Diaster Preparedness!

I posted this on BSDA, will post it here too.

This week, I attended a full, two-day disaster relief and preparedness conference. I was one of several representatives our governmental agency assigned to attend. The subject matter presenters, all experts in their field, are well-known. Several are nationally recognized.

My point however, in this post is to let you know there are brilliant persons who advocate personal and professional or agency preparedness for disasters. All conference speakers agreed we are vulnerable to catastrophic events which may involve nature, terrorism and pandemic flu. In addition, events that occur may overlap or entail several disasters, i.e., widespread influenza as well as a coinciding natural or terrorist event.

While I ‘brace’ myself for the anticipated reproach to this post because the message may be received as negative and depressing, I am ethically bound to simply let you know the ‘thinking’ that is ‘out there’ so you can prepare too.

This is not ‘just’ apocalyptic thinking! Regardless of one’s personal belief system, some Public Health officials propose that at the very least, we are ‘due’ for an influenza epidemic. The influenza epidemic of 1918 killed two million persons. Extrapolating that data and then applying it to this society, forty-five million persons could die within a short time frame.

As you may imagine, in an event of this magnitude, the systems we currently depend upon will cease to exist, or will be much less effective. As you may also see, an influenza epidemic combined with another catastrophic event results in an incomprehensible picture.

Despite these grim thoughts, the most important ‘take home’ message I hope to convey to you is this; be prepared. In a catastrophic event we are essentially responsible for our own care and safety.

Although we have no personal control over natural or man-made disasters, we can store at minimum a three-day supply of drinking water, toilet paper, food, flashlights and first-aid supplies including personal medications, hygiene items, and hand sanitizer for each family member/ close associate. Of course a larger supply is preferable. We can also store necessities in our vehicle(s) like water, toilet paper; first aid supplies, etc. (then rotate those supplies to assure their freshness).

Does it mean that just because we store supplies we will have access to them in the event of a disaster? No! We cannot predict events or in any way assure we are in the ‘right place’ when a catastrophe occurs, however preparation to the best of our ability is not only prudent; it is our responsibility.

Hello Servant,

Thank you for the helpful information. I understand these meetings are being held across the country. Adventists are also charged with a special message of preparation, but many cry peace & safety instead. Please furnish more details if you are able.

Gordon

I think those of us that live in rural areas are naturally better prepared to handle disasters than those who live in the cities. And living in a less populated area we lessen the chances of an epidemic taking hold in the population as we have less human to human contact. We can also handle long term power outages easier, cooking over an open fire if need be, harvesting wild game etc.

On the other hand my father's mother died during the 1918 epidemic even though they lived in the country. (In the house where I do come to think of it).

In any case I think EGW had it right about moving to the country.

Redfog

Where will all the people who live in the country move to, when all the other people move to the country?

Save some of that good country for me. How will you witness to others when you live out in the middle of no where? Should we all run and hide until Jesus returns?

If you are a vegetarian, and living out in the country, in cold places, how can you feed yourself? You'd have to eat off the land (animals which the church say's are bad), or buy stuff from the store. Then you would be supporting those who live in the cities. How will you ever enjoy a banana? You can't grow them in Michigan (unless you've got a green house, and does God expect everyone to have a green house?). Plus, how will you get all the vitamens and minerals your body needs? We need variety, that's why God gave us so much. And it takes cities for people out in the country to survive. It's a symbiotic relationship. Plus, if everyone lived in the country, then it would be "the city" and people would have to move again.

It's not a fair argument or statment or ideal, for all SDA's to live in the country. That's just silly and short sighted. Try living on your own, don't use cars, or electricity (like some other religions), will you be closer to God?

What do you think is the cause of the explosive growth of suburbia? Everyone wants to live in that house witch is close to the services of the city but yet has a farmland in one direction of the yard. Then someone else with the same dream buys the farmland next to existing houses and the city grows.

Suburbia is what people want, just like you so very well described it, the best of both worlds. And you also described the problem, and why it keeps getting worse, well done.

So how can I follow ellen's advice, if there's no rural farm land left? What if I can't get a job out there? How will I pay my tithe, if there's no job? I can't feed my family if no job is available. Not everyone can have a job out in the country.

Should we move the Adventist headquarters out to the "farmland?" Oh, but with so many jobs contained therin, it wouldn't really be the rural area anymore, right?

I think we have to REALISTIC in our ideals, and try to attain things that have a chance. You can live a good life "in the city"! You can eat fresh veggies, and fruit, and see doctor's, and work out, go to a church that's close by, and have others to minister to, not all of those things can you do, out in the "burbs", or the "country" for that matter. Some idea's are better on paper, and don't always work out in reality.

If there was something inherantly wrong with cities, I don't think God would have allowed them. Won't there be cities in heaven? Streets of gold? Where would those streets lead?

"Once again, my view's, not the same as everybody else, and I'm glad it's that way. It would be so boring here if we all agreed on everything. God gave me the ability to reason, and you can be sure I'll use that ability to the best of my, of my, of my,,,,,,,,,,,,,,abiltity, I guess."

