Develop survival habits now
All natural disasters make you highly aware of how you interact with & are at the mercy of the environment. Whether it is a geological, meteorological, or biological natural disaster, it threatens safety and well being, and we have to react quickly to keep ourselves and love ones safe. How do YOU react to a natural disaster? Is there anything you need to change to be more prepared for the future?
Natural disasters are times of rapid and sometimes catastrophic changes that naturally occur on planet Earth, and directly affect the survival of humans. They range from localized to global & occur over various spans of time...and cause damage to human property and/or loss of life. Technically, the possibility of a natural disaster occurring is called a natural hazard, which is "a natural process and event that is a potential threat to human life & property". The natural disaster is the natural hazard taking place in the past or present. Pandemics fulfill the definition of natural hazard before they begin & meet the definition of a natural disaster once they occur, as they are naturally occurring biologically driven natural disasters that spread across the surface of the planet through human interactions over time, causing loss of life. If you have already created an emergency kit, does it include the supplies required for the variety of natural hazards that are present in your region, including pandemics?
Pandemics are natural disasters that can affect any region, unlike many geological and meteorological natural hazards. Pandemics take time to spread, depending on incubation period, reproduction rate, mortality rate, how they are transmitted from one person to another, and how humans aid the spread of the disease. Consider how your actions within human society on planet Earth help pathogens spread, and then change your habits to decrease your susceptibility to infection and propensity to spread of disease to others. After every natural disaster we survive, we change our habits and are more prepared for the next. What habits do you need to change to survive this biological natural disaster? What other natural hazards do you need to prepare for?
This summer I will be providing natural disaster preparedness & survival information so that we all can be more prepared for the next natural disaster...not out of fear, but because preparedness provides a sense of confidence that you know what to do when a disaster begins. Would you prefer to react in a moment of chaos with the thought "I think ____ is happening, I have to ____ first", or "What is happening, what do I do"? Preparedness is not just having a physical emergency kit packed (which everyone needs to do), but also having the knowledge of what to expect, how to react appropriately, & awareness of personal habits that influence your chances of survival as your environment changes quickly. Our environment is constantly evolving, and survival depends on our ability to adapt to change, and adaptation requires preparedness on individual, community, and government levels.