Background-
Every year, disasters put millions of Americans in danger and cost billions of dollars in property damage. Disasters can come in many forms. "Disasters can occur naturally (e.g., tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, mudslides, or drought) or be human-caused (e.g., mass shootings, chemical spills, or terrorist attacks). Preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters and traumatic events is essential to the behavioral health of individuals and communities alike. When people experience a disaster, they may experience a variety of reactions, many of which are natural responses to difficult situations. Most people show resilience after a disaster-- the ability to bounce back, cope with adversity, and endure during difficult situations." (SAMHSA, n.d.) However, proper planning and preparation in advance of potential disasters can help us respond well in the moment, and increase our chances of recovering successfully. While seconds of advance warning may be all the opportunity you have to take life-saving actions, thinking now about ways to stay safe and comfortable during an emergency or disaster can make those seconds count.
Instructions-
1. Select one of the disaster scenarios listed below and imagine you find yourself in the middle of in it.
Scenario A: 2005 New Orleans, LA. Hurricane Katrina - A blackhawk helicopter crew airlifts and delivers you and your family to the Superdome with 10,000 other people.
Image Source: Critical Angle. (2017). Hurricane Harvey - Helicopter Relief Mission Debrief [Photograph]. Retrieved April 24, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wViK3yyK_MY
Scenario B: 1994 Northridge, CA. Earthquake - Your neighborhood goes into flames due to ruptured gas lines. You have 30 minutes to evacuate.
Image Source: Los Angeles Times. Northridge earthquake: Readers remember the disaster before dawn. Retrieved April 24, 2022, from https://www.latimes.com/local/la-readers-remember-northridge-quake-dto-htmlstory.html
Scenario C: 2011 Joplin, MO. Tornadoes - You emerge from your storm shelter in the darkness of night to find complete destruction of the town.
Image Source: Chris Spannagle (NOAA). Tornado as it moved west of Manitou, Oklahoma on Novemeber 7, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2022, from https://www.noaa.gov/photo-story-americas-deadliest-year-for-tornadoes-2011.
Scenario D: 2018 Paradise, CA. Wildfires - You have been given 8 hours to evacuate your community. Tens of thousands of people flee their neighborhoods after the Camp fire unleashes waves of flames that would destroy 11,000 homes. [Image unavailable: 2018 Paradise CA Wildfire] Image Source: Noah Berger (AP) Camp Fire incinerates paradise. Retrieved April 24, 2022, from https://www.theunion.com/news/camp-fire-nearly-quadruples-in-size-reaches-edge-of-chico-photos/
2. Research images and news stories regarding the event you selected.
3. Attempt to wrap your mind around the chaos that must have been involved.
Discuss the following prompts:
1. Reflect on on the scenario you selected.
2. Discuss what your action steps would have been, utilizing a personal disaster plan.
3. In addition to evacuation, is there anything else you can do to prepare your home for disaster upon your departure?
4. Discuss the importance of maintaining and regularly updating personal disaster plans.
Based upon the current course content, personal experiences, worldview, and media/resources provided, you must comment on the specific reflection prompts provided- reflecting on how they relate to the weekly topic(s) and current society. Posts should be thoughtful, insightful, and a minimum of 250-500 words. These posts should add significant substance to the conversation and clearly reference (i.e. cite) relevant information from researching academic sources related to the current course content (please follow current APA or MLA guidelines for your in-text citations and references). You must also respond to at least two classmates' posts. Responses should be a minimum of 100-250 words, add substance to the conversation, be thoughtful, and promote discussion. Responses that generally say, "I agree", "good point", repeat others' previous comments, or lack proper substance- lacking critical thinking or analysis, will not be considered for credit. Your initial post is due by Thursday at midnight. Your classmate responses are due by Sunday at midnight.