Ghost Protocol movie. Incredible.]
2. When flying, ALWAYS follow the emergency procedures spiel with the flight attendant. Check out the map and find out where your nearest two emergency exits are. Personally, I memorize where they ALL are.
3. Just because you are vacationing doesn’t mean that you aren’t prepared for emergencies! Find out where your emergency exits are. Check emergency equipment, such as fire extinguishers or fire alarms. Near water? Look for tsunami signs. In a foreign land? Learn at least a couple important phrases such as, “I need help,” “Fire,” and maybe the equivalent of “Get the heck out of here!”
4. Take responsibility. Take our cruise ship folks. Apparently no evacuation instructions were given, but if ANY emergency information is given, pay attention and then figure out how to do what they tell you when needed. If no information is given, seek it. Bug them! You pay good money for cruises, tours, or whatever, so make sure they do their job and give you all the tools necessary to make it safe and survivable.
I am not telling anyone to skip a cruise, or any other vacation plan, but you can prepare for it, so when the unthinkable happens, you will survive to tell the tale.
Article with photos of the disaster:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2086831/Costa-Concordia-cruise-ship-pictures-Trapped-survivor-Manrico-Giampedroni-airlifted-safety.html
Maps and diagram of ship and damage:
http://nationalpostnews.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/na0116_concordiahole1.gif
Whether human error or not, the real tragedy was seemingly in the manner in which the disaster was then handled. First of all, those on board were told that it was only an electrical problem, even though the ship was already starting to list. Secondly, the staff seemed ill-prepared to act appropriately to assemble and get people into life jackets and life rafts. Finally, the man at the helm, the ship’s Captain, did not react immediately to the situation and call for help. In fact, he left the vessel before everyone was off, which in Italy, carries a twelve-year sentence!
I have friends who cruise extensively and said that they feel very safe on the ships. While that is great, because disasters of this type CAN happen, however rare, we, as consumers, need to get more involved in our vacation plans than figuring out how many flip-flops to pack.
Whenever I travel, I consider the following things. I think you can find them helpful and possibly LIFE SAVING!
1. Always have maps of where you are, in the big picture and the small picture. When I travel, I like to have a street map of where I am, so I can use alternate routes if possible and steer away from areas that reportedly have problems. When I am in a hotel, the first thing I look at [after claiming which side of the bed I want...] is the emergency evacuation route on the back of the door. I want to know how far I am from the stairs and which way to turn if I cannot see because of smoke. I check windows to see if they open and what my options are if I need to exit that way. [NOTE: If I were in Burj Khalifa in Dubai, outside routes are definitely NOT an option... Curious how that would look? See the latest Mission Impossible-Ghost Protocol movie. Incredible.]
2. When flying, ALWAYS follow the emergency procedures spiel with the flight attendant. Check out the map and find out where your nearest two emergency exits are. Personally, I memorize where they ALL are.
3. Just because you are vacationing doesn’t mean that you aren’t prepared for emergencies! Find out where your emergency exits are. Check emergency equipment, such as fire extinguishers or fire alarms. Near water? Look for tsunami signs. In a foreign land? Learn at least a couple important phrases such as, “I need help,” “Fire,” and maybe the equivalent of “Get the heck out of here!”
4. Take responsibility. Take our cruise ship folks. Apparently no evacuation instructions were given, but if ANY emergency information is given, pay attention and then figure out how to do what they tell you when needed. If no information is given, seek it. Bug them! You pay good money for cruises, tours, or whatever, so make sure they do their job and give you all the tools necessary to make it safe and survivable.
I am not telling anyone to skip a cruise, or any other vacation plan, but you can prepare for it, so when the unthinkable happens, you will survive to tell the tale.
Article with photos of the disaster:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2086831/Costa-Concordia-cruise-ship-pictures-Trapped-survivor-Manrico-Giampedroni-airlifted-safety.html
Maps and diagram of ship and damage:
http://nationalpostnews.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/na0116_concordiahole1.gif
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
At last – an electronic device that understands me, literally!
In Las Vegas this week is the Consumer Electronics Show, or CES. Whether you know it by name or not, you have probably heard that this is THE event that announces all of the new gadgets that we cannot live without. This is a fabulous show, too, or so I have been told. Started in 1967 in New York City, this show is only open to those in the “biz,” or people who would market or sell these new fangled things and not the general public (us...). Nevertheless, the press is at this show and they are eager to let us all know vicariously what the latest technology is, soon in a store near you.
What caught my attention is the new smart phone app that basically becomes your TV remote control.* The best part is that there are no buttons to push (thankfully! because when I can’t get my TV remote to do what I want, I am hell bent on pushing EVERY button on the wretched thing...repeatedly and vigorously!). This literally turns your phone into your own teenager, but without the cost or dirty laundry. You can speak into the phone and tell it what you want your TV to do. How great is that!?
I recently got an iPhone and as much as I could never figure out why people gushed so much over their iPhones, I can now. It’s cute and smart and now I can even talk to it! “Siri, call my husband. Siri, set an alarm for 3:15...” and then it DOES the things I ask! They are also working on adding “gesture recognition,” which I would probably have to alter based on the gestures I currently make to get the TV to do what I want. [Does it recognize the throw-on-the-floor command?]
