So you think you're in the clear now that you survived your disaster? That, unfortunately, is not the case at all.
After being on an ambulance crew for
four days during and after the May 2013 tornadoes in Oklahoma, I
learned quite a bit about what happens after a disaster. Surviving
the actual tornado, or hell, any major disaster is a no-brainer,
that's a basic part of prepping. The things that happen in the
following hours, days, weeks, and months are also things we need to
be worried about.
The actual tornado did a lot of damage
but the things that were dangerous afterwards are what hurt a lot of
people. When you have open gas lines, sharp debris, unstable
structures, overhanging power lines, etc. you need to have your wits
about you. This is not the time to get hurt physically because you
are not paying attention. We literally had cases of people walking
into traffic. Not because they were suicidal or anything, it was
simply because they needed to get from point A to point B and they
didn't think about looking both ways when crossing the street.
Psychological shock was a huge problem.
If you're not physically injured, that does not mean you are not
psychologically injured. The reasons are obvious now, but we did see
a lot of it. Your struggle has just begun, you need to have your head
in the right place and make the right decisions. The decisions you
make in the first 12 hours will stay with you for months or even
years. You need to take however long you need to take to get your
head back in the game. Be aware that others around you are probably
in shock, too. They will not be thinking straight, and may put you in
danger by their actions.
One major thing that you have to
realize is that communications will be down in the immediate
aftermath of a disaster like this. Our ambulance had zero
ability to communicate with our dispatch and through them, the rest
of the world. Zero. We were literally on our own. Radio did not work,
cell phones did not work, texting didn't work. The only thing that
did work was email and that was only if we were lucky and in the
right spot. Something to keep in mind while setting up your
preparations.
So. Your house has been hit. You need
to make a decision, do I stay or leave?
When and if you decide to leave, you
should know that you are not going to be able to come back for quite
a long time. You're going to have to know where you are going to go.
Grab what is close to your heart and irreplaceable. Hopefully it is
small enough to walk with because the roads will be full of debris
and people. Your car may not even be in the same county after a
tornado, if it survives in drivable condition. The hardest part will
be leaving things behind. Remember, that is what insurance is for.
Also note that hotels will spike the
prices on you. Unfortunately, after a disaster is when the
opportunistic scum of the earth come out of the woodwork.
Don't rely on hotels, motels, or
extended stay hotels as a permanent solution. There were many cases
of actual storm survivors being kicked out to make room for
contractors/utility workers that were coming in from out of state to
help with the rebuilding.
Depending on how long it takes for city
workers and emergency workers to do their jobs, you may be out of
your house for weeks, even months. Reason being is because they will
say the neighborhood is unsafe with the power lines, water lines, and
gas lines being broken. They will not allow anyone back into
the neighborhood until the workers have done their jobs unhindered
from civilians getting in the way. That does not mean that the scum
sucking parasitic thieves will not go into the neighborhood under the
cover of darkness and steal from your home that is now wide open.
Please, have a plan in place for where
you can go in case something bad happens. Some place for you and your
family to stay for a long time until you get back on your feet.
Family, friends, co-workers- this is a good reason why having a network
of people you can rely on is important.
In a later article, I'll talk in more
detail about the people who stayed in their homes. That was a
nightmare for everyone. The stories I heard from the people that
refused to leave their homes were of nightly police foot pursuits for
thieves. No power and no light emboldened the thieves. It was a big
problem for police and unfortunately a lot of peoples' personal
belongings were stolen from their storm-damaged homes. That is the
reality that you will have to deal with when you make the decision to
leave your home. By storm or by man, more than likely you will lose a
lot of possessions if not everything. Again, good insurance is a
must.
Always remember that people will try
to scam you. From insurance adjusters to contractors, it seemed like
everybody was trying to screw somebody. Don't get me wrong, there
were some good people out there that wanted to help (I still thank
the local pizza company that fed us for days) but the good ones were
outnumbered by the bad one. So beware. Best advice would be to look
around for local contractors now. Roofing people, foundation people,
tree removal companies, etc., and have those be your go-to people.
After the disaster is not the time to try and find them. They will be
a little busy. It doesn't matter that your home is brand new right
now, do your research and get the contact information, you will need
it later. Yes, insurance does pay eventually, but they do not do the
legwork for you to find the people needed to do the work.
Remember the most important things. You
are in the middle of a disaster. Just because the tornado is gone
doesn't mean that the disaster is over. You have to rely on yourself.
You also need to be able to take care of yourself. Emergency crews
will not be able to take care of the minor injuries that you would
normally call an ambulance for. The ambulance crews and other
emergency workers are looking for people who are trapped and badly
wounded. A twisted ankle or a broken wrist is on the bottom of the
totem pole.
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