Which of the following three alternatives is most sensible:
- Disasters can happen anywhere in the world, except for the Churchill area.
- Disasters can happen at anytime of the day or night, but never in the Churchill area.
- A disaster of unknown magnitude could happen in the Churchill area at anytime with little or no warning.
If you chose either #1 or #2, stop, go back and read the previous 23 CERT blogs, then begin this one again. If you chose #3, you are wise beyond your peers, read on.
If a disaster of unknown magnitude could happen in the Churchill area at any time with no warning, it stands to reason that you can never really be completely prepared for it. However, CERT training does teach you the basic skill set that will allow you to survive and to give aid to your loved ones and your neighbors. Certainly this should make more sense to you than your CERT-trained neighbor sharing his water with you because you have none or helping you to dig through the rubble that was your home looking for your spouse or your home insurance while his family is safe and all his important papers are secure. Think about it, which role would you rather play: victim or survivor?
Preparing for and surviving a disaster isn't about doing one big thing right. It's not like in the 1950's when, to survive the nuclear disaster, you had to build a bomb shelter in your backyard. No, rather, being prepared for and surviving a disaster is a matter of doing a number of little things. It's a matter of having a few gallons of potable water handy, a flashlight, a whistle, knowing how to turn off your utilities, and having a stash of non-perishable food.
Take a sensible approach to a disaster happening in the Churchill area. Don't ignore the possibility, plan to be a survivor not a victim, do a few little things right. And take the time to get CERT trained. To get information on the next class, contact the City of Eugene, Emergency Management staff.