"City" is a big word, right? It can mean the Bronx or Timbuktu. I would rather raise my children in Timbuktu. "Country" is also a big word. It can mean 2 acres within the city limit or 20 acres outside the city limit.

I like to be within 20 minutes of town with enough space to have several fruit trees and a small garden. If circumstances force it, we could make it for a short time on what we have in the cellar and what we could harvest from our trees and garden. But I would miss my bananas, that's for sure!

I think God gave Sister White excellent advice regarding living where there is enough room to have some fruit trees and a small garden. But it wasn't a mandate. It is not a sin to live in town. Sin is an unholy thought, word or deed - not where we live.

I am in Oshawa tonight. Oshawa is basicly a section of TORONTO. I hate the number of people, cars, industry, houses etc! I can not understand how anyone could live here with about 3 Million neighbours. i am so thankfull that I live in New Brunswick Canada, with a population of under 1 million in the whole Province. I actually live in Robichaud, 30 minutes from Moncton. With about 25 neighbors in the summer and 6 in the winter i love being 200 yards from the Ocean (Northumberland Straight actually) with the warmest waters north of the Carolina's! i know that many people love where they live but this Toronto thing is just CRAZY. I talked to a local here and he said he commutes 1 hour one way to work each day! 5 days a week 2 hours per day driving, working 48 weeks per year equals (2X5X48)480 hours of driving to and from work!!! all within the city of Toronto! BAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhh

Hi Mike! we miss you in the province of Noveau Brunswick.

To come back to the topic of preparedness. I have in the past few months seen TV adds from the government on the very same thing. Just last Thursday night I saw this add and was going over in my mind what supplies we had in the house in case some disaster struck (ice storms, electrical outages and boil water orders are not uncommon in Eastern Canada). I know we have enough canned foods to last for maybe 2 weeks, although there may be some interesting and weird food combinations before all the food was used up. We have some bottled water, probably enough for 2 or 3 days and we always stock up on paper products when they go on sale. My biggest worry is a heat supply if the electricity is out for any length of time. Although I do live in the country, and our house is heated with wood we depend on electricity to run the furnace that burns the wood (and oil also). Time to think of finding an alternate emergency heat supply. I think I'll buy one of those large rubbermaid containers and put together an emergency kit--just in case. Of course, whatever happens we have a loving heavenly Father who cares for us in every circumstance.

The real point I believe should be this; no matter where we reside, city, country, or any place in between, we should strive to ready ourselves, for a disaster. Because, when "it" happens, whether large or small, we cannot depend upon the government to care for us, or even contribute in a major way to our well-being.

Also, as we are preparing, we should know that benefits most of us depend upon now, i.e., electricity, drinking water, may not be available. IOW, though we most likely will not know ahead of time, we should store some basic supplies and have a family plan.

Those dependant upon medication may not be able to secure their medicine as easily, if at all. So folks who depend upon medication would be wise to keep at minimum a three month supply on hand.

BTW - the above are not my ideas. Instead I have learned these in workshops I attend for my agency. Grim thoughts, however they're the 'reality' some are teaching.

Thank you for starting this topic. I've read many articles and some forums on this but of course they are not from an SDA perspective. We can and dry a lot of food that we grow. We could probably live many months without having to buy anything but EGW tells us that we are not to hoard food because it will be taken from us by violence and our crops will be harvested in the fields. This will probably happen later during the "time of trouble" but for now we do need to be prepared for the next disaster to strike. God only knows where it will happen.

Hey Buddy,

Yeah, I miss it there, too. I spent a week with Tim, Dave, and Devin in North Carolina in December. We had a blast. It made me miss NB (the Maritimes) even more. Ask around, maybe the Conference will invite me to be the Teen Tent speaker at Pugwash?

And dude, hurry up and get out of the city! Oshawa is not your kind of town, and there ain't nobody like (your wife), the number one fan of the man from NB. (sometimes you gotta modify those oldies but goodies, eh).

Well Mike, I am back home and very thankful to be so. Toronto, Oshawa, Montreal are all memories again. Nice drive through Montreal though, 5pm on a Sunday, the streets were really not too busy.

Preparedness is a very important issue and I am glad that this thread is looking at the topic.

Van: always travel with charged cell phone: under my seat are a pair of work glove and a first aid kit, I also have hammer and small tools in a box in the back. (I always drive with shoes that lace and have my eyes open for situations. Why laced up shoes? Ever try to run into a ditch and pull someone from a rolled car while wearing sandals? Not the best idea...) these are all usefull if I come across an accident scene and can be of some assistance.

Home: water supply for at least 72 hours. we also have a 98foot deep drilled well. Food for about 2 weeks but with neighbours we can all help each other and should be ok for months. The community that I am in is very strong with supporting each other. But i guess only time will tell how we all react to a major issue.

Everywhere: God's word in mind and His song on my heart

Put on the WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD! This must be done daily!

Amen, Buddy, Amen!

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