Earthquakes, Tsunami's, Hurricanes, Wildfires and Tornadoes but there is one Catastrophic event you've never heard of.

  The false spring I've been talking about all week is coming to an end, the wind is up, blowing between 10 and 19 miles per hour. I was sitting down reading the stuff I normally read in the morning on the internet, I read 5 newspapers every day, hey it's the cross I bear. I planned on and did finally go out on the deck looking over the river to have my coffee, as I was getting ready to get up and go, the Pirate ship went by. Now I was told that it was going to be "hauled" to have the bottom repaired and painted, but I wasn't expecting it to be today. (a Link to my video of the ship coming in) So, here I am again, still trying to become proficient with the video camera I bought and I was going to set it up on a try pod like I've been doing for a week, and wait for something to happen. As usual, then something did happen and I was unprepared for it, I can't imagine how professional photographers get some of those pictures. The same happened last week, except at that time I had the camera set up and ready to go, but I turned my head, and when I returned to my ever watchful position a Coopers Hawk was flying directly toward the camera, with a mouse in its talons. In a flash of an eye he was over me and gone, again I missed an opportunity, I will at some point figure all of this out.

I don't know how the pros capture these photographs.

  The blog I published on February 10, 2018, dealt with the difference between being a "Prepper" and merely being prepared, I don't worry about the Preppers, they are ready. Someday, I don't know when the Cascadia subduction will erupt with an 8-9 magnitude quake. It's 700 miles long and includes the cities of Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, Eugene, Salem, and Olympia. More than 7 million people will be affected.
  The New Madrid Fault runs right through the center of the country, the last time the earth shook because of it, a 7.5 magnitude on December 16, 1811, in Northeast Arkansas. the second 7.3 magnitude occurred on January 23, 1812, and the third a 7.5 magnitude took place on February 7, 1812. It caused slight damage as the country was sparsely occupied which minimized the human injuries as well.
  The Alaska Earthquake which occurred on March 27, 1964, 9.2 magnitudes with the epicenter in the Prince William Sound area. The earth shook for 4.5 minutes and to this date is the most powerful earthquake in U.S. history, it was a Big One. Causing 139 deaths, 600 miles of the fault erupted at once moving the earth 60 feet. It is estimated there was 500 years of stress built up. The following Tsunami destroyed the village of Chenega and affected Whittier, Seward, Kodiak, as well as other villages and cities. The Tsunami inflicted damage all along the west coast from British Columbia, South through California. The wave also caused damage as far away as Hawaii and Japan, It moved the earth as far as Florida and Texas in the United States.
  The San Francisco earthquake of 1906, 7.9 magnitudes shook the ground at 5:12 am April 18, 1906. The San Andreas fault moved along 270 miles of the fissure, it was felt from Los Angelos to Coos Bay Oregon. Severe damage was experienced in San Francisco, the resulting fires did tremendous damage after the quake. San Jose, Salinas, and Santa Rosa suffered damage, some severe as well.
  As bad as these earthquakes were, there are other examples too but these represent my position well, earthquakes are not the most serious, threatening, or damaging of natural or manmade disasters. There is one Catastrophic event that eclipses all natural disasters, wildfire, hurricane, earthquake, tornado, flooding, and blizzards. What is that devastating Natural Disaster?

Don't worry, he will be alright. 

  Human Indifference, that's right, the failure of citizens to become fully engaged in planning and preparing for Catastrophic events. As a country, we have never been active in an effective way to understanding the threats that are possible in every community in the country. To become fully self-reliant to the point of not needing to rely on Government assistance during the first week following a disaster. During the Nuclear bomb threats of the 1950's-60's, bomb shelters were pushed, most people were well aware of them and the impending doom and gloom which was deemed to be imminent during the Eisenhower Presidency. The participation by the people was minimal, hardly anyone took any precautions, or made any preparations, I remember I was there. I wrote a blog about the nuclear threat of the 50's - 60's. (link)
  When disaster strikes we are all "Molly Bar the Door", for a little while, it serves more as a snooze alarm than a wake-up alarm. Even after 9/11, we were all up in arms, but still few people took the opportunity to supply themselves with survival gear and food. When an event first happens we do spend some energy and money but complacency sets in not long after. If we look at the Cascade Fault in Washington State, only 30%-40% of the over 7million people that may be affected have made any preparations or planning at all for the inevitable Catastrophic event that is going to happen. In my area, the San Francisco Bay area, even after suffering one of the strongest earthquakes in the Continental U.S., a mere 30%-40% have any preparation at all. As far as the New Madrid Fault is concerned, I wonder how many people living in the historically affected area are even aware of the fault let alone be prepared for it. I know for fact in California, many people, I am tempted to say most but I can't because the statistics are cloudy, Earthquake insurance is a rarity among homeowners. (I have an opinion on disaster insurance as well, but that's another blog).

Someday it's predicted to have a major earthquake. 

