Here we are, sandwiched between the misery of hurricane Katrina
last month and memories of September 11, 2001. It’s a tough time
for many.
Here we are, sandwiched between the misery of hurricane Katrina last month and memories of September 11, 2001. It’s a tough time for many.
The photos of devastation in Katrina’s path look like Armageddon: Dead bodies rotting in “toxic gumbo,” debris and trash everywhere, rooftops barely breaching the water. Thousands of people stranded or transported miles away, for whom life will never be the same. As the floodwaters recede, we hear frightening speculations about what they will reveal.
The sadness is worsened by acrimony and finger pointing as one government agency blames another for poor preparation or slow response. Yet as natural disasters have shown for years, and terrorist attacks have reminded us recently, the unimaginable is hard to prepare for.
Most of us have a natural inclination to want to help. By now, several ways to do so are available. One of the easiest is to make a cash donation to the American Red Cross. You can call 424-4824 and a volunteer will take your information. I also checked out the Web site: www.montereyarc.org or www.redcross.org. But at the time I checked, response was very slow – maybe a good sign that lots of people are donating.
You can also volunteer through the Red Cross, by calling the same phone number.
Another way to donate is through the “Bush Clinton Katrina Fund.” Normally, we might think donating through politicians was some kind of bad joke, but the two former presidents did a pretty good job organizing aid for last year’s tsunami in Asia, so it’s good to see them organizing help here at home. The Web site for this effort, www.bushclintonkatrinafund.org, actually responded a lot faster than the Red Cross one, when I checked. Funds donated here, according to the Web site, will go for more long-term recovery efforts, to help get the economies and livelihoods of the affected areas started again.
But what about preparing? Most of us probably aren’t even prepared for even a “normal” disaster, like a small earthquake or storm that knocks out the electricity for a few hours or days.
How would we manage if electricity and water were out for days, if we couldn’t stay in our homes, if cell phone towers rendered wireless communication impossible, if nobody was in charge, if we didn’t know if our families were safe?
Here in California we are more likely to be knocked over by an earthquake than a hurricane, but as the stormy winters of 1995 and 1998 showed us, flooding is not out of the question.
And the possibility of a terrorist attack remains the chilling wild card.
There is good information on how to prepare yourself and your family, and if you are in charge of an office or work group, your colleagues. Once again the web is a great resource. Here are some choices:
www.ready.gov is organized by the Department of Homeland Security. It offers suggestions on what to have on hand, deciding to stay at home or evacuate, and most important planning so family members know what to do and how to contact each other in case of a catastrophe.
The Red Cross Web site offers similar information, as well as specifics for a variety of emergencies such as blackouts, earthquakes, fires and mudslides.
In the meantime, in view of Katrina, proceeds of the pet show I’m organizing will go to the local chapter of the Red Cross. I’ve tentatively set a date of Nov. 19, the Saturday before Thanksgiving. By November, Katrina will probably be out of the news, but the need for help will still exist. So we can have some fun, laugh at ourselves and our pets, and provide a bit of aid.
