Surviving an Emergency

I'm not a worrier. Plain and simple, I just don't worry. I know that what is going to happen in this world, will happen. Some things, you just can't change. If I am at work, and an armed gunman comes in my office, and fires shots at me before I can even look up from my computer, what would I do? What would you do?

The thing is, is that there is nothing you could do. You'd be bleeding out before you can dial 911 or reach for your (legally) concealed weapon.

One huge reason that I don't worry is because I understand that my life is in God's hands and that what is His Will, will happen. Matthew 6:33-34 says, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it's own." But that's not the only reason I don't worry. 

I don't worry about things that are out of control because I've made sure to control what I can control. 

I've always been a detail-oriented person, pretty much since birth. But if there's one thing that working in the safety profession has taught me, it's to always be aware. At work, I preach to people to be aware of their surroundings while they do their daily tasks. Watch out for things you could trip over; think about how lifting this heavy bag is going to affect your back; understand that using a weed-eater without earplugs increases your hearing loss, etc. There are so many things that we can do to protect ourselves, simply by being aware.

This is also applicable to emergencies. When you think about the word emergency, what comes to mind? You might think of a house fire, or a tornado touchdown, or a gunman at work. 

The definition of emergency is, "a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action." Ok, the first part is pretty much a no-brainier. It's the "...requiring immediate action" part that I want to focus on.... 

Knowledge is Power

Just like every job having its own set of safety issues, every area has its own set of emergencies. Florida has a much higher chance of a hurricane than Wyoming. New York has a much higher chance of a snow storm than Nevada. For me and Nathan specifically, we live in Memphis, Tennessee. We've taken the time to ponder and analyze what emergencies are the most likely to happen.

• Tornado
• House fires
• Zombie apocalypse
• Earthquake
• Terrorist Attack
• Flash flood
• Snow / Ice storm
• Biological disease release
• Atomic bomb

YOUR TURN. Think about different scenarios that could occur where you live. Be realistic. Obviously, a terrorist attack could happen anywhere, but its more likely to happen in a bigger city. A tornado can happen anytime, but it is more likely to happen during certain times of the year.

Severity and Frequency

Severity and Frequency are 2 words that are used often to evaluate occupational safety risks. The same principles can be applied in your own personal emergency plan. Determine the most "dangerous" emergency that could happen by analyzing the severity and frequency.

	Severity	Frequency
Tornado	2	5
House fires	2	2
Zombie Takeover	5	1
Earthquake	5	2
Terrorist Attack	4	2
Flash flood	1	5
Snow / Ice storm	1	3
Biological disease	4	1
Atomic bomb	5	1

YOUR TURN. Use your list you created from your research and try to determine which type of emergency should take priority. To be clear, when I talk about "severity" please don't misunderstand me. I realize that all of these situations would be severe, however, there are some situations that it is likely for you to survive. 

Additionally, realize that technology allows us to be aware of certain emergencies, which somewhat lowers the severity. Due to advances in the weather industry, we are able to predict and be alerted of many weather emergencies. But remember, every situation is different, so the more prepared you are, the better.

Ranking Priorities

Based on my own personal analysis, The two most significant emergencies for Memphis are Tornadoes and Earthquake. Tornadoes mainly because of the frequency, and Earthquakes because of the potential severity. Essentially, I just added the values of severity and frequency to determine overall significance.

Photo retrieved from geiologyinmotion.com

You're thinking, "Earthquake, you say? Hmmm...." This is where the importance of research comes into play. Many people know of the San Andreas Fault and the whole California-is-going-to-break-off theory. Similarly, Memphis is supposedly due for a huge earthquake because of the New Madrid Fault. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has filed reports stating that an earthquake in this zone could result in "damage to structures affecting water distribution, transportation systems, and other vital infrastructure. The earthquake is expected to also result in thousands of fatalities, with more than 4,000 of the fatalities expected in Memphis alone."

YOUR TURN. What is the most significant emergency risk where you live?

Prepare for the Worst

If a catastrophic earthquake were to occur (and our house was still in tact) and we were safe, it doesn't necessarily mean we're out of the woods, yet. When a massive earthquake happens, it would affect the power lines, telephone lines, road systems, water systems, etc. 

So, the real question is, how do you prepare for that? Here are some things to think about:

• If there are no telephone lines and no cellular lines, how will I communicate with my family or friends to let them know the plan?
• If there are broken roads or bridges, how will I leave the city if I need to?
• If there is no electricity, how will I use my debit card to buy fuel or food?
• If roads are blocked (due to earthquake flooding), how will I know where to go without my GPS? 

YOUR TURN. Think about issues that would arise if just one emergency happened in your city. What are all of the dominoes that would fall? So much is connected these days due to technology. This is convenient now, but it is training us to become VERY reliant on it. What would happen if you had to learn to survive? Are you ready?

Get Ready

Ok, so you have all this knowledge of all these situations that would devastate your life. Now what?.... 

Nathan always says, "I can't control what other people do. I can only control how I react to what they do." We can use this same principle in preparing for emergencies. You can't control if an earthquake occurs, or if zombies start taking over, or if an active shooter is in Kroger. But you CAN control how you react.

YOUR TURN. Hopefully, this post has helped to get your wheels turning on how you can get ready. Here are some specific things you can do in the near future to make sure you are ready:

• Gather your "Emergency Kit" supplies
• Determine your "Escape Plan." Think about where you and your family will go if you need to leave your home or city.
• Agree on a "Communication Plan." Figure out how you are going to communicate if there are no power lines, or no telephone lines, or no cell phone lines. This might just mean, "Ok, if we are separated when disaster strikes, we will meet *here*"
• Make sure everyone in your household knows this plan. When panic sets in, you want to have the least variables as possible.
• If you own a gun, make sure every adult in the house is knowledgeable about how to shoot it. Even if everyone doesn't carry, its a good idea for everyone to know HOW to use it.
• If you have young kids, make sure they understand about gun safety

Thinking about emergencies is sometimes scary, because it forces you to think about things that could change your life forever. But I find, as you hopefully will too, that being prepared gives me peace of mind that I've done all I could do. And that's why I don't worry.

Photo courtesy of flickr