Katrina and disaster preparations

Lots of bloggers are writing about Katrina today, and I wanted to point out some links that particularly spoke to me.

Hugo Schwyzer wonders if watching the news coverage of Katrina is like rubbernecking at a traffic accident.  He particuarly comments on voyerism and the role of television.  I haven’t watched any of the coverage on TV; I’m overwhelmed enough by the still images and stories.  I learned that lesson during the first Gulf war, and it’s been reinforced by being the mother of two small children, who don’t need to have these images in their heads.

Andrea at Beanie Baby suggests that we honor the victims by bearing witness to their suffering.  She writes:

"We are the love of god; ultimately, we don’t have the right to turn our faces away, to spare ourselves the grief of witnessing, if witnessing is all we can do. Because that would be to diminish god."

Teresa at Making Light discusses "looting" of food, and racism in media coverage.

Also via Making Light, Cherie Priest writes about "the socio-economics of disaster."  Or how not everyone has the resources to hop in their car and drive to a hotel room.

Teresa also links to a page discussing "jump kits" — the supplies that you should keep in a bag near the door in case you need to run.  If you can afford it, another set in your car is probably a good idea too.

Meanwhile, Jody at Raising WEG and Phantom Scribbler have been urging people to prepare for an avian flu pandemic.  I’m not quite ready to drink the kool aid, though.  Not because I think their doomsday scenarios are impossible.  But because I’m doubtful that any reasonable level of preparation I could make would really help.  I think it makes sense to have three days of non-perishable food and water, basic medical supplies, and flashlights on hand.  But if the power and water really go out for months on end, I don’t think a lot of tuna in the closet is going to help.  I don’t buy Dave Pollard’s argument that we’re headed for a catastrophic crash, but I do accept his point that if one happens, big cities and their suburbs are "too remote from food supplies and too dependent on energy, and will ultimately become unsafe and unsanitary as infrastructure becomes unsustainable and begins to deteriorate." 

By the way, I’m always amused by survivalists who think that gold is going to be useful means of trade at the end of the world.  I think they’ve read too much Ayn Rand.  If I really thought that civilization was about to collapse, I’d be stockpiling antibiotics and extra glasses, monofilament line and good knives. 

3 Responses to “Katrina and disaster preparations”

  1. merseydotes Says:

    Thanks for that Cherie Priest post. That crystallized a lot of what I was thinking about this disaster. It’s disproportionately affecting poor people.
    Personally, I’m amazed that the Superdome hasn’t descended into more of a lawless, prison-riot-ish hell. The story on the front page of today’s Washington Post is a good insight into the conditions there.

  2. Beanie Baby Says:

    Thank you for the compliment.
    It does feel like voyeurism, doesn’t it? Sometimes.

  3. Mieke Says:

    I want to know why no one is asking how TERRIBLY unprepared our federal government’s response has been? Where is all the planning we supposedly have in place for an act of terrorism? That’s why we’ve spent so much on homeland security right? That’s why funds have been diverted from things like shoring up levies (last year the Bush admin downscaled a Louisiana request to upgrade its storm protection system), because we need to be prepared, because we need to have a coordinated relieve effort in the event of a national emergency. SO WHERE IS IT?
    Why should this be treated any differently? What if this had been a smart bomb? Or a Dam had been blown up? Where are the tens of thousands of National Guard Units, reservists, military? Where is the well-oiled machine, ready to mobilize in a matter of hours? Where are they? This disaster has been compounded by the pathetic response by our government. My relatives in Europe emailed me today to ask me what was going on? They wanted to know why, the day after the hurricane hit and the death toll was rising, Bush made a speech about Iraq and took another 36 hours to return to Washington. I have no answer for that. I do know that a lot of the men and women, equipment, and money needed to respond to this emergency are in Iraq. I have no explanation for why, regardless of that, there is still no coordinated effort.
    Why is there still no FEMA central command set up?

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