Disaster

Disaster can run the gamut of mishap, misfortune, misadventure, hardship, poverty, calamity, catastrophe, casualty, accident, fatality and more. It is the basic inherent element in our news today.

As a child growing up on a farm in the prairies our disasters were close and personal. Snowstorms and blizzards that prevented local travel or caused the loss of some animals; flooding that covered gardens and wells to taint our water and destroy our vegetables that all came from the gardens; hail that destroyed our crops from which we milled our yearly supply of flour and sold the grain for the next years cash income.

Sometimes our food supply was depleted with the loss of a beef, pork or mouton animal hit by lightning or drowning in the creek, or when the coyote or weasel got our chickens, ducks or goslings.

There were major tragedies too, like illness or death in the family or fire that destroyed our homes or barns or hay supply. We worked hard and played just as hard. Farmers were all caring and helping neighbors. There was no insurance for loss of life, fire, flooding, crop failure, health, dental, disability or funeral expense then.

Communication today is so far reaching that we hear and know of huge disasters everywhere, even into space. We hear about every hurricane, earthquake, tsunami, epidemic and terrorist attack as they are happening. We are bombarded with disasters. What are we to do? Can we, as individuals, get prepared?

Wikipedia on my computer tells me there are 150 different kinds of insurance today. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for a premium, and can be thought of as a guaranteed small loss to prevent a large, possibly devastating loss. The premiums must be a balance between the probability of a loss and the total cost incured by a loss.

Actually, insurance is the afterthought of an emergency. It does not bring any relief or assistance at the time of the casualty.

Emergency Preparedness is not just an individuals duty but all sectors of society should plan ahead for emergencies and disasters. We look for security today from about 25 commonly used insurance coverages. They are life, health and medical, homeowners, renters, employment, auto, mortgage, title, fire, flood, appliance, home contents, antiques and heirlooms, credit, crop, disability, liability, dental and optical, business, boat and RV, travel, pets, longterm care, marriage, funeral and the list goes on.

We keep fire extinguishers convenient in our home. We keep food and medical supplies, light, heat and water all at arms reach, and we have knives, hammers, wrenches, axes or hatchets, pliers, bars and flashlights easily available in home or auto. We keep a spare tire and a jack in our vehicle. We have multiple shoes, warm coats and head gear. We keep our food refrigerated to prevent spoilage or poison. We try to prevent accidents when we clear our walks and highways of snow. But accidents happen. What do we do when a disaster happens unexpectedly? What can we do during the emergency or disaster?

We may be isolated from our comfortable luxuries. We may find ourselve in the dark of night, lost and hurt, with no warmth, food or water and no way to get emergency supplies. Telephone lines and roads could be out of use, electricity gone and stores unable to open electronic doors, tills and computers. Our money is useless.

Being Prepared means having as many of these survival tools available to each and every person and in a place where they can be retrieved quickly in an emergency.

Emergency survival gear is the answer in any disaster. Numerous flashlights bring light into the darkness, especially for children who love to have their own flashlight at home. Large first aid kits for the family and survival kits for each person bring great relief at times of emotional stress and also give purpose to be able to help family, friends or strangers or simply be active. These kits have radios and dried food and ways to purify water. Some even have bird flu preparedness. They are put together with careful thought for necessities in emergency disasters. They can relieve a lot of stress and may even save lives. Get prepared by gathering together the equipment you will need and make an emergency plan for the whole family. Children will be less stressed if they are involved in the planning without undue fear of the impending disasters. Prepare a plan of action ahead of time and know where each person will be at all times.