Emergency disaster response: Oceanic edition

For those of you who have been following the news, you might get the feeling that something is not quite right here in the Oceanic part of the world, and I tell you: those of us who live here think so too.  Mother Nature is smiting us down with a vengeance; in the past month and a half, there’ve been dramatic flooding in Queensland, Cyclone Yasi threatening to demolish Cairns, a tornado in northern West Australia, bushfires in Perth (that left one of my friends with a t-shirt, bathing shorts, flip-flops, credit card, and cellphone to his name), earthquake in Christchurch, and now the most recent earthquake in Japan with accompanying tsunami.  We even had a plague of locusts.

Obviously there are many, many websites telling you how to help the disaster victims (donate to Shelterbox, an Australian first-response provider), but I thought I’d just spend a bit of time going over some basic reactions to keep in mind if you’re in imminent danger here in the apparent new disaster capital of the world.

Bushfires

• If the police tell you to get out, GET OUT.  Don’t stay behind to wet down your house.  If you’re trapped in the middle of bushfires, get in or near a pool of water if you can. Don’t try to outrun them on foot; you probably won’t make it.
• Wet blankets, put them over your head and stay under them.  Bushfires burn fast but are very very hot.
• If you have to leave pets behind, unchain them and leave plenty of water nearby.  Obviously, best case scenario is you can get them in the car with you.
• Breathing particulates can be very dangerous — as can exploding gum trees.  The eucalyptus oil in the trees can boil and make them burn like torches or, as mentioned, explode.

Earthquake

• Get out of and away from tall buildings if you possibly can.  Get into doorways or other potential bracing areas, if you can’t get out of the building.  A lady in Christchurch was saved by her desk.
• There will be aftershocks, and they can happen for quite some time after the earthquake.  Be aware that they may trigger unpleasant flashbacks as well as potentially causing previously damaged buildings to shift and fall.
• If you see cracks or other damage to roads or bridges, get away from them — don’t pretend to be in action movies and jump over or near them.  They can shift unpredictably, and also may go down very deeply.
• If someone is trapped under rubble, ensure the area is secure before attempting to help them.  You can’t help anyone if you get trapped too.

Flooding

• Exactly the opposite of an earthquake — get to as high ground as possible and stay there.  Try to bring food and water with you, as floodwaters might not recede for awhile.  Being pets.
• STAY OUT of the floodwaters outside.  Aside from having unpredictable currents that can sweep you away, they may have surges of more water (like flash floods), which can knock you off your feet.  Also, rubbish, medical biohazard containers, cemeteries, and all other unpleasant things have also been engulfed by water.  The water will be very toxic.  DO NOT drink it or swim in it if you can possibly avoid it.  Even if you don’t think you’re going to get washed away.  It’s totally gross.
• If water engulfs your car, roll the windows down — water pressure on the outside of windows makes it difficult to roll them down, so opening windows, while counter-intuitive, will actually allow you to get out of the vehicle.  If you’re getting washed away in your car and are not in immediate danger of drowning, it may be safer to stay in the car, as there can be very heavy dangerous objects in the water with you (like dumpsters).

Tsunamis

• Move inland or to higher ground.  If you don’t have time for this, go higher in a building or, as a last resort, climb a tree or post.
• Save lives, not possessions.  This goes for all emergency situations.  If you see your belongings getting washed away, let them go.
• If you find yourself engulfed, search for something that floats and cling to it to save energy.
• Remember that fresh water and food may have been contaminated by tsunami water, leaving you in immediate danger.  There may be dead bodies contaminating the area further.  If possible, and you have somewhere to go, leave the area as quickly as possible.  If you cannot leave, try to band up with other people and maximize your findability through groups such as Red Cross.

For all natural disasters, be aware that on the news, it looks like emergency responders are there right away…sometimes they aren’t.  You may be left alone for quite some time, so the best response is to BE PREPARED.  Be aware of political, natural disaster, and other situations in whatever region you’re in, and if danger seems imminent, keep your important belongings in an emergency kit including water and food.  Donate to life-saving charities.  Take care of others according to your ability.  We can get out of this much easier if we all do it together.