"Who becomes the first responder during a disaster, when 911 doesn't work or the police or fire can't respond immediately?" asked LuAn Johnson, public education program manager of the Washington Emergency Management Division, during a session at the Partners in Preparedness Conference 2008. The answer was clear: whoever happens to be present.
This citizen-as-first-responder theme was a common one at the conference, held in Tacoma, Wash., in April.
"We know our jurisdictions are not as prepared as we need them to be," Johnson said.
She said two things fly off the shelves during a crisis: batteries and water. Both are easily acquired, and we could help ourselves by keeping a stash on hand - but we don't. She said 40 percent of injuries during natural disasters involve stepping on glass - cut feet. Simply keeping a sturdy pair of shoes under the bed would reduce that percentage.
Disaster preparedness must be a partnership between the government and citizens, and it's the government's role to educate citizens on how to prepare to be first responders.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has shifted its focus from awarding grants for resources and conducting emergency management exercises, to looking toward planning. Involving citizen groups in planning will be paramount to state and local governments if they want to continue receiving grant monies, and if they want their jurisdictions to be prepared.
Each of us can do something to perpetuate this preparedness; first responders are citizens too, and can lead by example.
This discussion reminds me of the smoke alarm I bought for my parents a couple of years ago. They were painting at the time and said they'd install it when everything dried. When I visited recently and asked about the alarm, it still wasn't installed; they said they'd do it soon. But I have a feeling it won't get installed until I do it. It's easy to do, yet easily put off by so many people - although it could make the difference between escaping the house in time and perishing.
Most folks don't think it will happen to them. Perhaps the idea is so frightening that they don't want to think about it. So they don't.
Johnson has tried to get people to think about it for years. She helped create the Seattle Disaster Aid and Response Teams program, now called Seattle's Neighborhoods Actively Prepare.
Most of us aren't prepared for a local disaster, because we haven't even thought about what to do in an emergency. And that reminds me of that smoke detector sitting on a desk at my parents' house. I pledge to take a few minutes this weekend to help make their house safer. What will you do?
