There is a little statement that most people remember from childhood. It says “Be Prepared.” And while short and simple, it is also to the point, especially today. Being prepared for any kind of emergency or disaster, often referred to as an All Hazards approach, is really only a matter of common sense. In nearly every type of emergency, sustainability and survivability always favors those who are prepared.

The pages of history are filled with the record of endless disasters and their impacts on societies. And an awareness of the potential for disaster is fundamental to the preparation for it. In this sense, awareness is not meant to instill fear or apprehension, but rather to accentuate a recognition that leads to preparedness.

While the most common emergency is a house fire, Coweta County has also had its share of flooding, ice storms, tornados, tropical storms and power outages. The recent flooding along the Chattahoochee River was bad and could have been much worse. The flooding in the mid-1990s is an example of that reality. These and other natural disasters can have a hazards lifetime of a few hours or a few days, maybe more. Yet, realistically stated, there are other disasters that can pose similar, or even more severe, disruptions to daily life.

Some natural phenomena occurring at great distances can still affect local communities. Such an example can be found in solar activity or “space weather” that has already impacted regional electric grids and was the topic of a 2008 NASA /National Academy of Sciences report that focused on the potential economic and societal impact of what is expected to be a significant increase in solar plasma activity in the next few years.  

There is much talk today of the H1N1 flu, as there was talk earlier this decade of the much more virulent H5N1 avian flu. Whether these or another strain at some point in the future causes widespread illness or death, epidemiologists are clear that in terms of pandemic flu, it is not if, but when. History is replete with examples of this reality.

And there are other examples of All-Hazards scenarios that can could be experienced locally. However seemingly unlikely, a chemical spill from a train derailment on U.S. Highway 29 or from a truck along any of our major roadways could pose a significant health and safety threat. Prevailing west-to-east winds only tend to exacerbate the negative consequences.

Yet another real threat in today’s world, and one that receives much publicity, is that of a manmade disaster. Whether local, regional or even national, these run the gamut and can include chemical, biological or radiological events.

And it is all the possible scenarios mentioned above, and the response to them, that are a part of the evolving mindset of emergency response personnel across Coweta County, Georgia and the nation.

Most everyone today is aware that one or more of the scenarios mentioned here could happen. And the more severe the disaster, the greater the likelihood of having essential services curtailed or suspended for some amount of time. This is why it is important to be prepared for any potential emergency or disaster.

So the question becomes whether we, at an individual or at a family level, will prepare ourselves for that possibility. And all this begs the question, what is preparedness and why should you be prepared for any emergency or disaster?

At its essence, preparedness is both mental and physical. It is a state of mind, a conscious reckoning of the potential for the disruption of normal daily life and the establishment of a plan to protect you and your loved ones. And, once devised, it is the fulfillment of that plan by taking the steps necessary to put that decision into action.

So preparedness is the accumulation of sufficient knowledge to protect yourself, your family or your business and the enactment of that knowledge. One of those concerned with both individual preparedness and Coweta County’s response to any emergency or disaster scenario is Coweta Emergency Management Director Jay Jones.

“The bottom line is that there are two risks, manmade and natural,” Jones said. And to be prepared for those risks Coweta County has an ongoing hazard mitigation plan that monitors the  areas of concern highlighted within it.

Jones said a variety of redundant methods are used to get emergency information to residents. Some of those include television and radio alerts. Another communication method that can be used for regional and local information is the NOAA weather radio. Jones strongly advised that everyone obtain one of these radios. The units are inexpensive and can be battery operated and/or hand-cranked and some come with short-wave capability. The NOAA radios are also important because, “We can have local information put on the NOAA system,” Jones said.

Among the concerns of Coweta EMA is the need for both family continuity plans and business continuity plans. Though perhaps not as often considered in the same way as that of a family plan, Jones said it is important to keep company documents or duplicates and vital records in a fire-rated safe or a safe deposit box.     

And at home, among all the other measures and preparations that families should take to protect themselves, Jones reminded residents not to forget the family pet. People should add pet provisions to their list of items, he said, adding a reminder that pets are not allowed in Red Cross shelters.

Today in America, many citizens have come to expect that government will meet all their needs in times of emergencies and disasters. And while this can be more closely approximated where local disasters are concerned, it is not the case with regional or national emergencies. Two recent examples of this should paint that picture. The first is what happened along the Gulf Coast in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The second came a year later. On May 3, 2006 the White House released a 228-page plan, the “National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza: Implementation Plan,” essentially informing states and communities that they will have to rely on themselves, with the federal government assuming an advisory role.    

If there is a lesson to be learned from the numerous local and regional disasters that have occurred in the United States even in the past couple of decades, it is that we, the individual citizens, should be prepared to take care of ourselves and our families to the greatest extent possible. And that means not waiting until disaster strikes to think about being prepared to respond to it.   

“Not being prepared can lead to serious problems,” Jones explained. “The idea is to prepare and to be prepared in advance.”

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