This has been an interesting year to live in the mountains. I live near the Great Smokies National Park in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Our region has had several mudslides, one that crippled Route 40, a major roadway, for more than 6 months. Several secondary roads are also out of commission. Last month, several people lost their homes when a 300 foot wide swath of mud and debris flew down their slope.
My town is not on any major railway lines so commerce is dependent upon trucks. Some towns in this area have literally one road in and out. What contingency plans are there for mudslides that may block access for supplies? How much reliance is there upon the government to bring in help? What if they can't reach us?
These types of conversations are sorely lacking at the local and state level. Few people want to talk about disasters - often, those who bring up the topic are accused of being negative, of potentially bringing on disaster by mere mention of one or of wanting to divert resources from current needs to possible ones.
Having worked in disaster recovery on the Gulf Coast, I know that you really don't want to have those conversations when the sirens are blaring. Connecting with your Town Manager, Mayor and other local officials to learn about contingency plans is your responsibility. Being aware of your resources is necessary. Having supplies on hand for several days in case the roads are washed out or blocked is a great idea. Thinking about the next steps is critical - what if your supplies are contaminated by flood waters? What if your house is covered with mud or a tree falls on it?
Spending time considering your options during good times will prevent panic in the bad times.
You need to be a member of Urgent Evoke to add comments!
Join Urgent Evoke