We still live in areas with hazards, nothings changed

So, I have been retired from Emergency Management for almost a year; I have done some public speaking on disaster preparedness as a community service and find how surprising it is that people still are not preparing for disaster.  A couple of things have made me think harder about this and why it’s different for me (and maybe you).  Someone posted a question on twitter last week, and it was this.  “Nurses and phlebotomists spend time looking at veins to draw blood from, and when off duty can’t help but notice people’s veins; what can’t you not notice?”

Well for me it’s, hazards of where and how we live.  I can’t not look at a high rise (or mid-rise) in an earthquake area and not think “uo – oh”.  Or a low-lying home near a river and not think, “wonder if they are prepared for flooding”.

The second thing that gave moments for pause was this; I walk most every day for exercise; while walking I normally listen to NPR or a podcast.  I just finished a 9 episode podcast called “The Big One – Your Survival Guide”.  It was produced by KPCC Public Radio of LA; I highly recommend this well done and thought-provoking piece.

Many things were fascinating and I learned some new things, but the most fascinating thing to me (the thing I could not, not see) was one of the last episodes the whole crew talked candidly with each other (as we listened) about how they had spent months researching, interviewing experts and recording these episodes and most of them had not made headway in preparing for the Big One, even though they knew they lived on the San Andres Fault. 

Here is what I walked away with is:

1.     People can’t focus on the Big one, because unlike a Hurricane we don’t know when it will arrive.

2.     Delivering bad news doesn’t work; we need to show people the benefit of preparing (see #1).

3.     Optimism is bad; it causes the brain to underestimate bad things and overestimate good things. Think win lottery.

Going forward I will try to remember those points as I talk to people, but I still need to help people be prepared.   

Next week I am talking to a group of HOA board presidents who live in buildings on Alki.  I can’t not see the hazards of their buildings.  Small Sea Wall, Sandy Soil, Hill Side behind them, one way out… Sigh

disasterdave

Smoke on the Water

I really never thought I would write a blog post on forest fire smoke for Seattle, but here we are just finishing up 3 days of dense smoke hundreds of miles from the fires and this morning they are predicting more dense smoke starting Monday from the 56 fires in British Columbia to our north.

Well did we learn anything during the last smoke event?

• Yes, we learned that only an N95 mask will protect you from the particulates and that the stores have run out. 

• We learned how uncomfortable it is in our apartments on a 91 degree day with all the windows shut.

• We learned how to make a MacGyver air filter with a box fan for around 30 bucks; but the stores are out of them.

So a few things to do during the calm before the next Smoke Storm:

Go to the hardware store and get a box of N95 Masks while they are in stock, or if you have  a Prime account order today and they will be here tomorrow

Get yourself a box fan and a filter to filter your air

Try to adjust your schedule so you don’t spend time exercising or doing lots of out door things. Remember it’s not just smelly, it has small particles that you don’t want lodged in your lungs.  
 

And here from Washington State Department of Health are a bunch of other good tips

Guess I’ll start getting ready for next week too.

What to write about next, falling stars?

Disasterdave

Unregistered Volunteers - Maybe not

If you have read any of my writings on volunteer management, you will take away that I am strongly in favor of organized disaster response volunteer efforts.  My feeling is that Spontaneous Unregistered Volunteers (SUV's in the biz) are dangerous to themselves and the operation (kind of like my feelings on unsolicited donations, but that's a different blog post).  In 2012 coming out of a response in Malaysia I wrote this about  People want to help .  

As I watch & listen to things unfolding in Texas (Its not just about Houston) following Hurricane Harvey, I have been thinking maybe we I need to update my definition of SUV's.

Case in point- The Cajun Navy - they came out of Katrina response, Citizens with boats.  It seems no special organization or response structure, but boy did they make a difference, and virtually no one tried to turn them away.  I spent several days on Zello  listening to them operate.  They not only brought boats, but they also brought "dispatchers".  And I was amazed, proud and happy they were there saving lives.  Listening to their professionalism and drive often brought me tears as I listened to them drop people off and ask for an other rescue.

