“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
– George Santayana, Reason in Common Sense (1905)
Who Should Prepare:
Every person should have a disaster preparedness program as survival insurance for themselves and their families. By having a disaster preparedness program, each individual/family will also indirectly be contributing to the welfare of their community because by being self-reliant, they will be less likely to require the services of disaster response teams.
For particular groups, individuals and families, preparedness is paramount to providing disaster relief to their communities:
1. Healthcare providers: Doctors, nurses, other healthcare providers and hospital employees will be called upon to provide their services during disasters.
2. First-responders: Law enforcement personnel, paramedics, ambulance drivers, firefighters, HazMat personnel and others will also be called upon to provide services during disasters.
3. Disaster Response Team members: Managers, coordinators, rescue teams and all support personnel. This group includes public utility personnel responsible for maintaining and repairing public utilities providing electricity, water and sewage services to the community as well as those providing disaster relief services.
Individuals involved in these critical roles will not be able to concentrate on their responsibilities to their communities if concerned about the welfare their families. They must be sure their families will be safe and secure while they are providing services to disaster victims. Those without such a program may be hesitant to leave their families when their services are most needed.
Another group of particular concern includes individuals with chronic health problems or disabilities. These individuals need to have specific medical preparedness programs designed to increase their chances of survival when doctors and hospitals are not available to them.
We urge you to explore our website. Learn the history of disasters that have wreaked havoc on past generations and the various risks we face today (“A Dangerous World” section). Become familiar with the services we offer to help you with your disaster preparedness program (“Our Services” section), and take our free MAGPIE Disaster Vulnerability Test.
Why disaster preparedness:
The study of history reveals that Empires rise and fall, epidemics occur and subside, wars are waged and won or lost, and natural disasters occur spontaneously and without warning. All these events occur periodically throughout the history of mankind. We cannot stop the ebb and flow of history, but we can learn from it and prepare to survive the uncertain future. History shows that when disaster strikes, the unprepared suffer the most severe consequences.
Preparedness is not a term reserved for fringe groups, religious entities, or militia groups. It is a term that applies to all citizens. Recall the public service announcements on television several years ago featuring presidents George H. W. Bush and William J. Clinton together urging the American people to prepare for any and all emergencies. Two former presidents of the United States would not go to the trouble to warn us if they were not worried about the future.
Americans have become so engrossed in our daily lives that we have forgotten to learn and remember the past. We limit our concentration to those problems that are closest to us: problems with our families, our homes and our jobs. We worry about looking good, interpersonal relationships, paying bills, job performance, and job security. Most of us don’t have much time left over to worry about broader subjects that may in the future greatly affect our lives-things like natural disasters, geopolitical conflicts, economic collapse, civil disorder, or the goals of radical militant religious sects. The list goes on and on (see the A Dangerous World section). It is time to sit up and take notice.
FEMA, the CDC, DHS, the FBI, and other federal and state government agencies are working diligently to prepare for disasters, whether natural or man-made. These agencies have preparedness websites, but most do not go into detail regarding the nature or history of the various risks. They do not have a scale upon which to rate your personal and family vulnerability, and do not have a scale to measure your level of preparedness. These areas are covered by MAGPIE: Dr. Raven’s online center for Medical and General Preparedness Information and Education.
Individuals must take responsibility for their own safety. We cannot count on the government to take care of us in every situation (remember hurricanes Katrina and Sandy). Some disasters may be so devastating that there will not be enough resources to go around. Each person, each family, and each group of people must be prepared to take care of themselves. Self-reliance is essential to survival.
What will be the next major disaster, and what will be the consequences? Will climate change increase the risk of tornadoes, hurricanes, or floods? Will there be economic collapse with bank closures? Civil disorder? Will the radical Islamists strike again, this time on a much larger scale than 9/11? Will we have an internal conflict between the Globalists and the Nationalists? Will our public utilities be disabled? Will our food and water supply be interrupted? Will medical care no longer be available? Will you be able to survive? You must understand the threats, how serious they are, and how likely one or more of them is to occur. You must prepare for your survival.
A good approach is to prepare for the type of natural disaster that is most likely to occur in your geographical area. Then consider your main concerns about man-made disasters. Do you live in an area likely to be hit by a hurricane, or a tornado, or an earthquake? How about a flood? What about economic collapse or a terrorist attack? Consider the consequences of the anticipated disaster. Will the disaster be of long or short duration? What amenities will be temporarily or permanently wiped out? Will you have to evacuate the area? These are all considerations you must take into account in your preparations. A basic understanding and awareness of the threats we face from man-made and natural disasters is essential if we are to prepare adequately for them. We highly recommend that you read the discussions in the A Dangerous World section of this website.
Take our MAGPIE Disaster Vulnerability Test to see how you rate in disaster survivability, and then let us rate you on our Preparedness Level Scale. If someone in your family or group has a medical problem, let us help you prepare for managing the condition during disaster conditions through our Medical Preparedness Consultation Program. See our Services section.