Think of the independence I will soon have. No longer will I need a spouse or child to help me record a TV program. No longer will I have to suffer their looks of exasperation or mocking laughter at trying to switch from DVD mode to regular TV. Ha! I can say to them. I don’t need you any more (well, at least for TV-related activities)! I have an app for that!
The next generation of these gadgets will use face recognition to identify who is running the show, which will make this gadget even better. It scans my face and knows which shows I like and what to offer me.
This technology is really fantastic and applicable to so many other facets in your life. You could inventory things, keep track of dates, and explore new alternatives, literally just by asking! Think of how much easier it will be to get prepared for just about anything! Wow, welcome to 2012, everyone.
See the article in the LA Times: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2012/01/ces-2012-vlingos-brings-a-virtual-helper-to-tv-viewing.html
What caught my attention is the new smart phone app that basically becomes your TV remote control.* The best part is that there are no buttons to push (thankfully! because when I can’t get my TV remote to do what I want, I am hell bent on pushing EVERY button on the wretched thing...repeatedly and vigorously!). This literally turns your phone into your own teenager, but without the cost or dirty laundry. You can speak into the phone and tell it what you want your TV to do. How great is that!?
I recently got an iPhone and as much as I could never figure out why people gushed so much over their iPhones, I can now. It’s cute and smart and now I can even talk to it! “Siri, call my husband. Siri, set an alarm for 3:15...” and then it DOES the things I ask! They are also working on adding “gesture recognition,” which I would probably have to alter based on the gestures I currently make to get the TV to do what I want. [Does it recognize the throw-on-the-floor command?]
Think of the independence I will soon have. No longer will I need a spouse or child to help me record a TV program. No longer will I have to suffer their looks of exasperation or mocking laughter at trying to switch from DVD mode to regular TV. Ha! I can say to them. I don’t need you any more (well, at least for TV-related activities)! I have an app for that!
The next generation of these gadgets will use face recognition to identify who is running the show, which will make this gadget even better. It scans my face and knows which shows I like and what to offer me.
This technology is really fantastic and applicable to so many other facets in your life. You could inventory things, keep track of dates, and explore new alternatives, literally just by asking! Think of how much easier it will be to get prepared for just about anything! Wow, welcome to 2012, everyone.
See the article in the LA Times: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2012/01/ces-2012-vlingos-brings-a-virtual-helper-to-tv-viewing.html
Monday, December 19, 2011
Toto, we are not in Kansas anymore – Thank Goodness!
Don’t get me wrong. I love Kansas. In fact, my mother was born in Coffeyville and I still have many family members who live there. If you have not been there, you really should go there some summer. It holds the largest piece of untouched prairie grassland in the country*. Standing in those grassy fields will let you feel nature in which native people thrived and early travelers encountered as they drove their wagons westward.
This morning Kansas was visited by a snow storm that is currently dumping several inches of havoc, especially in the southwest part of the state. Depths of over a foot are expected in many places, with gusty winds whipping those unique ice particles across highways and reducing visibility to practically zero. In short, no one is going anywhere any time soon.
I have now lived in California for over 20 years and even though I grew up in Michigan (complete with “snow days,” digging my car out of the driveway with a tractor, driving through blizzards, and shoveling snow for hours...), now I can barely survive a short walk to my car when the temperature dips below 50! So, truthfully, my chances of survival there are slim to none, with or without Toto. How do those hardy Kansans make it through something as severe as this? Well, one thing I can tell you is that they are definitely prepared for harsh weather. Whether it is a tornado blowing houses on witches, or snow drifting 6-foot high walls across highways, they know what to do. Been there, done that.
It is one of the things that we as emergency managers struggle against all the time. It is easy to get people to get prepared for something that they encounter regularly. In Kansas, for example, it is common for houses to have storm cellars for seeking shelter from tornadoes. In lieu of that, people know to seek shelter in low, inner floors, often in bathtubs where people have saved themselves. You can also bet that cars also carry a shovel, some chains and possibly a bag of salt in the trunk during the winter. Their survival depends on being prepared for these things and they know it.
Which gets me to my point (FINALLY, Sue...)... Getting people to prepare for things they have never or rarely seen or experienced is very difficult. A recent poll of students on campus found that most were not worried about nor prepared for earthquakes. Few were old enough to remember the Northridge earthquake that was the last quake to give the region a good shake. Even though they have seen images of Haiti, Chile, New Zealand and Japan in recent years, those are things that happen elsewhere. Not here. No experience with that, so it doesn’t exist.
So, this is what drives me. I don’t really want to be the Chicken Little with all that shouting about falling skies, but I do care about others. I really want them to be prepared, just like those Kansans. I want us to be prepared so that when something does happen, we can simply pull something out of the trunk. Dig ourselves out and go on because there is no place like home. Right, Toto?
*To “experience” a walk across the prairie, I highly recommend reading “PrairieErth” by William Least Heat-Moon. Long, but worth the journey.
This morning Kansas was visited by a snow storm that is currently dumping several inches of havoc, especially in the southwest part of the state. Depths of over a foot are expected in many places, with gusty winds whipping those unique ice particles across highways and reducing visibility to practically zero. In short, no one is going anywhere any time soon.