So, maybe we still have spontaneous  unregistered volunteers, people with no plan but to help; and a third group - Informal Ad-hoc Volunteers IAV? But with no office or 501c3 how to write them into your plan?  

Maybe you write a space in your plan for them?  I don't know, now that I have seen a successful operation by a not organization? I need to think of a way to account for this and utilize, support and help them help us.

Good work Cajun Navy 

Disaster Dave 

Guest blog post

One of the things I prepare for and hope not ot use when I Deploy for ShelterBox is first aid skills.  Below is a link to a very good succinct First aid primer.  It doesn't replace taking a good back country first aid class (in fact it makes that point).  
So whether you go to disasters, spend time in the  back country or just around town, having some first aid skills (and kit) is a must.

Wilderness First Aid - Be Prepared Before Venturing to the Backcountry

 Cheers, 
Disaster Dave

Reflections on Cascadia Rising

Well its almost the 4th of July, kids are out of school, everyone is enjoying upcoming vacations and here Cascadia Rising is over.  All of the articles written about what it really meant for a Cascadia event have been forgotten.  Like this one The Most Devastating Quake In US History Is Headed for Portland   And who could forget this scary article. The Really Big One  

But with the event for those of us who "played" in it, it was apparent that we (individuals, neighborhoods, cities) will be on our own for a bit of time.  So lets not forget the fact that we do live in a seismic area and we do need to take some responsibility for protecting our family and ourselves.  A couple of my previous articles might jump start you or get you to finish up the planning you started.
neighbors-as-responders 

build-your-own-emergency-kit-updated 

  

Enjoy the 4th of July 

Disaster Dave

Vacation Preparedness

Something I have written about before is preparedness for vacation, but in the light of the Tunisia attack we need to plan for an egress in case of danger.   Its not the first thing you think about on vacation, but in light of how things seem to be going its not a bad way to think, not dwell on or stay home, but to consider.

One of my friends & classmates from the Emergency Management Academy is an Emergency Manager named  Greg Santa Maria who recently posted on his Facebook about something he teaches called "the Greg Minute".  

In his own words Greg writes "When I teach Active Shooter classes, I encourage the attendees to practice the "Greg Minute". I ask them to set a random alarm on their phone that's during waking hours. Every day when the alarm goes off, wherever they are, they should spend 30 seconds considering their escape route should a shooter begin firing a weapon. The second 30 seconds is spent considering an alternate escape because the first is not viable.
I get so many positive responses from that one small, but priceless piece of advice. It takes a minute a day to save your life."

I think this piece of advice could provide you with peace of mind in unfamiliar areas, but I am willing to compromise with you if you may not want an alarm going off everyday of your vacation. You should take some time to look at your surroundings when you arrive someplace new and think "what would I do if..."


Lets be safe out there and enjoy our vacation

DisasterDave

Build your own Emergency Kit - updated

  By now you have read the NY Times Article or read a story about the NY Times article.  Then of course this happened: Earthquake Kits Selling Like Hotcakes After Terrifying New Yorker Story
 If these are flying off shelves as part of a complete planning process by people great!  If they are going where I think they are (closets, basements) then its a failure; it will take more than a prepacked kit for you to make it through a catastrophic event.

I am not a fan of buying an emergency kit; it typically will be thrown in a corner and forgotten, besides who wants to eat wood chips and drink 10 year old water.

Kits need to be packed piece by piece by the person so it reflects their needs and desires - mine has chocolate and a wine bottle opener !

Instead of buying a kit, make one; here are there sites I recommend, there are others:

http://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Survival-Kit-Checklist nice printable list to start from

http://www.redcross.org/prepare/location/home-family/get-kit The Red Cross the experts

http://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit  because I guess we have to include the feds.

and then start answering some hard questions:
Where will you go with your kit? 
What if you are at work and your kit is at home? 
Where will you meet your family or friends after the quake? 

Don't be scared , just get prepared

Disasterdave