Preparing for Disaster

The recent earthquake in Haiti, with devastating losses of people and structures, with painful ramifications to be felt for years to come, has spurred a huge outpouring of giving. More aid workers and supplies than the infrastructure can currently handle are pouring in to the country, and aid is finally being distributed, although the need for it is still greater. Nations and individuals have responded with donations, but in the first hours when help was most desperately needed, it was the Haitian people themselves – injured and shaken – who individually and in groups helped their friends and neighbors.

We can and should be focused right now on the humanitarian needs of the Haitian people, and on what we in the world community outside their borders can provide as assistance. Yet we cannot help look at the devastation and wonder how we and our loved ones, neighbors and fellows would fare if a disaster on a similar scale happened where we live. Some of us have specialized skills, such as in medicine, leadership, heavy equipment operation, plumbing, and giftedness with children or with psychological relief. Yet many more of us have a willingness to help but do not necessarily have the knowledge, training or skills to effectively cope and give aid at the maximum level we otherwise could.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training seeks to help people who want to give the best possible local response to a disaster. Fire and police personnel have long understood that in a massive disaster, their best efforts would not be able to help every single person who is in need of assistance, and they hope that people close to the afflicted will be able to help each other. CERT training provides ordinary people with the tools to take meaningful action right where they are, whether that means shutting off someone's gas valve at an appropriate time or aiding others in staying calm.

CERT is not the same as first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but it does give practical ways to help oneself and one's neighbors, including prevention training and what to do during and after a disaster. For more information, see the website http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/, or check with your local fire department. In my area, the Los Angeles County Fire Department gives free training, with certification after 20 hours. The training is not onerous (although it does take time), and no experience is necessary. People have to be at least 18 years old to participate.

With Haiti and even Katrina firmly in mind, let us each take positive steps to ensure that we have the tools and training necessary to ensure that our loved ones (and ourselves) can take positive steps to assist in each other's survival.

A couple of other websites with information for earthquake safety include:

FEMA information on earthquakes - http://www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/

The Great California Shakeout - http://www.shakeout.org/