Katrina
As much as I didn't want to join in on the influx of Hurricane Katrina noise on the internet, after a lot of reading and thinking over the past few days, I did think of a couple of things that I think are worth saying.
Most importantly, I'll echo this: donate if you can. This has to be the single most valuable thing I've seen mentioned online. Volunteer time if you can too.
What follows some other advise and suggestions that I have yet to see. Think of it what you will.
A lot of people are starting the blame game about the sluggish government response. I agree, it sucks. Let's learn from that. I assume every city in this nation has at least one major natural disaster to fear (earthquake, volcano, etc). Try to find out what the local emergency plans for your choice of disaster are. Write your representative to find out what'll happen if you get hit. Hurricanes give warnings, but for those of us on the West Coast, earthquakes don't. If you don't like the response you're seeing, then write to your local offices and tell them to prepare.
I'd also recommend preparing on your own for any disasters that might come. Though it was the poor and homeless that were hit hardest by Katrina, the better prepared you are, the better you are able to potentially help others who can't afford to or don't prepare out. My Junior High School did mandatory CPR/First Aid training; taking a class and getting 'certified' is always a good idea.
If you can, donate blood.
If Katrina has cemented any idea in my mind, it's that we can't rely on the government to bail us out of an emergency.
Most importantly, I'll echo this: donate if you can. This has to be the single most valuable thing I've seen mentioned online. Volunteer time if you can too.
What follows some other advise and suggestions that I have yet to see. Think of it what you will.
A lot of people are starting the blame game about the sluggish government response. I agree, it sucks. Let's learn from that. I assume every city in this nation has at least one major natural disaster to fear (earthquake, volcano, etc). Try to find out what the local emergency plans for your choice of disaster are. Write your representative to find out what'll happen if you get hit. Hurricanes give warnings, but for those of us on the West Coast, earthquakes don't. If you don't like the response you're seeing, then write to your local offices and tell them to prepare.
I'd also recommend preparing on your own for any disasters that might come. Though it was the poor and homeless that were hit hardest by Katrina, the better prepared you are, the better you are able to potentially help others who can't afford to or don't prepare out. My Junior High School did mandatory CPR/First Aid training; taking a class and getting 'certified' is always a good idea.
If you can, donate blood.
If Katrina has cemented any idea in my mind, it's that we can't rely on the government to bail us out of an emergency.