Despite the horrific loss of life from the terrorist
attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, so many more
people survived than it was first feared. Many were able to escape, and
the attacks were "still early by New York time" (according to
one television commentator). This was wonderful news. But, let's look at
the "survivors" who live in the immediate area and right
around it.
Little has been said about the residents of downtown Manhattan and how
their way of life was affected. We were all touched either physically or
emotionally by this disaster - even those who lived across the country
and across the world, even those who didn't personally know anyone who
was hurt or lost. But these residents were affected in more ways than
you may realize.
When a large disaster (terrorist attack, earthquake, tornado, etc.)
strikes, many of the necessities of life are suddenly gone - instantly
gone. Electricity is the first to go. Natural gas is the first to be
turned off for safety reasons if the lines didn't already break. Phone
lines fall down, break, or get overloaded. Water lines break, and those
that don't may soon be filled with water that is not safe to drink.
Streets are suddenly not passable or, at best, not safe for vehicles.
Vehicles are trapped by garage doors that can't open. If your vehicle is
accessible and you dare venture out, the street lights are not working,
leaving you in great danger at every intersection. When you reach the
store, they can only accept cash (in the exact amount), and they are out
of food and water anyway. Do you dare start driving at all, since you will
not be able to get gas - the pumps work on electricity. Your home gets colder
and colder without any source of heat. The child you finally calmed down goes
into hysterics again when you try to go just a few feet away to use the toilet,
because she will be left in total darkness.
None of this is easy to cope with, but you can get through it so much
easier and safer (and with fewer hysterics!) with a little preparation.
Disasters happen all the time somewhere in the world. Are you ready if
one hit your neighborhood next week? Find out what you need to do now
before it is too late. Emergency preparedness now will make all the difference
in your survival later.
You want to get through a disaster safely and with as little inconvenience as possible. For the long-term effects, you need to prepare like you would if you were leaving home for a vacation deep in the woods away from everything. For the short-term effects, you need to think first of safety. We'll use an earthquake as the example, and you need to think through whatever kind of disaster may affect your area of the country.
During an earthquake, get in a doorway or under a sturdy object like the
kitchen table. Don't leave the building during the shaking unless there
is a great possibility that the building will collapse. Many injuries
occur from falling debris from the outside of the building (bricks or
windows) or from tree limbs. If you're in bed, roll out of bed, slip on
sturdy shoes, and grab your flashlight. You may not be able to get back
to them after the shaking stops.
Before an earthquake, talk to your family about what they should each
do. Each person can get to their own doorway and wait until the shaking
stops. Then you can all get under the kitchen table or some other sturdy
piece of furniture before the aftershocks start. Go over the plan with
the entire family, then have an occasional drill to be sure everyone
will be able to react without hesitation during an earthquake. Children
can remain quite calm during an emergency if they have been told in
advance what to do. And, you can't know in advance if you will be near
enough to help them during the initial shaking, so they need to be able
to help themselves. Every family member should keep shoes next to the
bed that have a decent sole (not rubber thongs) and can be slipped on
quickly. There may be broken glass and ceramics anywhere. Also, adults
should have a flashlight next to the bed to guide their way, and
children should keep a flashlight under their pillow. Do not light a
match or candle since there could be a gas leak.
The shaking has stopped, and you're all unhurt. Now you can all get to a
safe place outdoors away from any falling debris if you think your home
is in real danger of collapsing. If not, remain inside under sturdy
protection until the aftershocks have stopped or calmed down to a safe
level. If your car is in a safe location, you can get in your car where
you already have two blankets, a spare flashlight, a first-aid kit, and
a portable radio (among other things) to hear news and official
warnings. If anyone had been injured, you could control bleeding and
keep wounds clean until you could get to a medical facility.
Get the picture? You practiced in advance so even separated children can
get to safety and remain calm. You each already have your flashlight and
shoes next to the bed. And, you have emergency supplies in your car. You
are all unhurt, reasonably calm, warm and dry, and able to hear all the
details you need. If you are in your car in the middle of nowhere when
the earthquake hits, you have enough supplies with you to last until you
can safely get home or until help comes to you.
The aftershocks have stopped, and it is time to take care of yourself, and
your family and pets. You may be on your own in lots of ways. You may not
have electricity, natural gas for cooking or heating, clean water, or phone
service. You need to be prepared in all aspects to keep safe and comfortable at home
for at least three days after an earthquake, and in many aspects for
up to a month; and your car and office need to contain emergency
supplies to last at least three days. In this time of war and uncertainty,
it is recommended that you be prepared to survive on your own at home for at
least three months.
Phone lines are susceptible to outage because they use wires and cables, but
cell phones will still work because they rely on satellites. Cell phone service
was out across Southern California for about 20 minutes after the Chino Earthquake
(near Los Angeles) on July 29, 2008. This was caused by the extreme number of
"Did you feel it?" and "Are you okay?" calls. This type of outage repairs
itself when the number of calls is reduced, whereas wired phone service could take days or
weeks to be repaired manually. You may not be able to call 911 in those first
minutes, but firemen, paramedics, and police begin patrols as soon as the first
shaking stops. The best way to help yourself and everyone else is to not make any
phone calls in the first hour unless you have a real emergency.
After an earthquake, the first thing to check is your gas main. If there is any leakage, you
need to shut off the valve right away. You may even need to turn your gas off
at the main if it was not broken, if the earthquake was large enough that
aftershocks may cause it to break. Next, get your survival kit to a safe place.
Then, get the car out of the garage, if possible. Keep the car out of the garage
and away from trees and utility poles since a large aftershock may cause any of
these to block your car in. Have everyone stay away from windows and from
heavy objects that could fall over (like the entertainment center). After
the next aftershock, get heavy items off high shelves so they won't be thrown
down on anyone. (You don't want to be in the middle of this action when an
aftershock hits, but right after one should be a safe time.) Get breakables off
shelves and lay them on the floor so they may not get damaged in the next aftershock
to come.