Inspired by a STRATFOR Global Intelligence publication authored by Scott Stewart dubbed ‘Taming Chaos with a Personal Contingency”.Recent events unfolding in Japan, a surge of uprisings and political instabilities in Bahrain, Yemen and Libya had forced people in the midst of these chaoses’ to depart from their normal lives. While it is of utmost criticality to prepare for either man-made or events brought about by natural calamities, one common event has become a familiar scene in televisions over the past weeks. Its the endless sight of people fleeing from cities and neighborhoods in a relentless effort to avoid disaster stricken sites.
Better Plan yet Fail, than to Fail for not Planning at All..
In Scott Stewarts so informative publication, it hopes to express mitigating sudden abnormal events which would lead families to evacuate from their respective havens and in this light, the importance of having a “personal contingency plan” plays a pivotal role in dealing with similar crisis situations. The fact that emergency procedures and contingency plans have proven effective in companies and other business environment, the existence of a contingency plan within the family will effectively place family members in a better footing in the event of any crisis such as those happening globally at present. True that natural event such as typhoon, earthquakes and tsunami are indeed inevitable but with a well communicated family emergency crisis plan, victims and those directly in the midst of such absorbs a lesser degree of the impact as against those who naturally succumbed to the chances of survival without planning something at all.
Few essential elements of a personal contingency plan should speak of the manner you intend to evacuate, a safe meeting point where you can reconnect with family members, provisions such as food medicines including pet safety procedures as necessary.
A Safe Area – Point of Contact
The designation of a safe area agreed upon by all family members plays a crucial part in the plan. In a common set up nowadays where both parents are into daily office routine jobs, an agreed safe area where family members can convene before, during and even after a crisis places each family member a foot forward whether an event happens at home, school or at their respective workplaces. A safe area could be a relative or a friend’s place of residence or a conducive place not far enough but where basic food and other provisions can be easily accessed. Depending on a given crisis scenario, the place could be situated within a safe proximity away from the immediate disaster site. The idea is for family members to re-connect and re-group within a considerable time period possible.
Crisis Communication – Tell someone! Call someone!
One integral part of this plan should also exists which is the crisis communication plan. This will indicate means and types of communication and designation of third external alternate communication channel. In situations wherein internets, mobile and phone-lines are clogged or no less destroyed within the immediate disaster site, systems in neighboring cities might not be otherwise. This would mean that an alternative contact number of a friend or another family member may well likely serve as a channeling station to keep other family members informed of your location and current situation in the midst of any crisis events. As what was declared in Scott Stewart’s advisory, it might be difficult for someone from Point A to communicate with someone at Point B. But a greater chance is prevalent that either someone from Point A or B to be able to communicate to someone from Point C who dwells in a neighboring city or away from the proximity of a particular disaster area.
Few essential elements of a personal contingency plan should speak of the manner you intend to evacuate, a safe meeting point where you can reconnect with family members, provisions such as food medicines including pet safety procedures as necessary.
A Safe Area – Point of Contact
The designation of a safe area agreed upon by all family members plays a crucial part in the plan. In a common set up nowadays where both parents are into daily office routine jobs, an agreed safe area where family members can convene before, during and even after a crisis places each family member a foot forward whether an event happens at home, school or at their respective workplaces. A safe area could be a relative or a friend’s place of residence or a conducive place not far enough but where basic food and other provisions can be easily accessed. Depending on a given crisis scenario, the place could be situated within a safe proximity away from the immediate disaster site. The idea is for family members to re-connect and re-group within a considerable time period possible.Crisis Communication – Tell someone! Call someone!
One integral part of this plan should also exists which is the crisis communication plan. This will indicate means and types of communication and designation of third external alternate communication channel. In situations wherein internets, mobile and phone-lines are clogged or no less destroyed within the immediate disaster site, systems in neighboring cities might not be otherwise. This would mean that an alternative contact number of a friend or another family member may well likely serve as a channeling station to keep other family members informed of your location and current situation in the midst of any crisis events. As what was declared in Scott Stewart’s advisory, it might be difficult for someone from Point A to communicate with someone at Point B. But a greater chance is prevalent that either someone from Point A or B to be able to communicate to someone from Point C who dwells in a neighboring city or away from the proximity of a particular disaster area.
A safe route of escape of at least three areas should be pre-identified. In between a disastrous event, your immediate neighborhood would be sprawled out with emergency response and rescue vehicles using predictable routes and these routes expectedly will be cut off or at the least close to impassable. In identifying these routes, geographic information descriptive of your location and the disaster site is of material importance.Situational Awareness – An essental factor!
Situational awareness has always been a significant tool in mitigating unlikely situations. By keeping abreast of a progressing issue, this will naturally place an individual or an entity into a
wider frame of mind to prepare for a looming or potentially disastrous event. Often, a seemingly comprehensive contingency plan doesn’t buy you optimum guarantee to prevent a crisis situation from happening, having foreknowledge about an unfavorable event will however help you through it. Photos:
Los Angeles Times Photography - Japan Aftermath
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