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.

Seniors and Disasters

While disasters take a toll on everyone, no group is more impacted than aging adults - seniors - especially those of us who also have physical limitations and mobility issues.

Though our nation regularly experiences major disasters, it was the devastating hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Sandy that made it crystal clear – seniors suffer the most fatalities, severe injuries and are the most likely to be left behind.

Drop, Cover & Hold On: Limited Mobility

Pre-Dawn Quakes Near Population Center

Earth tremors were felt, pre-dawn, on February 15th in Salt Lake and Utah valleys.  While this is not unusual – quakes of this magnitude happen several times each year -- these tremors occurred along the Wasatch Fault, close to population centers.

Please, take these events as a prompt, a reminder to move forward on 96-hour emergency kit preparation for your family.  

Additionally, PLEASE, at your earliest opportunity, gather your family and practice DROP, COVER and HOLD-ON in each room of your home.  It is done this way:  DROP carefully to the floor, crawl to a desk or table and take COVER under it.  HOLD-ON to the desk/table to prevent it from shifting, leaving you exposed to falling debris.