Media's disregard for preparing

[hawkeye]

I can't believe the downright disregard for even thinking about preparing for an emergency situation.

World coming to an end
As I See It

By Jerry Perella

"We have become a nation of paranoid, panic-stricken worriers, and it?s mostly the media?s fault. If there is nothing to fear, they manufacture it, droning on and on about ?possible? future mishaps.

True enough, we have reality-based things to certainly cause us alarm, but quite a bit of our news reports are ?what if? scenarios, designed to send us running helter-skelter.


Remember the infamous Y2K scare? The ?sky is falling? mentality had people fighting over food in grocery stores, stocking-up on bottled water, filling-up gas cans, buying generators, and loading-up on ammo. Jan. 1, 2000, came in with a whimper and not one single plane crashed because of the computer-controlled air traffic regulators.

There?s probably still people eating overstocked canned goods from that little scare. And how about this bird flu pandemic? People are running out and trying to get vaccines despite the fact that their fears are for the most part unfounded...." (not worth pasting in the rest of the article.)

[Roman]

Re: Media's disregard for preparing

Billions and billions of dollars were spent preparing for Y2K (upgrade computers, software etc.) Programmers spent millions of hours re-programming. That is why there was very little impact. They prepared. Jerry is just to dumb to remember. Too bad guys like Jerry are common.

[DB]

Re: Media's disregard for preparing

Jerry any anyone who listens to him will be missed.

[hawkeye]

Sensible Article

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Be prepared for pandemic bird flu

DOROTHY TEETER
GUEST COLUMNIST

Anyone reading newspapers or watching television recently likely has come across alarming stories about the spread of bird flu across the globe. While the virus continues to be largely limited to birds -- human infections are rare -- public health officials and an increasing segment of the public rightfully are concerned about the virus' potential to become a serious human disease that could disrupt our lives profoundly.

How many in our communities have taken steps to prepare?

Many people are too busy with families, jobs and the general pace of life to worry about an infectious disease outbreak that isn't a reality for them today.

Yet, as public and private institutions prepare for a possible global pandemic flu outbreak, so must each of us as individuals and families. We can't stress enough how necessary and important it is for people to begin taking action today.

According to the World Health Organization, "a pandemic can start when three conditions have been met: a new influenza virus emerges; it infects humans, causing serious illness; and it spreads easily among humans."

The bird flu virus meets the first two of those conditions, but it is not able to pass easily from human to human. If it does gain that ability, no one would be immune to the new virus. It would have the potential to make hundreds of thousands sick in our county alone and severely disrupt how we live from day-to-day.

Now is the time to prepare for the threat. Free fact sheets, checklists, guides and links are posted on the Public Health -- Seattle & King County Web site to help individuals and family understand pandemic influenza and prepare at www.metrokc.gov/health/pandemicflu.

Start by stocking up on non-perishable groceries and bottled water. Creating personal emergency supplies is a good idea in any type of emergency but a pandemic can last for several months. If you want the security of knowing that you have enough food and water on hand, start adding a few extra items to your grocery cart each time you shop.

Usual services such as health care, banks, stores, restaurants, government offices, post offices and transportation services may be interrupted in a pandemic. What items will you need to have at home to live as normally as possible if the services you rely on are sporadic or suspended for months?

Going to work may be difficult or impossible if there is a large risk of getting infected. Talk to your employer about how your business will continue during a pandemic. You may even need to plan for a possible interruption or reduction in pay if your place of employment is closed for a period of time. Check with your employer or union about leave policies.

Similarly, schools and child care may be closed for an extended period of time. Find out what your school is doing to prepare for pandemic influenza. You may need to homeschool temporarily and find alternate child care. Community organizations and houses of worship that you visit and support will also be affected.

Start now by sharing information with your family, friends and co-workers. Public Health -- Seattle & King County has information available on pandemic flu, and posters in multiple languages on good hygiene habits that will help prevent the spread of viruses. Those can be downloaded right off our Web site at http://www.metrokc.gov/health/stopgerms.

There is no way to predict when a pandemic flu will begin or how severe it will be. What we do know is that once it starts, it will travel the world quickly. The time to prepare is now -- at home, work and school -- before a pandemic begins.

Give yourself the gift of peace of mind. Get informed and prepared.
Dorothy Teeter is the interim director and health officer for Public Health -- Seattle & King County.