As we watch the devastation unfold in Haiti, our hearts go out to those who are suffering and in need. Buildings have collapsed, supplies are running low and families struggle to communicate with each other. Even though Haiti’s suffering is made worse by poverty and a lack of building codes, this week’s earthquake is a reminder that a similar earthquake could someday devastate our homes here in Oregon.
Geologists tell us that the Pacific Northwest will someday suffer a catastrophic earthquake. It’s only a matter of time. Buildings will fall, roads will crack, the power will go out and your cell phone will not work.
Do you know what to do when the ground starts shaking?
- Are you prepared?
- Do you have an emergency kit that can feed and shelter your family for several days?
- Does your family have a plan? Do you have a meeting place? How will you reach each other when cell phones don’t work?
TVF&R has a comprehensive list of resources that can help you plan. Click here to see that list.
Most importantly, if you don’t have a plan, develop one now before you forget. “Almost everyone thinks about it, then our vanishing attention span takes us to someplace else,” says TVF&R’s Emergency Manager Jeff Rubin, “then eventually we’re in the middle of an emergency or disaster and wishing we had followed through. If you’ve ever worried for an hour about an overdue loved one, imagine worrying for a month.”
A note about how you can help those in Haiti.
TVF&R recommends donating money to organizations that are already on the ground providing relief. Not clothing, shoes, canned goods, or blood, but money. All those other things may be good for local use, but the organizations that can do the most good need money to maximize their expertise.
The Network for Good, a non-profit organization, serves as a referral and donation portal for a host of charities.
