Ground Zero? Hmm, what country do we live in again? Yes, the one that now 'guns people down' instead of shooting them and 'locks down' schools
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It sickens me and it does nothing but frighten people trying to prepare and stay calm. We need the media to release information to help and support people in areas of risk, we need accurate reporting of facts so residents can make informated choices. It needs to be clear that BOM reporting is largely educated guesswork and eventually decisions need to be made. The hysteria around this is disgusting it is indeed like a frenzy. I was most appalled at a council website that had a link to a countdown clock! Seriously, why? Its not an exact science.
I wanted to know what people did to survive a cyclone so i looked it up and i found all sorts of fabulous information, from what to take to evacuation centres to how to prepare inside your home. I really learned more from one website in 10 minutes than i did from any other form of media. This is what really annoys me. Tell people what to do! Report how to clear your yard, pack your belongings.
This morning i turned on the TV, found where Yasi hit, breathed a sigh of releif that the larger towns were somewhat spared and hoped like hell the little towns that copped it will cope. Bob Katter was being interviewed by phone and it was enlightening to say the least. It was certainly more interesting than knowing how many journos in the wrong towns are on the road trying to be first on scene in Tully.
I found a link on news.com.au to the BOM page on what do to. Mind you, maybe it's a country thing, but it all seems common sense to me. I've already told Rod that if there looks like being a fire up here, Caitlin and I are moving straight away down to Penrith. I'm not taking that risk. I've been most annoyed by the story of the 6 older people who ignored an evacuation order and then got narky when they were told it was too dangerous for anyone to go out and help them.
Having been in the inner suburbs until recently, I have never needed a real evacuation plan other than the house fire exit i trained my children in. It may well be country, but it isnt always common sense, fire and winds behave in certain ways and knowing how is learned not logic. I wouldnt have known how to prepare for a wind storm, taping windows, mattressing them if need be, even some of the hints for the exterior were not things i would have thought of. I know even less about the behaviour of fires, but have learned a little now we live in a fire zone (not a huge risk but a risk nontheless)
Anna Bligh was gracious with her comments about the 6 older people. Trying not to be too scathing when a persisent journo kept playing the blame game, she presented the facts of it all and shut it all down. Fucking stupid people, them for ignoring all warnings and the beat up that was attempted at the press conference.
I have a sneaking suspicion I first read about taping windows in some kids story 30 odd years ago and it's always stuck in my head :) I honestly can't think of a summer growing up when there wasn't a fire somewhere near our area. Most were the usual hay shed combusting or a spark from machinery that should have been stopped. We also had regular radio reports once bushfire season started. Gutters were cleaned, tanks were inspected, fire breaks ploughed etc. We never got close to losing our house, but we did have a few fires close enough that we could see the flames. I've seen 3 pretty intense storms that tore up trees, destroyed roofs and sheds and once again we sort of just knew to fasten down stuff, get it inside if need be and the safest places in the house to be.
This post and comments had me running to the ABC website to see what was going on. Poor QLD :( We had a lot of flood coverage on BBC news, but recently it's all been Egypt, Egypt, Egypt - if anything else has been mentioned it's been blink and you'll miss it.
I wanted to know what people did to survive a cyclone so i looked it up and i found all sorts of fabulous information, from what to take to evacuation centres to how to prepare inside your home. I really learned more from one website in 10 minutes than i did from any other form of media. This is what really annoys me. Tell people what to do! Report how to clear your yard, pack your belongings.
This morning i turned on the TV, found where Yasi hit, breathed a sigh of releif that the larger towns were somewhat spared and hoped like hell the little towns that copped it will cope. Bob Katter was being interviewed by phone and it was enlightening to say the least. It was certainly more interesting than knowing how many journos in the wrong towns are on the road trying to be first on scene in Tully.
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It may well be country, but it isnt always common sense, fire and winds behave in certain ways and knowing how is learned not logic. I wouldnt have known how to prepare for a wind storm, taping windows, mattressing them if need be, even some of the hints for the exterior were not things i would have thought of. I know even less about the behaviour of fires, but have learned a little now we live in a fire zone (not a huge risk but a risk nontheless)
Anna Bligh was gracious with her comments about the 6 older people. Trying not to be too scathing when a persisent journo kept playing the blame game, she presented the facts of it all and shut it all down. Fucking stupid people, them for ignoring all warnings and the beat up that was attempted at the press conference.
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