Disaster and Emergency Preparedness: Learn how to prepare yourself, your family, and your friends for disasters and emergencies.

By Abri Brancken

Disaster and Emergency Preparedness by Abri Brancken.

The time to prepare for any disaster is before it happens. In “Disaster and Emergency Preparedness”, Abri Brancken provides several easy steps that you can take to live a better-prepared lifestyle. As you read this book, you will familiarise yourself with the basic skills and knowledge required to recognise and respond to several disasters and emergencies.

Being prepared can mean the difference between life and death in a world filled with unpredictable natural and manufactured calamities and unforeseen emergencies. Whether it’s earthquakes, hurricanes, pandemics, or terrorist attacks, disasters can strike without warning, leaving behind devastation. However, with the correct information and proactive planning, you can mitigate risks and protect yourself against the worst outcomes.

This book is an essential companion for anyone facing the fury of Mother Nature or the unpredictability of human-made disasters. It offers practical advice and actionable steps to help you prepare, respond, and recover. Understanding each type of disaster’s unique challenges is crucial for adequate preparation. Learn how to assess risks, develop contingency plans, and mitigate vulnerabilities in the face of these threats. It will guide you through the process of creating comprehensive emergency plans, assembling emergency kits, and establishing communication channels.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jun 6, 2024
• ISBN: 9781304301345

Book preview

CHAPTER 1 - Introduction to Disaster Preparedness

How to prepare and what to prepare for

This book will assist you in taking the necessary steps to become disaster and emergency-ready. In a world of uncertainty, disasters loom large, from natural calamities to manufactured crises. Each disaster has its unique challenges and characteristics. Preparing for tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, cyclones, volcanoes, etc., requires a different strategy from preparing for pandemics or economic collapses. Then there are threats such as social unrest or even terrorist attacks, whether conventional or biological, chemical or even nuclear. These scenarios require a different focus on preparedness and intensity level.

If you are new to personal preparedness, it may seem like an impossible task to prepare for the various threats you may face. That is why I always advise people to take their disaster and emergency preparations one step at a time. Don’t try to do too much too quickly. Move at a pace you can manage, step by step. Rest assured, to get the basics done is not that difficult. Once you have done the basics and assembled some core items, you will be much better positioned to deal with the threats that might present themselves.

We prepare because we desire to live, protect our families, and help others do the same.

Our goal in any disaster is to

minimise the damage and impact

caused by the disaster.

A List of Possible Threats

Here is a list of some possible natural and manufactured disasters that you might consider preparing for:

Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Tropical storms, Cyclones, Earthquakes, Floods, Heat waves, Cold spells, Landslides, Mudflows, Tsunamis, Volcanic eruptions, Sun/solar flares, Pandemics, Plagues, Fires, Terrorist attacks, Chemical attacks or warfare, Biological attacks or warfare, Nuclear, EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse), Radioactive attacks, spills, accidents, War and social unrest.

When it comes to prepping, there are various degrees or levels of preparedness that you can commit to. Your financial position, energy, and time, which you want to invest in your preparations, play a significant role in the result.

One word of warning before we continue. You might want to reconsider before making debt by buying equipment you will probably never use. Some people go overboard in response to some ‘doom day’ prediction and spend a lot of money they don’t have on goods they won’t need or ever use. Debt enslaves you. The borrower is servant to the lender (Proverbs 22:7 - Bible). Take your time, study, and know why you do what you do and why you buy the gear you do. Grow and develop your emergency plan within your financial means, and if you need to purchase something expensive, save for it, if possible. Preparing your infrastructure and assembling your gear should be an enjoyable journey, not a burdensome exercise. It is all about a lifestyle. Emergency preparedness is a lifestyle in which you continue to skill and develop yourself, incorporating one principle after another, one step at a time, possibly for the rest of your life.

There are key benefits to being prepared!

Being prepared for emergencies offers numerous advantages at an individual and community level. Here are some key benefits:   

1. Reduced Risk of Harm: Preparedness measures such as having emergency kits, evacuation plans, and communication strategies can significantly reduce the risk of harm during a crisis.

2. Faster Response Time: Being well-prepared enables individuals and communities to address emergencies promptly. By having a well-thought-out plan in place, people know what steps to take and where to seek refuge, thereby reducing the time required to initiate necessary actions.

3. Improved Decision-Making: Prepared people are more likely to make informed and rational decisions during emergencies, including knowing when to evacuate, how to communicate with others, and where to find reliable information.

4. Minimised Disruption: Preparedness measures help reduce the impact of emergencies on daily life. By having contingency plans for various scenarios, individuals and communities can better manage disruptions to infrastructure, services, and essential resources.

5. Enhanced Resilience: Preparedness measures enhance the ability to recover from adversity. Resilient individuals and communities can bounce back more quickly from emergencies, adapting to new circumstances and rebuilding more efficiently.

