Sheltering at Home or on Your own Property

(Excerpt from the "PRESENTATION: Three Response Strategies and Networking" post.)

Many of us would strongly elect to remain in our home, or at least on our own property in the event of a disaster. The key point: Is it safe?

A natural disaster or man-caused event could make us feel it is unsafe to leave our home unattended.  If it comes to a choice between safe-guarding your life or well-being, or protecting your home, please protect yourself. 

Evacuation by Auto

(Excerpt from the "PRESENTATION: Three Response Strategies and Networking" post.)

The most likely emergency that will prompt auto evacuation is a wildfire or quickly out of control series of house fires near you.  I saw that happen in Tooele just a few years ago.  

You must consider that flames could reach your home before firefighters could extinguish them. Your focus in such circumstance it to GET OUT IMMEDIATELY.

Sometimes, entire parts of cities get consumed so quickly, residents cannot safely exit with any belongings.  

PRESENTATION: Three Response Strategies and Networking

The information herein is useful to all ages, but is directed toward seniors -- because our age group suffers disproportionately more injuries and fatalities in disasters.

I can attest to this from personal experience in 3 Earthquakes and 3 Civil Riots AND from searching out Lessons Learned from each national disaster. 

In all disasters I have studied, missteps -- primarily, communication breakdowns -- were made among the professionals that cost senior lives. The most dramatic is the final report about the Maui fire, made public in October 2024, revealing that 75% of fatalities were age 64 or older.  It is heartbreaking.

However, the primary reasons our age group suffers disproportionately comes down to US.  First, many of us older people are often NOT prepared at all; or, second, if we have of a kit, it is likely insufficient and inappropriate for our aging needs; and third, most seniors are not networked with younger, stronger neighbors who care, living on their same street, or connected to community or religious groups committed to include them.