You have arrived at 2resilience, the blog for Resilient2Disaster: Western Washington which is Disaster Wiki knowledge base specializing in information about how communities and individuals can build resilience in the face of natural or human caused disasters.
The purpose of Resilient 2 Disaster and 2resilience is to help individuals recognize that disaster preparedness steps really do make a huge difference in the ability for communities to be resilient in the face of life’s challenges. We’ve attempted to pull together all of the best resources available on the web to help spark ideas, promote change and to to turn interest in disaster preparedness into action.
Disasters are part of life–the parts about Western Washington you like so much–all linked to processes that cause disasters. Those Mountains? They are directly related to the slow movement of tectonic plates–one sliding under another, pushing molten rock upward and keeping it hot and our volcanoes active. What else comes with living where tectonic plates meet?-oh yes–Earthquakes. How about the gorgeous views of the Puget Sound, which leads to the Pacific Ocean, where big Hot tropical storms from Hawaii meet up with chilled arctic blasts, the two fronts meet, and WOW, we get a massive storm–which stays with us because it becomes trapped by those aforementioned stunningly beautiful mountains. But that’s OK, because all that water accounts for the lush green we all love. Not only rain though, it’s also so green because a history of Flooding and Volcanic Eruptions spread nutrients and minerals through out the area. All of these processes are still taking place- dealing with it is kind of like the entrance fee for getting to live with such beauty. But hey, if you don’t like it, just move to that part of the world that has no disasters, oh, wait–there is no such part once you look closely….. honestly, disasters are just part of living on a planet, no matter where you are on the planet.
Understanding this is the secret to living well. Disasters happen whether you are ready or not–and disasters reshuffle life’s playing cards, and surprise, those who go into the disasters with more options to get out of it, and fewer risks–they always end up with the better hand. A Disaster can ruin your day. Wait, let me crank that up a bit–it can ruin your life–studies show that we all face very little chance of dying from disasters–it can happen, but compared to crossing the street, there’s little chance of dying from a disaster–but studies show that people who are caught in a situation where they feel they or someone they love are in mortal danger, who feel there is no where they can turn for help, or who experience a sudden loss of economic security–there is a good chance they will probably face long term effects like depression, and post traumatic stress that can make it hard feel healthy, it can effect your work, to relate with the people you care about–it can have long term consequences for your future–disasters combine all of these factors and when an entire community experiences them the negative effects can resonate for generations.
Little steps now can make a huge difference in how well you get through the next disaster. Most are easy, inexpensive, and will make you the coolest person–the person who people turn to because you are the person who has ways to deal with all challenges big or small. The next disaster sized event will happen, always does, and you and your family will be the ones with more ways out, knowing more places to turn for help, with more economic security. You could well be the one reaching out to help others–then you get to be a hero too.
Disasters will always take place. They will, unless there comes a day when all tectonic plates are silenced, all lava has become rock–all winds have calmed, no sparks light into flame. What a horrible thought. Disasters are inevitable–the impact of disasters on our lives is not though. The choices we make, and the actions we take before a disaster have a direct effect on how much our lives will be impacted. This is true for each and every person that can make choices. Our goal needs to be to take steps that reduce the odds of being traumatized from a disaster–that means reducing the chances of getting hurt during a disaster, reducing the chances of feeling trapped, being long separated from the people and animals the give emotional support, and feeling that there is no where to turn for help. A truly resilient community required everyone’s participation: How our structures are designed and built, how our roads are laid out, where we choose to live and spend our days, how we choose to decorate the spaces we spend our time, and what actions we take when faced with risk.
Want to get started?
Getting Ready for Disasters can be done in 3 easy steps
1. Make a Plan: Assess Your Resources and Risks
Most people are more prepared and less prepared than they realize. Meaning: most people have lots and lots of resources to use in a disaster, they just don’t realize it–and most people have lots and lots of things they are have done that make things tougher in emergencies–shelves that will fall in an Earthquake, paper towels holder right next to the stove. Good news is that it’s pretty much free to gather what you already have and to make the inside of your house safer! Resilien2disaster.com has a lot of information that can help you, click here to start!
2. Build a Kit: Fix the resource gaps and lower the risks (there are always ways!)
OK, you’ve got a flashlight–but no batteries. You’ve got a water heater, but it’s not strapped to the wall, so it won’t fall in an earthquake, or you now realize that you live or work in a spot that faces really high risk. Some of the solutions will be pretty easy: gather a few extra supplies with every shopping trip. Some solutions can be pretty tough: deciding that the risks are high enough you need to relocate or get a new job even. Just knowing where the gaps in your safety are makes you safer–and once you know, you will see that there are lots of programs that can help you, and that there are always choices.
3. Get Involved!
We all need to work together to make sure we are all, each and every one of us, ready for disaster. Since we know that some people simply don’t have the emotional energy and time to take steps to get ready, we need to work together to find ways to make sure they will have access to help when it’s needed. How? Well, you can take steps to get others prepared, widening the net of people that can help others. You can get your organization ready to endure a disaster and reach out and help others. You can volunteer to help others during and after emergencies.