I have now lived in California for over 20 years and even though I grew up in Michigan (complete with “snow days,” digging my car out of the driveway with a tractor, driving through blizzards, and shoveling snow for hours...), now I can barely survive a short walk to my car when the temperature dips below 50! So, truthfully, my chances of survival there are slim to none, with or without Toto. How do those hardy Kansans make it through something as severe as this? Well, one thing I can tell you is that they are definitely prepared for harsh weather. Whether it is a tornado blowing houses on witches, or snow drifting 6-foot high walls across highways, they know what to do. Been there, done that.
It is one of the things that we as emergency managers struggle against all the time. It is easy to get people to get prepared for something that they encounter regularly. In Kansas, for example, it is common for houses to have storm cellars for seeking shelter from tornadoes. In lieu of that, people know to seek shelter in low, inner floors, often in bathtubs where people have saved themselves. You can also bet that cars also carry a shovel, some chains and possibly a bag of salt in the trunk during the winter. Their survival depends on being prepared for these things and they know it.
Which gets me to my point (FINALLY, Sue...)... Getting people to prepare for things they have never or rarely seen or experienced is very difficult. A recent poll of students on campus found that most were not worried about nor prepared for earthquakes. Few were old enough to remember the Northridge earthquake that was the last quake to give the region a good shake. Even though they have seen images of Haiti, Chile, New Zealand and Japan in recent years, those are things that happen elsewhere. Not here. No experience with that, so it doesn’t exist.
So, this is what drives me. I don’t really want to be the Chicken Little with all that shouting about falling skies, but I do care about others. I really want them to be prepared, just like those Kansans. I want us to be prepared so that when something does happen, we can simply pull something out of the trunk. Dig ourselves out and go on because there is no place like home. Right, Toto?
*To “experience” a walk across the prairie, I highly recommend reading “PrairieErth” by William Least Heat-Moon. Long, but worth the journey.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Anticipation of the Big Slugger
Anyone who is not a big baseball fan, and especially not an Angels fan, may not be too excited about this, but Albert Pujols is leaving St. Louis for the Big A. This is seriously great news for the Angels, but especially for fans, even moderate ones like myself. I am not one of those fans that dresses and possesses everything Angels, like jerseys, jackets, hats and (“Give it up for...”) the Rally Monkey, but I love the sound and rhythm of the game and enjoy sitting in the stadium with a few thousand similarly-minded people.
I have sat near “those fans,” however, and there is something unmistakably exciting about being in that sphere of semi-craziness. One woman, who I would have guessed to be the least likely to fall into this category OUTSIDE of the stadium, was clearly a one-person cheer squad INSIDE the stadium. She had on an Angels sleeveless t-shirt, but with designer jeans, high heels and fashionably coiffed hair. Even in her 60’s, she was obviously pretty fit, petite and surprising for her size, a huge set of pipes. Even at our elevated location (READ: Cheap seats), her interaction with the players and conversations about their actions on the field were not diminished in the slightest. In fact, I swore that one of the out-fielders on the far side of the field turned his head our way after one of her spicy admonishments.
She was not content, though, to just interact with her Angels. No, in fact, she interacted with everyone around her and expected you to join in. When a home run was hit, she slid up and down the aisles to high five half the people in Section 536. I thought she’s hit her pinnacle when late in the game and it had started get cool, she put on her premiere Angels jacket, with her beloved Bourjos’ name on the back. But no, with the Angels needed it most, she whipped out her Rally Monkey in the top of the 9th, and before you could say, “Give me a banana,” the Angels drove home two runs to take the lead and win the game.
You can be sure there were at least two rounds of high fives for that one.
It is really exciting to be in these situations where someone is so excited and so “into” something that they infect you with that enthusiasm. I wasn’t ready to dish out $150 for a personalized Angels jacket and whatever it was for a Rally Monkey (however obviously powerful that animal is...), but I think it was fun to be there and share the bit of craziness during a really fun game of baseball.
I really hope that someone near you can give you that electric rush of their unchecked spirit. I hope she can enthuse you with desire of doing something fun and even worthwhile. Like starting your emergency preparedness kit. I’m just saying.
Go Angels!
I have sat near “those fans,” however, and there is something unmistakably exciting about being in that sphere of semi-craziness. One woman, who I would have guessed to be the least likely to fall into this category OUTSIDE of the stadium, was clearly a one-person cheer squad INSIDE the stadium. She had on an Angels sleeveless t-shirt, but with designer jeans, high heels and fashionably coiffed hair. Even in her 60’s, she was obviously pretty fit, petite and surprising for her size, a huge set of pipes. Even at our elevated location (READ: Cheap seats), her interaction with the players and conversations about their actions on the field were not diminished in the slightest. In fact, I swore that one of the out-fielders on the far side of the field turned his head our way after one of her spicy admonishments.
She was not content, though, to just interact with her Angels. No, in fact, she interacted with everyone around her and expected you to join in. When a home run was hit, she slid up and down the aisles to high five half the people in Section 536. I thought she’s hit her pinnacle when late in the game and it had started get cool, she put on her premiere Angels jacket, with her beloved Bourjos’ name on the back. But no, with the Angels needed it most, she whipped out her Rally Monkey in the top of the 9th, and before you could say, “Give me a banana,” the Angels drove home two runs to take the lead and win the game.
