PREFACE
What a turbulent time we live in!
Just glance at a newspaper or turn on the television for a reminder of how vulnerable we are to natural disasters. In shock, we watched as disasters such as the tsunami in 2004, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the earthquake in Pakistan in 2005 overwhelmed helpless victims. We’ve been stunned and scandalized by images of people who lost loved ones and homes and have been cut off from assistance. No one is ever fully prepared for the horror of a calamity, but universal denial and lack of preparation expose people to more pain and devastation than necessary.
We’ve all had the thought: What would I do if such a disaster hit close to my home? Am I prepared to survive a major emergency? This book will help prepare you, your loved ones, and your community to survive a natural disaster like the bird flu.
I had my first wake-up call several years ago when a friend phoned to alert me to the Avian Flu (referred to as the bird flu or an influenza pandemic in this book). He spoke as a physician and a concerned citizen when he described in vivid detail how a bird flu pandemic could impact the world. We wondered why there was so little attention being focused on this issue at the time. When I began my research I, too, became alarmed, but when I began sharing the information with family and friends, the response I received was lukewarm; most didn’t want to dwell on apocalyptic fantasies. My children rolled their eyes, heaved deep sighs, or just looked at me politely. Friends didn’t ask follow-up questions, so I changed the subject. And still, the media was reporting little information about the bird flu.
As a psychologist I understand denial, the impulse to avoid uncomfortable feelings associated with confronting an unwanted situation. Nevertheless I felt alone. People assumed I was paranoid, but my interest was based in my belief that, to people who have a sense of mastery over a situation, the world seems like a safer and saner place. For my doctoral research I studied women going through an unexpected stressful life transition—divorce. I found that those with a sense of environmental mastery (those who believed they had the skills and means to take care of themselves) were both psychologically and physically healthier during and after a divorce than women who did not. When people believe they have the capacity to care for themselves, they react less fearfully to unexpected stress.
The more I learned about the bird flu, the more clearly I saw the makings of a disaster: take a potentially lethal and easily transmissible virus, add ignorance and a lack of preparation, and you have something to be frightened about. A typical reaction to fear is “fight or flight.” You might have the impulse to take flight: pretend it isn’t happening, escape to the country, or padlock your doors and take care of your own. Or you may be moved to fight: get a gun, take what you need, and protect yourself. Some will automatically rush to help others while some will have trouble taking care of themselves. When a catastrophe occurs, everyone will react differently.
So be prepared for diverse responses. One of the major challenges we face (in our families, neighborhoods, and societies) is learning how to communicate and work together despite our differences. During a natural disaster we will all have to practice listening, patience, and understanding until we have found a way to bridge our differences and prepare everyone to survive. It begins with your family. Recently my son gave me a hand-cranked radio for my birthday, a gift that pleased me doubly because it showed he was listening and reflected his willingness to engage in the conversation about disaster preparation.
After Hurricane Katrina (and the disaster after the disaster when the state and federal governments failed to provide adequate
assistance), I asked myself, what was the lesson here? It’s probable that basic services will be disrupted during a natural disaster. We ordinary citizens have to be ready. We have to accept the fact that on some level we’re on our own.
In short, we must prepare to survive!
I believe...
• We all need to be prepared to feel safe.
• Survival planning is the most socially responsible thing we can do.
• We cannot count on governments to take care of our needs during a disaster.
• Unless everyone in a community is physically and psychologically prepared for disaster, we create opportunities for social injustice and chaos as many of the most vulnerable will be left to fend for themselves.
• We are all caring people who can work together to preserve our loved ones, our neighborhoods, and the fabric of our communities from disaster.
• Communities, neighborhoods, and families that have made the effort to prepare to survive natural disasters will be more resilient if and when a natural disaster occurs.
BUY THE BOOK
It's about disaster planning in general,
with a special emphasis on what to do
if there's a pandemic.
