Disaster preparedness by civil governments is a sick joke! They are never really ready enough! Ask the people in Puerto Rico and check the lies that were put out on deaths there: 67! It was really close to 3,000!
What to do!
In the event of a major disaster, an emergency operations center will be activated by Santa Barbara County at 267 Camino del Remedio, if the building is still there. The diesel generator is intended to run the radio and phone systems. Remember the World Trade Center and Hurricane Katrina. Radios and phones went dead and hundreds of people died.
“Relying solely on rescue agencies to help you is wishful thinking” says disaster specialist Roy Dugger of the Red Cross. Katrina showed that you cannot depend on even the Red Cross.
Here are some of what you will need:
Water
Store water in your home AND in the trunk of you car. What good will water in your home do you if you are cut off from it with your family in the car. Each person needs about two quarts of water per day to drink and another two quarts for sanitation and cooking. That’s a minimum of a gallon per person, per day. You need at least a three-day supply that should be rotated every six months. No plastic bottles-glass!
Food
Again, you will need at least a three-day supply. Pick food that requires no cooking. Your gas and electricity will surely be out.
How about a bunch of energy bars, dried fruits, nuts for protein and ready to eat canned food and juices. Peanut butter, granola bars, trail. Sterno cans are good to heat water for instant coffee and tea, baby formula and other special needs.
First Aid
Bandages, scissors, tweezers, needle, packaged moistened hand towels, antiseptic and a thermometer.
Drugs
Pain reliever, antibiotics, cough medicine, and any special medications that your family needs. Remember, your druggist is going to be struggling to keep his family safe at his house and not at his drugstore.
Tools
Battery operated radio…a must! Your electric service is dead!
Extra batteries
Flashlight, Lantern
CASH! Banks will be closed and the ATMs will not have power!
Can opener, utility knife, tape, tarps for a makeshift shelter.
ABC fire extinguisher. Your fireman lives in Camarillo!
Pliers, Tape, Matches, Aluminum foil.
Power shut-off wrenches for gas line and if need be, water.
Plastic sheeting…Your roofer will be fixing his own roof!
Whistle to summon neighbors…
In the event of a major disaster, some people go crime crazy. Look at what happened in New Orleans. People that are not prepared, start to take provisions from people that are prepared.
Looting is the order of the day and in most cases the police are powerless. Most of the Santa Barbara Police Department’s men and women live outside of Santa Barbara. Many live away from the areas that they serve in many other jurisdictions. During the graveyard shift there are only 5 police on duty in a city that is about the area size of San Francisco. If a quake hits a 3AM, you will not be able to count on the police to help you. Most of our firefighters also live away from Santa Barbara and from other cities that they serve.. If Highway 101 is closed north and south of Santa Barbara, as it was during the last La Conchita slide, you are going to be on your own to protect you family, supplies and property for several days. Having a shotgun available in the middle of a disaster is not all bad.
Here in Santa Barbara, our first responders have the same type of equipment that failed in New York City and failed in New Orleans. To make matters worse, the SBPD, Highway Patrol and Sheriff’s Department, City Fire and County Fire Departments cannot communicate with each other from the field. Disaster professionals call the “everyone can talk with everyone” abilities of an interlocking communication system for emergency and rescue responders “interoperatability”. It does not exist in our area and in many other areas!
Remember: You will be on your own for at least 72 hours!
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