You can be sure there were at least two rounds of high fives for that one.
It is really exciting to be in these situations where someone is so excited and so “into” something that they infect you with that enthusiasm. I wasn’t ready to dish out $150 for a personalized Angels jacket and whatever it was for a Rally Monkey (however obviously powerful that animal is...), but I think it was fun to be there and share the bit of craziness during a really fun game of baseball.
I really hope that someone near you can give you that electric rush of their unchecked spirit. I hope she can enthuse you with desire of doing something fun and even worthwhile. Like starting your emergency preparedness kit. I’m just saying.
Go Angels!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
One Square At A Time
It is often difficult to see how you, as one person, can make any difference at all. We’ve all heard that “one person” importance phrase in some form or another, but rarely can one truly visualize what that looks like.
Well, my friends (known and unknown to me), I can now say that I have not only seen it, I was a part of it. This past weekend, I joined a group of remarkable women who were crocheting 3-inch squares (8-centimeter squares, for those metrically advanced). Hundreds of them, in varying hues and patterns. Individually, of course, it looked like the tail end of a summer camp craft project, with seemingly no focal point.
Then I saw it. Laid out on a table, I saw them, coloring the gray table, taking shape, rising above its individual pieces. I saw the sky and clouds, I saw the great orange balloon, symbol of Orange County and the Great Park, like the one hanging resolutely outside. Slowly, beautifully, those tiny squares were becoming much more than the sum of its parts.
To put this into perspective, this is the work of an uncommon genius. Thinking WAY outside the box, my lovely friend does this craft for herself, for others but, more, for the community, places far outside herself. Her work has covered cars, animals (just frames, not real ones, of course...), floors and walls. This particular work of art (approximately 8-foot by 20-foot) will soon be a “cozy” to be wrapped around one of the stately 30-foot date palms just outside her studio.
As a whole you can easily see the image as it was intended, all colors in the right place to create the cozy's big picture. Unusual, certainly... I mean covering a full size palm tree in yarn!? But there it was, a single piece of stunning art.
So this is how it works. Any project, no matter how difficult or daunting or just so unpleasant, you just can’t start, really can get done. You start with one little thing, then keep going, piece by piece, until suddenly you are there. Like your emergency kit – You put it together, item by item, then before you know it, you are prepared!
You can get yourself prepared for disasters, or anything really. You just need to start with one little three inch square. It can be done. I’ve seen it.
View the artwork of Amy Caterina at: http://freerangeamy.com.
Well, my friends (known and unknown to me), I can now say that I have not only seen it, I was a part of it. This past weekend, I joined a group of remarkable women who were crocheting 3-inch squares (8-centimeter squares, for those metrically advanced). Hundreds of them, in varying hues and patterns. Individually, of course, it looked like the tail end of a summer camp craft project, with seemingly no focal point.
Then I saw it. Laid out on a table, I saw them, coloring the gray table, taking shape, rising above its individual pieces. I saw the sky and clouds, I saw the great orange balloon, symbol of Orange County and the Great Park, like the one hanging resolutely outside. Slowly, beautifully, those tiny squares were becoming much more than the sum of its parts.
To put this into perspective, this is the work of an uncommon genius. Thinking WAY outside the box, my lovely friend does this craft for herself, for others but, more, for the community, places far outside herself. Her work has covered cars, animals (just frames, not real ones, of course...), floors and walls. This particular work of art (approximately 8-foot by 20-foot) will soon be a “cozy” to be wrapped around one of the stately 30-foot date palms just outside her studio.
As a whole you can easily see the image as it was intended, all colors in the right place to create the cozy's big picture. Unusual, certainly... I mean covering a full size palm tree in yarn!? But there it was, a single piece of stunning art.
So this is how it works. Any project, no matter how difficult or daunting or just so unpleasant, you just can’t start, really can get done. You start with one little thing, then keep going, piece by piece, until suddenly you are there. Like your emergency kit – You put it together, item by item, then before you know it, you are prepared!
You can get yourself prepared for disasters, or anything really. You just need to start with one little three inch square. It can be done. I’ve seen it.
View the artwork of Amy Caterina at: http://freerangeamy.com.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Sadly, Why We Practice
It is still shocking to envision that island in Norway where on July 22 a lone gunman, dressed as a police officer, could simply walk through a youth camp and shoot 69 people dead. Immediately, we have all tried to sort it out – How could he do such a thing? Why would he target children? Why couldn’t anyone stop him?
As a parent, I am utterly heartbroken when I think of the parents running these very questions in a continuous loop through their minds, haunting every waking and sleeping moment. It was all so senseless, so inhumane. And yet, these things do happen. They happen in Norway, at Virginia Tech (32 dead), at Columbine (13 dead), at Northern Illinois University (21 dead), Beslan, Russia (334 dead, 186 were children)... Sadly, they happen.
