The lesssons I have learned from the Hurricane Katrina disaster and tragedy

JEFFHEAD.COM ^ | September 5, 2005 | Jeff Head

[Jeff Head]

Over the last ten days I have, with the rest of America and the world, watched a horrific natural disaster and tragedy unfold. I say natural disaster because that is exactly what a hurricane is when it strikes humanity and destroys property and lives and leaves suffering in its wake, as hurricane Katrina did along the Gulf Coast last week. I say tragedy because I have sat transfixed as I have watched as governmental social programs long in place, contributed to the disaster, and as a number of unimaginable and crass mistakes made by those who could have and should have exhibited stronger leadership, failed to do so which also added significantly to the loss of life and to the human suffering.

As I considered this over this holiday weekend, I thought it imperative, if for no other reason than to get these issues of my chest, to write down the lessons I have learned as a result of this disaster and tragedy. Hopefully, there are those who will reads this and benefit from it, most notably my own children and grandchildren and their descendants.

So, here are the lessons, I pray they reverberate within the hearts and minds of those who read them, so that more and more people can avoid some of the circumstances which have led to what will probably be recorded as the worst natural disaster and tragedy in American history.

LESSON NUMBER ONE: When clear warnings of an imminent natural disaster are issued, heed them When the weather service or other agencies, private or public, tasked with making such warnings issue them, take the warnings seriously and move well out of the path of danger. Do not wait for governmental officials to issue a so-called "mandatory" evacuation. Use your own initiative and resource, whatever they may be, to move yourself and your loved ones out of danger. Irrespective of how many false alarms have been raised in the past, irrespective of how well your or neighbor's structures have survived in the past, act for yourself and move yourself and loved ones out of the path of the oncoming danger. Your very life and those of your loved ones could well depend on it...and to err on the side of caution is a good thing in such circumstances.

The specter of those who decided to stay, and who were partying in the path of this storm on live news coverage up to the time the storm began to come on shore, will remain etched in our memory for the rest of our lives. Such foolishness punctuates the need to remember and act upon this first lesson. It is a lesson wholly within each of our power.

LESSON NUMBER TWO: Be prepared. Start now, in whatever sustained way you can. Any preparation is better than none, decent preparation is better than just a little. Realize we live in a world where natural disaster, economic fallouts, upheaval, strife and war exist and can strike us with little warning, leaving our entire lives and livelihoods completely altered in the space of a few days. We should do what we each can, within our respective circumstances, to have food and water supplies set aside to sustain ourselves and loved ones for a period of several months if possible. If possible, have your own well on your property with a manual pump. Also, if possible, have your own septic system.

We should also all strive to have a 96-hour kit set aside for ourselves and each of our immediate families should we have to leave our homes in response to lesson number one above. Such a 96-hour kiy should contain all of the following:

1. Water (Including purification tablets)
2. Food (Including high energy and vitamins)
3. A good First Aid kit
4. Toiletries
5. Temporary shelter
6. Two or three changes of Clothing, including underwear and socks
7. Firearms
8. Ammunition
9. Spending cash, several hundred dollars, or whatever is possible
10. Reading material (The Holy Scriptures, a couple of Classics)

LESSON NUMBER THREE: The welfare state of any nation is a destroyer of human compassion and civilization. It teaches people to be (mistakenly) wholly reliant on government and indolent and therefore lacking in the necessary moral clarity when faced with a crisis. Far too many caught up in that life style either turn into a mob seeking only what they feel at the moment is good for themselves, even to the destruction of those around them, or, they are left without the means to effectively apply lessons one and two, leaving them defenseless and at the mercy of the danger itself, of incompetent officials, or at the mercy of the mobs that follow on the heels of such disasters in sections of cities that are largely populated by those dependent on such programs. Avoid such programs and such areas like the plague...because that is exactly what they turn into in such dire circumstances as we have witnessed over the last ten days, particularly in New Orleans.

Who will ever forget the site of so many woman, with their children, no men responsible for these families within sight, as they waded through brackish, polluted waters in search of safety? The social programs that were manipulated and changed in the 1960s under Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society" have come home to roost and had their thin veneer dashed by these circumstances, revealing the ugly, festering sores just beneath the surface.