  I don't know the reasons people are so resistant to planning, and preparing for an emergency situation, I do not believe for one second that it's a situation of simply not caring, I think people care a lot. Let's take a look at it, could it be:
1)  Is the message flawed? Look who is communicating the message, FEMA, Fire Departments, City and County Agencies, and other Government agencies. Should the message be conveyed instead by Doctors, Educators, and our Peers? I think we should ask ourselves if it is indeed the messengers, the message or something else. Do we pay too much attention to the people who are planning for a complete collapse of society and think that level of preparation is simply too much? Is it as simple as the 72-hour supply kit message is wrong and the supplies should be for a longer period of time, and the people are not fooled?
2)  Do people find preparing is overwhelming? If we take a look at last year, it was the most expensive Hurricane and Wildfire season in our history. Do we find it overwhelming due to the message of having to be prepared for everything that may happen? Do people think they have to have a separate plan, and equipment for each possible type of event?
3)  Is preparation too intimidating? Do we have the idea it takes a boatload of equipment to prepare ourselves and families for a Catastrophic event? In other words is the economic impact to most families too much to bear? And the websites like mine, I have a lot of emergency kits on it, is it too many? I am taking a look at it now, why do I have setups for every imaginable occurrence? Would 10-12 suffice? I'm going to figure that out.
4)  Do we hear the message from Government and their actions say something else? Why when a solution is placed on the ballot the voters reject them? Tsunami towers in the Northwest, re-inforced Grade Schools, and early warning systems not working or not installed sending a message not to take it seriously?
5)  Are we indifferent? Are we concerned only when an event slaps us in the face? Is it like not buying a cheeseburger until we are hungry, or drinking water until we are thirsty? Do we have the idea that no matter what happens I will be OK?
  I don't know the answer to these questions, I do know for everyone that does have a plan in place, survival food for at least 3 days, (I am an advocate of at a minimum 7 days supply) the rescue system will be less stressed, due to more 100% prepared citizens. (Link to FEMA's family planning template.)
  What if there is a Pandemic? An event that forbids people to gather together, in that event (and it is very plausible) 3 days food and water is not nearly enough, especially because help is most likely not going to come for a long while. Sure we all have food, and most likely in a Pandemic situation utilities would still be operating, but we will not be able to go to the grocery store. What will people do, especially when the food runs out, I would imagine the water would still be on in the cities, but what if it's the cause of the illness?
  These are the thoughts that run through my mind, I am in the industry of preparedness, I believe sometimes people may think we are selling fear. I kind of feel that people confuse my message with the message of the "hardcore Preppers", and it becomes too much. After all the Preppers are involved in a "Lifestyle", an interesting and rewarding lifestyle I may add from my perspective. However, do many people believe making a family plan and storing long-term supplies is too much of a change in lifestyle for them?
  That is what I see as my mission, the Preppers don't need my help, I will help them, support them and whatever else is needed, but the point is they are prepared to the point of being truly self-reliant, and self-aware. The movement needs me to convey the message that it is not "Nutso" to prepare for a disaster, conversely, it is prudent to make plans to support oneself and family in an emergency.
  I advocate preparing by first having one week's supply of survival supplies on hand, I am not pushing to sell a plethora of "stuff", I truly am concerned about those that will need help preparing, it's my passion. A flashlight, emergency radio, a lot of water, food for 7 days, and a few survival tools, in a bag or backpack ready to go and you will be a giant step ahead of 66% of our society. (Link to my video unpacking a two person kit)
  Maybe part of the indifference is we live in a really well-run society, I know, I know, OK, sometimes it doesn't seem like it but just think for one second about 911. In an emergency, we dial 911 and what happens? The fire department, the sheriff, and an ambulance pull up in the driveway. But would it happen during a flood or earthquake aftermath? No, probably not, but have we become so conditioned to believe 911 will work all of the time?
  For one more second think of your Cellphone, we pick it up and the world is at our fingertips, phone calls no prob Bob, play a game, it's right there. My wife got her phone wet, it had to be dried and she was beside herself for two days until we got it up and running, and we are prepared for a week's survival. During a Catastrophic event, how much could we rely on Cell phones? In my opinion, not much, unprepared people will be calling everyone under the sun for help, jamming up the outgoing lines. when we reach a "busy signal" what do we do? We hang up and re-dial, jamming the lines further, there won't be any calls being connected unless you are extremely lucky.

Put it in a bag of rice Grandma, then wait 24 hours.

  I talk to people all of the time about emergency preparedness, everyone with few exceptions makes a remark such as "oh yeh, I need to do something about that." Well-meaning but a gross failure to connect the dots, it makes me wonder how many people have lost their lives, or have been severely injured due to lack of planning. I also wonder how people can live in an area such as where I live, (San Francisco Bay Area) and totally ignore the warnings. Sometimes I wonder if my wife's and mine passion comes from where we were born and raised. We were born in the North, me in Minnesota, she in Upstate New York, we lived in climate, blizzards, floods, and tornadoes. But if that were so, there would be more than 33%-40% prepared, so I must say it has more to do with personality than upbringing.
  So what is the most devastating natural disaster we can face? You have already figured it out (never underestimate someone that reads), the disaster is the lack of preparation by 60%-66% of the people in the United States. I am on a one-man quest to change the message, I personally feel that is where we are failing in our desire to help our fellow citizens, that is my job. I will stress the relationship between being self-reliant and self-aware, as well as having 7 days supplies on hand for each member of the family.
  Thank you for reading and sharing my blog, this is important stuff to consider, leave a comment, and be prepared.
jacquesandkate  emergencykitsplus.com