If there is a small glimmer of silver hope in this story, it is that these occurrences are relatively rare. Generally, schools are safe places and gunmen do not freely roam the streets [in most of the world...]. But the fact that they DO happen, CAN happen, that we practice. We simulate “active shooter” scenarios and practice how we could quickly amount an attack and stop the attacker before he gets very far.
On Friday, July 29, we, at Cal State Fullerton, practiced this scenario. We set up a full-scale exercise to allow our first responders (University Police, surrounding Police and Fire agencies and our on-campus medical response team) to see, hear and feel what it is like to “be there.” We made our “victims” look like injured victims. [Kudos to our great make up team at CSUF!] We had guns that fire blanks so they everyone could hear what a gunshot sounds like and experience that first shock at how loud it really is. Police attack teams quickly formed and pursued the gunman. Police and Fire worked together in teams to rescue the injured.
Honestly, it was incredible to watch. They played, they worked, they learned. People who had never worked together before clicked into place. They had one common purpose – to pursue the gunman and bring him down.
I can’t help but think that if those teenagers in Norway had received some “fight back” training when confronted with an Active Shooter that the outcome could have been much different. We are now training people that sometimes you can’t just hide – that you have to actively participate in your survival. Of course when you just see yourself as a kid against a man – a “police man!” – with a gun, it must have seemed quite hopeless. But there are tactics out there that can be employed in such situations and we need to start teaching them.
So, this is why we practice. We try to engage as many people as possible that survival in any situation takes practice and knowledge. So, while it is sad that we need to practice these things, we practice because we know that if that one day comes, we will already have the skills to respond.
To see some great photos of our Active Shooter exercise, please to go http://prepare.fullerton.edu. Thank you to all who participated. You are awesome.
As a parent, I am utterly heartbroken when I think of the parents running these very questions in a continuous loop through their minds, haunting every waking and sleeping moment. It was all so senseless, so inhumane. And yet, these things do happen. They happen in Norway, at Virginia Tech (32 dead), at Columbine (13 dead), at Northern Illinois University (21 dead), Beslan, Russia (334 dead, 186 were children)... Sadly, they happen.
If there is a small glimmer of silver hope in this story, it is that these occurrences are relatively rare. Generally, schools are safe places and gunmen do not freely roam the streets [in most of the world...]. But the fact that they DO happen, CAN happen, that we practice. We simulate “active shooter” scenarios and practice how we could quickly amount an attack and stop the attacker before he gets very far.
On Friday, July 29, we, at Cal State Fullerton, practiced this scenario. We set up a full-scale exercise to allow our first responders (University Police, surrounding Police and Fire agencies and our on-campus medical response team) to see, hear and feel what it is like to “be there.” We made our “victims” look like injured victims. [Kudos to our great make up team at CSUF!] We had guns that fire blanks so they everyone could hear what a gunshot sounds like and experience that first shock at how loud it really is. Police attack teams quickly formed and pursued the gunman. Police and Fire worked together in teams to rescue the injured.
Honestly, it was incredible to watch. They played, they worked, they learned. People who had never worked together before clicked into place. They had one common purpose – to pursue the gunman and bring him down.
I can’t help but think that if those teenagers in Norway had received some “fight back” training when confronted with an Active Shooter that the outcome could have been much different. We are now training people that sometimes you can’t just hide – that you have to actively participate in your survival. Of course when you just see yourself as a kid against a man – a “police man!” – with a gun, it must have seemed quite hopeless. But there are tactics out there that can be employed in such situations and we need to start teaching them.
So, this is why we practice. We try to engage as many people as possible that survival in any situation takes practice and knowledge. So, while it is sad that we need to practice these things, we practice because we know that if that one day comes, we will already have the skills to respond.
To see some great photos of our Active Shooter exercise, please to go http://prepare.fullerton.edu. Thank you to all who participated. You are awesome.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
The rockets red flare, bombs bursting in air...
The Fourth of July is such a pleasant holiday. Typically in nice (hot) weather, this day is a day to be proud that you are an American and BBQ-ing in the backyard. All is great until the sun goes down, however, then KABOOM, all bets are off.
Before anyone thinks that I don’t like fireworks, I have to say that I do like seeing those bright lights and colors exploding overhead. That, however, is not the problem. It’s the “non-professional” fireworks that cause me worry. Last year, nearly 9000 people required medical treatment for injuries sustained while setting off their own snap, crackle, pop. Nearly 40% of those injured were under the age of 15. A third of firework injuries involved the hand and by and large, that hand was male. Most people think of firework injuries the result of firecrackers, which certain do pack a wallop, but more than half of the injuries are from burns – and half of those burns are from Sparklers.
Sparklers? Really? Jeesh, Sparklers are those things you give little kids to play with, right? Yes, and that is the problem. What you may not know is that Sparklers burn exceedingly hot. Depending on the chemical used, they can burn at 1200 degrees Fahrenheit or more. (For reference, glass melts at a balmy 900 degrees.) So, now think of any other circumstance in which you would give a little kid something hotter than molten glass...
Fireworks also caused more than 18,000 fires in 2009, 700 of which were homes and 400 were vehicles. Additionally, many pets run away over this holiday and some injure themselves trying to escape the loud noise.