One example, in the 60s, a longer term program that provided governmental relief for children of widows who had been legitimately married, but whose husband had died, was altered to allow any illegitimate children to be included. It wasn't long before more and more desperate woman found that by having four or five children out of wedlock, they could sustain themselves on governmental programs. Men, normally raised to understand that one of their primary roles was to provide for children, found that that role could be supplanted by the government...and so a horrific seed was sown that has resulted in the destruction of the traditional family in a growing segment of American society. It impacted particularly the black family to begin with, but has since spread throughout society...and this is just one example of a myriad of such programs that have had the effect of creating huge segments of society dependent on government for their livelihood, and beholden to politicians whose careers are made by promising more and more of the same. The result is that individuals, families, and entire communities become corrupted...and the outcome is horrific when pitted against circumstances such as Katrina where the foundational building blocks of society such as hard work, strong families, commitment, individualism, creativity and moral strength are indispensable.

LESSON NUMBER FOUR: Large inner cities are breeding grounds for the welfare state. The resulting drugs, indolence, gangs, and other traits make these areas a dangerous place to be at almost any time, but especially during any crisis. Avoid them like the plague, at the mortal threat to your very life.

The site of utter lawlessness, looting, murder, rape and pillaging in the wake of hurricane Katrina has horrified and shocked us all. Much of it is a result of the seeds sown in lesson number three above.

LESSON NUMBER FIVE: Local, liberal politicians are not prepared or equipped to provide help to citizens in a major natural disaster. After their initial (late) warnings, their decisions and indecision resulting from their ideology (which ideology produced the welfare state in the first place), are more apt to significantly worsen the crisis than to provide relief...and this includes planning in advance of such a crisis.

While I am sure there are many civic leaders who will remain unsung heroes in this (such as the numerous initial Coast Guard rescue flights and those who made and coordinated them, I was struck by two examples of this lesson in this particular crisis.

One was the Mayor of New Orleans, at a late date (within 12-18 hours of the storm actually striking, calling for a "mandatory" evacuation. In essence, he told everyone who could get out on their own to do so...and then proceeded to gather large segments of the poor and welfare dependent, at ground zero in the direct path of the storm with little or no food, water or relief for them. The horrific reality was that the mayor could have gotten those people out of there, even at that late date. He had hundreds of school buses that were slated, in normal circumstances, to carry many more children all over New Orleans the next day...and yet they were not utilized but left in their parking lots to weather the storm Instead, he gathered tens of thousands of the most at risk citizens at the Superdome and the Convention Center, or left them in hospitals and rest homes, which later lost all power and water, and were surrounded by flood waters. Left in those circumstances, horrors unparalleled occurred. The pictures of those busses, covered in water the next day, stands at a punctuation and a witness to this lesson number five.

Another example was the governor of Louisiana. When it became apparent how terrible the decision had been to leave the people in the Superdome, she flew there with part of her staff to see for herself how bad the circumstances were. In a later news briefing she described a man holding a small baby who was seriously ill and how that child and many others like it were left in the Superdome and in need of immediate assistance. I could not help but ask myself while she was talking, "Governor, how did you get out?", and, "If you could get out, that sick child could have gotten out". Indeed, the helicopter or whatever transportation the governor used could have been utilized to carry many sick children out of those circumstances. A strong, moral and inspiring leader would have kept themselves and staff at the Superdome themselves, with their security people, and then used their transportation to take out all of the most seriously ill to the safety of the State Capitol from where she later gave the news conference, I was appalled that such a leader could not be found amongst the highest officials of the city or the state. Perhaps there were...but not in the instances I cite here. In addition, the Governor had it within her power, from the beginning to send the Louisiana National Guard into New Orleans as early as Monday to stop the looting. That she did not, and days later complained about the President not reacting fast enough was a classic example of a lack of leadership lashing out at other leadership to fix blame in my opinion. It not on was a disservice to those citizens in New Orleans, it may well have been fatal for a good number of them.

LESSON NUMBER SIX: Federal government programs cannot logistically react quickly enough to provide the level of assistance necessary in the first 72-96 hours. While they may eventually get the needed relief to the survivors (particularly in the hands of a moral, conservative leader), that relief may come too late of good planning and preparation on the part of the people themselves and local leaders is not already in place. In order to ensure the maximum chance for survival, see lessons one and two above and make sure you abide them...better for you and yours to err on the side of caution, than to be caught in such a circumstance.

If people (and particularly my own children, grandchildren and descendants) understand and apply these lessons, they will be in a much better position to preserve the life and liberty of themselves and their loved ones. Having done so, they will also therefore be in a position to help, aid, and provide relief to their fellow citizens in the crisis, as opposed to simply becoming another victim unable to help anyone, even themselves.

