Whose Job is This, Anyway?
Hint: NOT the Federal Government
As it happens, I am peripherally connected to the devastating floods in the NC/SC/TN regions. I formerly lived in SC, and saw, first hand, just how savage Nature can be to the mountains and foothills of the southern United States.
During that time, I experienced tornados (one had me captive for 3 hours with a roomful of 9th graders, and experience I have NO desire to repeat), high winds rivaling those of the Great Lakes region, where I grew up, flooding following heavy rainstorms and the residues of hurricane activity to the southwest, and power outages caused by excessive demand for A/C, storms, and high winds.
Again, this was not something new to me. In my years in cities located along Lake Erie, I personally experienced tornados, ice-related power outages, a blizzard, and many, many thunderstorms with accompanying high winds that took down trees and power lines.
In 1969, one of those “just a storm” events took down over 10,000 mature trees, left us without gas for 3 days, electricity and telephone service for over a week, and killed 4 people - one of them a girl who had just graduated with my class - in Lakewood Park, where they had gathered for the 4th of July celebration.
So, yes, I do know that Nature can be brutal.
The Federal government cannot be expected to step in when the people closest to the problem have abdicated their responsibility. In most of these events, history shows that these are Predictable, Recurring problems. Preparing for another similar event should be high on every state and local government list.
The FIRST question on everyone’s lips in affected areas should not be, “How can we guilt the Federal government into picking up all the costs for this situation?”, but, “What did our local and state government do to prepare for this?”
The answer, in most cases is, Not a Whole Lot.
Disaster Prep is low on everyone’s list. From the frenzied mobs clearing out the stores of eggs, bread, milk, and toilet paper, to the too little, too late response of politicians concerned about keeping their jobs, preparation is always minimal.
The only ones that take Prep seriously are those who are located far enough away from easy access to government resources, that they have accepted that responsibility is THEIR job.
For that reason, most rural people have supplies stored up BEFORE they are desperately needed. They put aside canned foods, dry beans, powdered milk, and often have root vegetables stored in a cool place. They make a practice of buying in bulk - both for savings when the goods are cheap, and because it minimizes their need to waste gas going into town for supplies.
They have alternative ways to cook food, should the power go out, and manual can openers and other kitchen tools, that don’t require electricity. Many of them store quantities of fuel for generators, and most will have backup fuel, either propane or wood, for heating.
In a crisis - should their home be destroyed in flooding/storms/fire, they have family and neighbors who can help out. They don’t have the luxury of isolating themselves; when an emergency hits, they grab their chainsaws and trucks to join in a community effort to clear up the mess, get the family in temporary housing, and bring food/water and emotional support to the survivors.
It doesn’t matter that they may not have a lot in common with those in need; they don’t have to vote the same way, nor go to the same church. It’s a matter of the community recognizing the interconnectedness of the group. THAT is the upside of small town life. They may get in your business, but they will also be there for you. As you will for them.
In contrast, those in suburban and urban environments have the luxury of being able to indulge their clique behavior. They can focus on blaming others for the problems. They can sit down, fold their arms, and REFUSE to deal with the problems, mulishly insisting that someone else “BETTER bring me food, water, and other necessities”. They have little hesitation in demanding MONEY, MONEY, MONEY - and QUICK!
Some communities have found that people rise to the occasion:
But as Hurricane Andrew retreated into the Everglades, Miami—without the help of human-resources counselors, urban development grants, or racially balanced neighborhood advisory boards—became a community. It started in my neighborhood within the first hours after Andrew passed. Virtually every block for two miles in every direction was littered with uprooted trees, making vehicular travel impossible. Before the hurricane, the trees would have lain there until City Hall sent someone to move them. Instead, a small army of neighbors swarmed through the streets armed with mini-chainsaws, hacking the trees up and stacking them alongside the roads. By sundown all the streets in the neighborhood were passable.
That was just the beginning. Soon neighbors who had never met were sharing their caches of food, water, and batteries. On some blocks, where the storm perversely knocked out power on one side of the street while leaving it working on the other side, long extension cords snaked across roads, connecting haves to have-nots. In some neighborhoods, it was easy to pick out the homes that still had functioning telephones from the lines of neighbors waiting outside for their turn.
Now, do I believe in strict self-reliance for ALL disasters?
Of course not. Some are so widespread that they will, of necessity, require assistance from remote sources. The flooding in NC and upper SC is apparently unprecedented. Rescue operations are still ongoing. People will have to be housed temporarily, and provided with basic necessities.
My sister’s in-laws live on a mountain in NC. It is a very remote location, and they are elderly. The good news is that they are all safe, and have access to power.
On Facebook, I’ve been following friends and family who are worried about not being able to contact dear ones. Many of the cell towers are done, and likely not to be replaced for some time. The companies are aware of this, and many have prepared by having portable cell towers that can be moved to places, once the roads and bridges are operational.
In the meantime, amateur radio, coupled with emergency services, is the only option. Once I get my house and paperwork straightened out, I plan to take the coursework to work with ham radio’s ARES group - that’s Amateur Radio Emergency Services. What used to be an ad hoc network has developed into an integral part of the emergency teams’ response to crisis situations.
Well said. Prayers for all those affected.
Have a fabulous day and week. ♥