So, my new category – prepare for the Fourth of July! Along with getting out the BBQ, husking some corn and baking an apple pie, make sure that your pets are locked indoors and safe. Some soothing music would help, too. Make sure that your lawn has been watered thoroughly and no piles of leaves or dried debris are lying around. Keep an eye on the “celebrators” in your neighborhood and discourage any fireworks displays in front of your house (which could range from asking them politely to calling the police).
Don’t become a statistic during this holiday. Relax, enjoy your good cooking and be glad you’re an American. Just without the red glare.
Before anyone thinks that I don’t like fireworks, I have to say that I do like seeing those bright lights and colors exploding overhead. That, however, is not the problem. It’s the “non-professional” fireworks that cause me worry. Last year, nearly 9000 people required medical treatment for injuries sustained while setting off their own snap, crackle, pop. Nearly 40% of those injured were under the age of 15. A third of firework injuries involved the hand and by and large, that hand was male. Most people think of firework injuries the result of firecrackers, which certain do pack a wallop, but more than half of the injuries are from burns – and half of those burns are from Sparklers.
Sparklers? Really? Jeesh, Sparklers are those things you give little kids to play with, right? Yes, and that is the problem. What you may not know is that Sparklers burn exceedingly hot. Depending on the chemical used, they can burn at 1200 degrees Fahrenheit or more. (For reference, glass melts at a balmy 900 degrees.) So, now think of any other circumstance in which you would give a little kid something hotter than molten glass...
Fireworks also caused more than 18,000 fires in 2009, 700 of which were homes and 400 were vehicles. Additionally, many pets run away over this holiday and some injure themselves trying to escape the loud noise.
So, my new category – prepare for the Fourth of July! Along with getting out the BBQ, husking some corn and baking an apple pie, make sure that your pets are locked indoors and safe. Some soothing music would help, too. Make sure that your lawn has been watered thoroughly and no piles of leaves or dried debris are lying around. Keep an eye on the “celebrators” in your neighborhood and discourage any fireworks displays in front of your house (which could range from asking them politely to calling the police).
Don’t become a statistic during this holiday. Relax, enjoy your good cooking and be glad you’re an American. Just without the red glare.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Prepredness can't take a vacation
My husband thinks that I can take a week or two off from my blog when on vacation, but I just can't. I am a little obsessed possibly, but I can't help it. Things keep popping in my head and I need to get them out!
For example, I was curious how Hawaiians prepare for disaster. It is so beautiful and relaxed here with the weather sunny and 85 year round, it sure would make it hard to think of anything going bad. But I suppose with the tsunamis hitting recently and a gigantic volcano on the other side of the island blowing out several thousands of tons of lava every day or two, it really should give anyone pause.
Responsibly, Hawaii has a state emergency preparedness site with the usual references to FEMA information but with a little local add on that I really thought was great. Along with the usual list of water, food, medicine, it was noted that it should all fit in a five gallon bucket. Wait, that's genius! Each person could have their own bucket with their clothes, small tools, food and such. Customizing these buckets and making each person in the household responsible for keeping their bucket up to date is a fantastic idea! Of course, depending on the age of the child, he or she would need a little guidance (I can see my daugher filling hers with chocolate -- and shes 16!), but this really would make keeping clothes rotated out and up to date. Even in a disaster, I can just see my teenagers refusing to wear something that I put in their emergency kit. "Mom, what were you thinking when you put THAT in there?!"
So, see, in paradise, you can get some work done. You just need to get away from it all sometimes to discover things you'd never thought of before. Well, that and maybe the mai tai... Aloha.
For example, I was curious how Hawaiians prepare for disaster. It is so beautiful and relaxed here with the weather sunny and 85 year round, it sure would make it hard to think of anything going bad. But I suppose with the tsunamis hitting recently and a gigantic volcano on the other side of the island blowing out several thousands of tons of lava every day or two, it really should give anyone pause.
Responsibly, Hawaii has a state emergency preparedness site with the usual references to FEMA information but with a little local add on that I really thought was great. Along with the usual list of water, food, medicine, it was noted that it should all fit in a five gallon bucket. Wait, that's genius! Each person could have their own bucket with their clothes, small tools, food and such. Customizing these buckets and making each person in the household responsible for keeping their bucket up to date is a fantastic idea! Of course, depending on the age of the child, he or she would need a little guidance (I can see my daugher filling hers with chocolate -- and shes 16!), but this really would make keeping clothes rotated out and up to date. Even in a disaster, I can just see my teenagers refusing to wear something that I put in their emergency kit. "Mom, what were you thinking when you put THAT in there?!"
So, see, in paradise, you can get some work done. You just need to get away from it all sometimes to discover things you'd never thought of before. Well, that and maybe the mai tai... Aloha.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Prepare for Paradise
Yes, well, this does sound a little ridiculous, but preparedness does not stop at your own door. Regardless of where you are, your little pocket mouse is still there and reminding you of what you need to do to keep yourself and your family ready to face whatever it is. For example, I am writing this blog today from Hawaii. I might add that it is not just from Hawaii (the Big Island to clarify), but from a place sitting right on the ocean, from which I can glance up and see surfers riding curling waves toward a lava rock shore. Honestly, it is awesome.
