| First there was 9/11, then Katrina and
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| | too ! The same flooded roads, power
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| Rita. We've all seen the pictures, and
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| | outages etc. that are making your life
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| heard the horror stories of what happened
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| | miserable are slowing down the ability of
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| when people were caught unable to keep
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| | first responders to get you the help you
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| their families operating even for a few
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| | need. Granted they do have larger trucks,
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| hours. Some of this was unavoidable.
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| | and other equipment that helps, but it
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| After all if your home is under 20 feet
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| | still may take them longer than usual to
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| of flood water, or just plain gone you
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| | get to you, and there is only so much of
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| need an immediate place to be etc. But if
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| | it.
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| your biggest problem is the electricity
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| | 3) Volume of Service Requests. Most first
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| is out, your probably going to have to
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| | response agencies are used to dealing
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| wait. This is where preparing our homes
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| | with situations involving a handful of
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| and families makes a big difference in
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| | people at once. During a disaster they
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| how well they get through a disaster.
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| | deal with hundreds or thousands of people
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| Naturally during such times we depend on
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| | needing help all at once. Everybody can't
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| first responders from government, and
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| | be first. Priorities have to be set, and
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| groups such as the American Red Cross to
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| | they are constantly changing. Add to this
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| come to our aid. They do so, and usually
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| | the "dual use of equipment" Some places
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| they do so very well. But getting help to
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| | use fire trucks to rescue people who are
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| those that need it during a large scale
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| | flooded, and need to be evacuated.
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| emergency takes time, and everybody can't
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| | However if a fire breaks out when the
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| be first. So each individual, and family
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| | fire truck is on its way to you,
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| must be able to do what they can to
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| | obviously the fire truck will be diverted
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| prepare themselves for the first hours or
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| | to the fire.
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| days following a disaster. Currently the
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| | 4) Outside help is not immediate ! FEMA
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| Department of Homeland Security
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| | Department of Homeland Security are not
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| recommends that American households aim
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| | 911 ! State and federal agencies do plan
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| to be self sufficient for up to 72 hours
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| | ahead. Often they have people and
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| following a disaster. Those 72 hours
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| | supplies on alert if there is advance
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| allows your family to function while
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| | notice. However these resources must be
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| additional resources are brought in to
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| | staged a great distance away. This is so
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| finish the job.
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| | they will not accidentally get caught up
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| One of the hardest things for someone
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| | in the disaster itself. Don't forget that
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| recovering from a disaster to understand
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| | during Hurricane Rita projected landfall
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| is why does it take so long to get them
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| | changed from Houston to Beaumont with
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| the help they need ? Admittedly during
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| | less than 24 hours before landfall. Some
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| Katrina/Rita mistakes were made that
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| | people who evacuated to the Beaumont area
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| slowed response, especially at the
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| | actually got caught in the brunt of the
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| federal level. However even when the
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| | storm instead ! Agencies at the federal
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| response effort runs perfectly (it never
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| | level also have to wait for local
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| does) response can only be accomplished
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| | governments to tell them how much of what
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| so fast. I want to look at a few reasons
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| | kinds of help are needed.
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| why.
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| | Even in the best of circumstances those
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| 1) The situation must be evaluated. Every
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| | who respond in times of crisis are going
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| disaster is different. Emergency
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| | to need time to get to everybody. Extra
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| responders never exactly know what they
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| | bottled water, extra batteries, food that
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| are dealing with until after the disaster
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| | doesn't need to be cooked aren't just
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| has already happened or is happening. How
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| | good ideas during hurricane season. Other
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| many homes are flooded ? How many without
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| | things happen too. In fact these simple
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| power ? How many roads are blocked/
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| | steps we take 6 months out of every year
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| damaged. All these questions need to be
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| | would help a lot in the event of a
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| answered before we even know how much of
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| | bio-terrorism attack etc. . I've been
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| what kind of help needs to be where.
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| | telling people for years that it is
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| Prior history can give us some idea but
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| | always hurricane season ! Preparedness is
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| there are always surprises. Obviously
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| | essential for the safety of our families.
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| fires and other immediate threats to life
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| | No matter what the weather, no matter
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| must be dealt with immediately at the
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| | what the time of year preparedness simply
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| same time as this evaluation process is
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| | must become a part of our common culture.
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| ongoing.
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| | It must become that basic to all of us.
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| 2) Our first Responders had a disaster
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