6. Community Cohesion: Preparedness fosters a sense of community and cooperation. When people collaborate to plan for and respond to emergencies, it strengthens social bonds and promotes a shared responsibility for the well-being of everyone.

7. Resource Conservation: Adequate preparation helps prevent the unnecessary depletion of resources during emergencies. For instance, knowing how to conserve water, food, and energy ensures that essential resources remain available for extended periods.

8. Reduction of Stress and Anxiety: Preparation alleviates stress and anxiety. Proactively planning and mitigating potential risks provides a sense of control in uncertain situations.

9. Improved Communication: Preparedness plans often include communication strategies, ensuring people know how to contact each other and receive official information. This enhances overall communication during emergencies, reducing confusion and panic.

10. Positive Impact on Mental Health: Being prepared contributes to security and well-being. Knowing that you have taken steps to protect yourself and your loved ones can positively impact mental health.

11. Economic Savings: While there is an initial investment in emergency preparedness, it can lead to significant financial savings in the long run. Adequate preparedness can prevent or minimize property damage, reduce healthcare costs, and mitigate the economic impact of emergencies on individuals and communities.

Preparing for emergencies is a proactive and responsible approach that enhances individual safety and contributes to communities’ overall resilience and well-being. There is nothing wrong with hoping for the best as long as you are prepared for the worst. Not knowing what to do or how to respond to an emergency might cause you to go through an intense emotional and psychological roller-coaster of fear, anxiety, uncertainty, and hopelessness. These emotions can blur your vision and paralyse you, making you unable to respond quickly and act appropriately or effectively. It is much easier to remain focused and calm when you have familiarised yourself beforehand with the essential requirements, procedures, and characteristics of dealing with various disasters.

Where are you in the process?

We can divide a country’s population’s mindset into the following categories regarding personal preparedness and disaster readiness.

a. Those who are not planning to do anything in preparing themselves.

b. Those who have not yet prepared but are open to thinking about it.

c. Those that have not yet prepared but are planning to start within the near future.

d. Those who recently began living a prepared lifestyle.

e. Those who have been preparing for some time.

Where are you in the preparation process? Through the print and broadcast media, various groups have done a lot to promote the importance of personal and family preparedness. But despite the best efforts, a vast number of people remain passive. One of the reasons people remain passive in preparing for emergencies is because of something called normalcy bias.

The danger of normalcy bias

What is normalcy bias? Many people live unaware of what is happening around them. They are looking, but they cannot see what is going on. Their vision is veiled. They hear, but they are not listening. Their mental state is such that they ignore all the warning signs around them, which indicate that possible threats might be approaching. They underestimate the possibility of a disaster occurring, whether natural or manufactured, not to mention minimising the effects that such a disaster can have on their life and the lives of their family members. Such people are in a state of normalcy bias.

Normalcy bias refers to the tendency

of individuals to underestimate or ignore

entirely potential warning signs and

risks in a situation. Instead, they choose

to believe that things will continue as

they have in the past.

This mindset can be incredibly dangerous, leading people to downplay serious threats or emergencies, causing them to take inadequate or even harmful actions. It often occurs when people face unexpected events or situations that challenge their beliefs about how the world works. The dangers of normalcy bias cannot be overstated, as it can hinder critical thinking and problem-solving abilities in times of crisis.

Overcoming the normalcy bias requires acknowledging its existence and contemplating the potential for different outcomes or disruptions to usual routines. Individuals and communities must recognise this bias and proactively prepare for unforeseen circumstances. Being prepared for emergencies and creating a backup plan is prudent due to this critical and delicate period in human history. There is a global sense among people that changes are happening and that everything is not as it should be. With the rise in natural disasters, conflicts, and various instabilities, personal readiness, self-sufficiency, and disaster preparedness are not optional but essential. An unprepared society is a society at risk. It is not enough to prepare oneself; those who are ready must also educate and equip others to do the same.

What causes normalcy bias?

Normalcy bias is attributed to various psychological and cognitive factors, for example:

1. Comfort and Familiarity: Humans tend to stick to routines and familiar environments, finding comfort in the predictability of their surroundings. This sense of continuity can provide a false reassurance that things will stay the same.

2. Cognitive Dissonance: People may experience cognitive dissonance when faced with information contradicting their beliefs or expectations. To reduce this discomfort, individuals might downplay the significance of potential threats and cling to the idea that everything will remain normal.

3. Optimism Bias: Being optimistic is good, yet many individuals assume that adverse events will not happen to them, thereby underestimating the likelihood and impact of adverse events.

4. Lack of Personal Experience: A person who has never personally experienced a particular disaster or disruption may struggle to grasp its potential severity fully.

5. Social Influence: People often look to others for cues on how to react in certain situations. If those around them also exhibit normalcy bias, individuals may be more inclined to conform to the collective belief that everything will be fine.

6. Fear and Denial: Acknowledging the possibility of a significant disruption can be frightening. As a defense mechanism, individuals may engage in