Be prepared to take care of yourself

[Keith]

Be prepared to take care of yourself

Emergency crews can only do so much in days after quake, other disaster

By Charles F. Bostwick, Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Families, individuals and neighborhoods had better prepare to take care of themselves for the first three days after an earthquake or other disaster, local officials say.

Because as Hurricane Katrina showed, the government won't be there to take care of everybody immediately.

"It starts at home. It doesn't start with us. It starts with you. You have to be prepared. You have to prepare your homes and your families," said Los Angeles County Fire Department Assistant Chief Mark Bennett.

Fire, sheriff, city and Red Cross representatives took part in a panel discussion Tuesday at an Antelope Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce luncheon to talk about disaster preparedness. All stressed the importance of individuals taking action to care for themselves.

"Self-preparedness is absolutely the key. It doesn't end with just having the proper supplies in your house. You've got to have the proper plan," sheriff's Deputy Dave Jennings said.

Los Angeles County authorities are more organized than federal, state and local officials were in Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina, the officials said, but immediately after a disaster they will be concentrating on people with life-threatening injuries.

Hospitals will be turning away 80 percent of the people who show up there, telephone and cell-phone systems will likely be jammed and public water systems could be unusable for days, they said.

Just as hurricane survivors in New Orleans complained that police cars passed them by when they were signaling for help, local officials said that is likely to happen if a giant earthquake strikes the Antelope Valley. The first role of sheriff's deputies will be to get to the Little Rock Dam, hospitals and other important public facilities to assess the damage.

"We're going to have to be passing up people who need our help just so we can assess the situation and that's going to be hard for us," Jennings said.

People should have a plan for what to do if a disaster strikes

when their children are in school. People should also organize in their neighborhoods, where they will need to look after people with special needs such as invalids.

"You need to start thinking along a small-town mentality. In the old days, everybody knew each other. You knew your neighbor," said Bert Perry, Lancaster's disaster preparedness coordinator.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department offers training for residents to cope with earthquakes and other disasters, based on the Community Emergency Response Team concept developed by the Los Angeles Fire Department in 1985.

The next Antelope Valley Community Emergency Response Team training will start Nov. 5 in Lancaster.

While a giant earthquake remains Southern California's main fear, emergency-preparedness officials also carry out training in how to react to radioactive "dirty bombs" and other terrorist attacks.

"We're in a different age. We're not thinking of earthquakes only," Perry said.

Link to Article...

http://www2.dailynews.com/antelopevalley/ci_3086886

[nebula]

Unfortunately, it makes a lot of sense.

When you have 100,000 people (and that's a low number if you think about it), and you only have maybe 1000 rescue workers. . . .

[Keith]

I agree Nebula. We live in a society where everyone wants someone else to take care of them and do the work. This is caused by society's addiction to the media and advertising. It caters to greed and self. "You deserve the best!"

People need to start taking some responsibility for their own well-being in case anything should happen. People will eventually work together and help each other, but it's not going to happen immediately if a big disaster should strike, especially in a largely populated area. Even in rural areas because cities, towns, governments and the people themselves are strapped. Avenues of help and assistance are trying to stretch what little they have left. Donations are at an all-time low.

[CarolineS]

I agree.

We have to learn to depend on ourselves and each other. The government, local police, and emergency crews have their hands full when a large scale disaster strikes.

In fact, I am glad we live in a rural area. We can grow food and can it, store it,

have chickens, cattle, gas tanks. My husband can hunt pheasants, deer, fish, ice fish and can drive around with a shotgun in his pickup. We also have some very good and godly neighbors.

We all have to learn to help each other and survive if a disaster should strike.

Anyway, you're all welcome if you're in the area and need help.

In Christ,

CarolineS

[Scarletprayers]

I agree Nebula.  We live in a society where everyone wants someone else to take care of them and do the work.  This is caused by society's addiction to the media and advertising.  It caters to greed and self.  "You deserve the best!"

People need to start taking some responsibility for their own well-being in case anything should happen. People will eventually work together and help each other, but it's not going to happen immediately if a big disaster should strike, especially in a largely populated area.  Even in rural areas because cities, towns, governments and the people themselves are strapped.  Avenues of help and assistance are trying to stretch what little they have left.  Donations are at an all-time low.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Preach on brother Keith!

[hmh]

I have supplies stocked for two weeks. And I'm not sure that is enough. Being prepared with supplies as well as mentally, physically, and emotionally will help you survive.

[Christ's Free Servant]

I agree Nebula.  We live in a society where everyone wants someone else to take care of them and do the work.  This is caused by society's addiction to the media and advertising.  It caters to greed and self.  "You deserve the best!"

People need to start taking some responsibility for their own well-being in case anything should happen. People will eventually work together and help each other, but it's not going to happen immediately if a big disaster should strike, especially in a largely populated area.  Even in rural areas because cities, towns, governments and the people themselves are strapped.  Avenues of help and assistance are trying to stretch what little they have left.  Donations are at an all-time low.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have volunteered for the Disaster Action Team with the American Red Cross. I begin training in two weeks. My husband and I have already put together a disaster kit in our outside storage room. We have limited space here in an apartment, but we have gathered what we feel we will need and what we'll need to help other people, including an extensive first aid kit. I think with the disaster training it will help me to know what to do and I can also be trained to help others the next time a disaster hits our area of the country. We have two families from New Orleans living in our apartment complex. They came here with nothing. The apartment owners were generous in letting them have these apartments rent free, and they even supplied them with furniture and many household items. Many were not as blessed as these families, and we may not be as blessed in the future. We have to be prepared to take care of ourselves instead of depending on the government.