When packing for this trip, I went through the same steps as I would for any trip in my car. Remember to have water, change of clothes, first aid kit, flashlight. It’s now all in a bag in our rental car. Everyone has orders to have all cell phones charged before leaving in the morning. Gas tank is never less than half full. It is remarkably easy to do. It is just something that is a part of your checklist when traveling.
Kona was hit pretty hard with the Tsunami last March and while most everyone is back in business, you can still see the effects. New walls, a house blocked up and boarded up, new furniture in many downtown restaurants that are on the ocean side of the street. It is so hard to imagine that a wave (several actually) dispatched from Japan could wreak so much havoc so far away.
But it did and it was a reminder to all – residents and visitors alike – that even Paradise can be dangerous. Just remember to be prepared and you’ll be back surfing in no time.
Aloha.
When packing for this trip, I went through the same steps as I would for any trip in my car. Remember to have water, change of clothes, first aid kit, flashlight. It’s now all in a bag in our rental car. Everyone has orders to have all cell phones charged before leaving in the morning. Gas tank is never less than half full. It is remarkably easy to do. It is just something that is a part of your checklist when traveling.
Kona was hit pretty hard with the Tsunami last March and while most everyone is back in business, you can still see the effects. New walls, a house blocked up and boarded up, new furniture in many downtown restaurants that are on the ocean side of the street. It is so hard to imagine that a wave (several actually) dispatched from Japan could wreak so much havoc so far away.
But it did and it was a reminder to all – residents and visitors alike – that even Paradise can be dangerous. Just remember to be prepared and you’ll be back surfing in no time.
Aloha.
Monday, May 23, 2011
We're Still Here
Personally, I am really over hearing about The End that didn’t come on Saturday, May 21, 2011 by 6 pm (any time zone, Earth). And, on that note, I should really leave it alone, but it points out something that is completely related to what I have been saying about being prepared. In the face of something insurmountable, we either 1) Do nothing, or 2) Look for an easy way out.
I was shocked, as many probably were, of the stories of people who sold everything, packed their bags and literally waited at the curb to “be taken.” Since nothing did happen, it really seems absurd, but that is exactly what we do when faced with something over which we have so little control. For example, there was a story of man whose house was in foreclosure and he'd lost his job, so maxed out his credit cards to get him to May 21 when it would all finally be over. He simply felt helpless and saw this as a solution to all his problems.
When preparing for anything that scares us, makes us uncomfortable, or depresses us, we will do nearly anything to avoid it. In college, I used to suddenly become obsessed with cleaning my apartment instead working on some complicated physics problems. Not that I don’t like my house clean, but at any other time of my life, I could have cared less about competing with Rosie the Robot. It’s simply avoidance. Or, perhaps, substitution of doing something we know we can accomplish rather than tackle something that seems so impossible to do.
So, here is some help. My favorite place to start is with a case of water. Easy Peasy. Stop home on the way from work or school and put a case in the trunk of your car. It is probably on sale anyway. Then for the rest of the week, think about what would make you uncomfortable if you got stranded in your car. Personally, I hate being uncomfortable and cold, so I make sure I have a comfortable pair of walking shoes, socks and a nice warm blanket along with my case of water. Chances are, you have an old pair of running shoes that might not look so good any more, but would be welcome relief if you get stuck somewhere away from home in those incredibly sexy, but highly impractical, three-inch heels.
To best utilize your trunk space, I recommend a bag for all of this stuff (except the case of water, which I leave by itself). A gym bag would work. Or, one “freebie” is that heavy-duty clear plastic zippered case that new blankets and sheet-sets come in. They often have handles and are great for this purpose. They zip to keep dirt out, but they are clear so you can see what is in them.
So, we’re still here and there’s lots to do, but it’s really not all that hard. You just have to start and I am here to help you. You can count on that. Really.
I was shocked, as many probably were, of the stories of people who sold everything, packed their bags and literally waited at the curb to “be taken.” Since nothing did happen, it really seems absurd, but that is exactly what we do when faced with something over which we have so little control. For example, there was a story of man whose house was in foreclosure and he'd lost his job, so maxed out his credit cards to get him to May 21 when it would all finally be over. He simply felt helpless and saw this as a solution to all his problems.
When preparing for anything that scares us, makes us uncomfortable, or depresses us, we will do nearly anything to avoid it. In college, I used to suddenly become obsessed with cleaning my apartment instead working on some complicated physics problems. Not that I don’t like my house clean, but at any other time of my life, I could have cared less about competing with Rosie the Robot. It’s simply avoidance. Or, perhaps, substitution of doing something we know we can accomplish rather than tackle something that seems so impossible to do.
So, here is some help. My favorite place to start is with a case of water. Easy Peasy. Stop home on the way from work or school and put a case in the trunk of your car. It is probably on sale anyway. Then for the rest of the week, think about what would make you uncomfortable if you got stranded in your car. Personally, I hate being uncomfortable and cold, so I make sure I have a comfortable pair of walking shoes, socks and a nice warm blanket along with my case of water. Chances are, you have an old pair of running shoes that might not look so good any more, but would be welcome relief if you get stuck somewhere away from home in those incredibly sexy, but highly impractical, three-inch heels.