Finally, on a final note: These are lessons we as a society simply MUST learn and apply quickly. The lessons of the impact this disaster and tragedy has had on our society is not something that is being felt, noticed, and learned from here alone. Our enemies are also watching. It is imperative that we learn the lessons and apply them before any such enemies can take advantage of them

[bvw]

Well and good. Like the incorporation of general reading -- novels, biography, history -- in the go-bag. Also a notebook and pens/pencils.

Still, the lessons aren't done yet. What lessons will come out of Baton Rouge, out of Houston? So many displaced at once! The long-term effect, the midterm effect. Weeks, months and years from now?

One lesson I suspect is the importance of getting people BACK to their property, to their community, asap. To rebuild, to rebuild, to rebuild. To rebuild the necessities (clearing and cleaning, temp housing, roads, water, sanitiation, to rebuild the basics (structures and houses, school buildings, shops), to rebuild their lifes and comforts (jobs, community).

[the irate magistrate]

Thanks Bro !!

[jw777]

Excellent.

[Jeff Head]

Just pointing out that the behavior is possible...I agree that current Japan is much less likely to be involved in such behavior...but depending on circumstances, unless there is an absolutely firm foundational moral unerpinning to the majority of society, in such circumstyances that behavior can come to the fore.

Let's hope, whoever and wherever we are, that we take the proper steps for preparation and that we retain at all times, that moral underpinning. In the end, that is the most critical ingredient IMHO.

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

Good synopsis. FEMA literature has long stated that families need to be prepared to be on their own for 3 to 14 days. Thus, no one can realistically state that the federal government was slow to respond.

[Jeff Head]

Particularly if they, the people so involved, are principally involved in that rebuilding process. It would be a big mistake, IMHO, for the majority of the people to come back and find it all already done for them so that they have little physical, mental, or emotional investment in what their lives become.

[Jeff Head]

A double amen to that my friend.

Print out a copy of this and let Ron Paul have it from me. I'd be interested in his comments regarding the same.

[bvw]

Yes. It would be hobbling, imo.

[Jeff Head]

Well, I will tell you this; in addition to my firearms and plentiful ammunition, I have quite a few survival knives, a compound bow with numerous arrows, and a number of hand pump air guns. Cannot be too reliant on one form of protection. Depending on the duration, you may need to resort at some point to more basic methods in any case.

[Jeff Head]

Exactly. Self reliance and responsibility is an absolute foundational principle for survival and rebuilding IMHO.

[The Red Zone]

A laptop computer running Linux.

[The Red Zone]

Bring in Jimmuh to coordinate a Habitat for Humanity writ large. That's the one thing he has shown that he cannot screw up.

[Jeff Head]

No need. We just need to get people back to the understanding that the natural "habitat for humanity" is a home with a traditional, nuclear family, living traditional American moral values (read Judeao-Christian, whether all the people subscribe to the formal religious nature of them or not), inhabiting it.

When that is once again understood and practiced and out and out supported by our governmental institutions as opposed to the illegitmacy supported by the welfare state, we shall be well on our road back to a more normal sence of things, and a much more self-reliant and prepared society IMHO...and healthy, prospering habitat for humanity.

[The Red Zone]

Hey it's something to do.

[Jeff Head]

I hear ya. I just hope that people learn from this and are more and better prepared for future events, be they natural or enemy enduced.

[NorseWood]

Thanks Jeff,

I actually spent part of the Labor Day weekend replenishing my emergency preparedness supplies. I have a number of 5 gallon water bottles that I periodically refill with fresh water. I also have several large garbage cans full of canned food and other necessary supplies. We realized that some of the food items had been in storage for too long and we rotated these into our regular food preparation items and will replenish the emergency kit with new food items. Remember too to keep fresh flashlight batteries in your supplies. I keep the supplies in several locations in case I can’t get to one but another would be accessible. Since I live in earthquake country, in addition to supplies in the automobiles, I have a backpack under my desk with supplies that would sustain me for a period of time.

[Jeff Head]

Outstanding. Would that all of our citizens took the time and effort to be as prepared as you are. It will benefit you and yours, either one day in actuality as it helps you whether a particular storm or disaster...or at the very least in a life long attitude that spills over into other areas of all of your lives and benefits them immensely.

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

In the immediate aftermath of New Orleans being inundated, I took the opportunity to point out the following to my children: "Every unprepared person sitting around waiting for the government to rescue him and bellyaching about the rescue not being quick enough voted--if he or she voted at all--Democrat in the last election."

[NorseWood]

Jeff, inside a zip-lock bag inside in each container, at the top where it is most accessible, is a Bible and other inspirational reading material. It is my first line of defense.

[Paradox]

The has been no state of "national emergency" declared. Sorry, you are wrong. But welcome to FreeRepublic anyways..