To best utilize your trunk space, I recommend a bag for all of this stuff (except the case of water, which I leave by itself). A gym bag would work. Or, one “freebie” is that heavy-duty clear plastic zippered case that new blankets and sheet-sets come in. They often have handles and are great for this purpose. They zip to keep dirt out, but they are clear so you can see what is in them.
So, we’re still here and there’s lots to do, but it’s really not all that hard. You just have to start and I am here to help you. You can count on that. Really.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Word
Word Power! Word On! Go Words! That is the extent of my cheer list, but words can be powerful stuff and we sometimes forget that. For example, I teach an Occupational Health class through the Health Science Department here at the University and my students had to write a 10-15 page paper (yeah, am I mean or crazy?), that examined the duties of a particular occupation and its associated hazards and prevention methods. As usual, there was the range of the stunningly wonderful paper to the, well, the not so wonderful. And, what makes the difference? The words!
Words, carefully chosen and assembled, can create visual images, deliver important information or even teach. They can tell a story, provide details to a process or event or provide the opportunity to experience something from another person’s perspective. In the right order, they can be powerful. Elegant. Musical. They can make a person say, “Wow!” or “Beautiful,” or give a person pause.
I am reminded of this aspect of words when considering of the importance of communication – for any reason. I am communicating right now – through my blog – in the hopes of telling you a story, however brief, that will make you say, “Gee, I never thought of that before.” And, just because it is in my personality and, quite frankly, I can’t help myself, I always like to throw in something to make you smile or possibly solicit an LOL.
When I tell people why we need to be prepared for emergencies, I carefully choose my words. Words can act like clubs, a tap on a shoulder, or even a tickle. They make the difference of inviting a reader, or turning them off, so it is important that you know how to use them to your advantage.
They are powerful stuff, those words, so choose carefully. Go Words!
Words, carefully chosen and assembled, can create visual images, deliver important information or even teach. They can tell a story, provide details to a process or event or provide the opportunity to experience something from another person’s perspective. In the right order, they can be powerful. Elegant. Musical. They can make a person say, “Wow!” or “Beautiful,” or give a person pause.
I am reminded of this aspect of words when considering of the importance of communication – for any reason. I am communicating right now – through my blog – in the hopes of telling you a story, however brief, that will make you say, “Gee, I never thought of that before.” And, just because it is in my personality and, quite frankly, I can’t help myself, I always like to throw in something to make you smile or possibly solicit an LOL.
When I tell people why we need to be prepared for emergencies, I carefully choose my words. Words can act like clubs, a tap on a shoulder, or even a tickle. They make the difference of inviting a reader, or turning them off, so it is important that you know how to use them to your advantage.
They are powerful stuff, those words, so choose carefully. Go Words!
Monday, May 2, 2011
A Community that Plans Together...
...Survives together. This weekend I was reminded of the importance of community. Not that I had really forgotten. I have been a member of the North Orange County League of Women Voters for years and they represent the ultimate in community activism and participation in those political activities that make a difference to your every day life. This weekend, however, I finished the last segment of a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) course offered by the cities of Brea and Placentia. The concept is simple – give ordinary citizens some basic skills in emergency response so that they can be valuable resources in times of crisis.
When I looked around at my fellow students, I felt some really deep satisfaction. These are people who live in my city, perhaps close by, and are willing to pitch in and help themselves and others around them when the time comes. Now WHEN that time comes, is never known, but when it DOES come, they have a leg up on how to make the best of it.
In some ways, it was more like a fun family reunion for that final day than something that takes away eight hours of a Saturday. We watched an interesting video on the miraculous survival of that 1989 plane crash in Iowa (all due to PRACTICING for a disaster!), then participated in a hands-on exercise to find “victims” of an earthquake, triage and rescue them. And, just like all authentic family get-togethers, we had a delicious potluck, an amazing array of great food, courtesy of us CERT students.
And this is how communities survive. We learn important things, we plan and practice, we communicate and share things (especially food!) – all of which builds a community capable of assembling itself in times of disaster.
It’s a great comfort knowing that there are other like-minded people in my neighborhood, who, regardless of their physical abilities, are mentally prepared to be there and help me when I need it most.
Thank you, neighbor.
When I looked around at my fellow students, I felt some really deep satisfaction. These are people who live in my city, perhaps close by, and are willing to pitch in and help themselves and others around them when the time comes. Now WHEN that time comes, is never known, but when it DOES come, they have a leg up on how to make the best of it.
In some ways, it was more like a fun family reunion for that final day than something that takes away eight hours of a Saturday. We watched an interesting video on the miraculous survival of that 1989 plane crash in Iowa (all due to PRACTICING for a disaster!), then participated in a hands-on exercise to find “victims” of an earthquake, triage and rescue them. And, just like all authentic family get-togethers, we had a delicious potluck, an amazing array of great food, courtesy of us CERT students.
And this is how communities survive. We learn important things, we plan and practice, we communicate and share things (especially food!) – all of which builds a community capable of assembling itself in times of disaster.
It’s a great comfort knowing that there are other like-minded people in my neighborhood, who, regardless of their physical abilities, are mentally prepared to be there and help me when I need it most.
Thank you, neighbor.
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