My thoughts on the bird flu...

[melnjones]

I probably won't be popular on here for saying this, but I think we would be foolish to not prepare for a pandemic flu. There are usually around three pandemic flus a century. We had three last century, and haven't had a severe one since 1918. We are due. If you are unfamiliar with the Spanish Flu of 1918, please read this http://virus.stanford.edu/uda/.

No, I don't think it's something to panic about. Panicking never really helps anything, and it detracts our attention from other important things. However, as a nation (collectively and individually) we are HORRIBLE at preparedness for any kind of disaster or emergency. Horrible. We saw this in Katrina. It's like we think nothing bad will happen to us so we don't have to worry (I'm not speaking here specifically of Katrina survivors, but of Americans in general). Personally, I think it only makes sense to have a basic emergency kit somewhere in the house and a stockpile (other than the kitchen pantry!) with a week or two of food and water, plus an emergency bag packed with a three day supply. When there is a disaster, most of the chaos is fueled by lack of access to necessities. Especially with the added chaos of middle east violence escalating and with the risk of natural disasters getting ever higher because of global warming, we really need to be prepared. I can't help but think, if I was one of the families in Lebanon who had to flee quickly with my family by car to another city, how helpful would it have been to have had an emergency bag with food, water, medicine, first aid, and money to throw into the trunk? Being pre-made, it would add a whole 5 seconds to the evacuation process.

I have a small stockpile of food in my basement. My pets, roommate and I could probably get by for a week or two on it, and I'm adding to it as time goes on. Even if I'm never faced personally with a disaster, I can still rely on my stockpile to eat if I lose my job and finances go down the crapper, or if a disaster happens elsewhere and suddenly the food banks are in even more need of non-perishables. How easy would it be to take half my stocked food, throw it in the car, and drive it on down to second harvest food bank to let them redistribute it? It's not just about my personal well-being or that of my family, but also that of my community and even nation. Being prepared, in my opinion, is a very patriotic thing.

One thing I do know...if and when disaster strikes, we can't count on the government for much of anything. You've got the Bush-bots talking about getting an extra can of milk or tuna and putting it under the bed (preparation for bird flu epidemic). Actually not horrible advice...if anything, it's short-sighted. But since it was said, when disaster does come the response from the admin will be, "We warned you...now you're on your own." Fair or not, that will be the response.

Personally, I refuse to fall victim to their lack of planning and the potential for crisis that it has created. I also refuse to fall victim to their fear tactics. Simple preparedness saves me from both.

If you'd like to read more about this stuff, see these links...
http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_3_,00.html
www.ready.gov

You can make a simple or very complex emergency kit, but having anything is better than nothing. I enjoy adding to mine as time goes on and as money allows, and I hope none of us end up in a situation where we have to rely on these efforts!

[lonestarnot]

1. If you are prepared for war you are prepared for anything.

[TomInTib]

2. Why the recent flurry of H5N1 threads?

I saw reports bubble up thru several major pubs and here it is again - wondering when we're gonna die.

DO NOT drive your car.

Or walk into your bathroom.

Or eat chicken or shellfish.

Or do anything, at all.

The Sky is Falling.

[Cant_wait_for_2008]

3. Fear is why Americans continue to give thier rights away.

You get the government you deserve.

Swine flu?

So what ???

[braddy]

4. being independent

"I probably won't be popular on here for saying this, but I think we would be foolish to not prepare for a pandemic flu. "


You are wise, and it doesn't need to be about "bird flu".

Preparedness for anything outside of normal is what thinking people do.

If this possible pandemic passes without happening, fine, your preparations are still there, food in the house is like money in the bank.

When the next thing comes up, and your mind wanders to preparedness, use that reminder to refresh and rotate your permanent stock of necessities.

Be in a position to help people, not drain resource's when emergencies happen.

[melnjones]

5. welcome to DU!

"Be in a position to help people, not drain resources when emergencies happen."

That's exactly it. I think sometimes our pride gets in the way...we are so busy dealing with the bullcrap that this republican-led government throws us (and there's an abundance of it) that we are blinded to the fact that maybe they're on to something with this whole preparing for bird flu thing. It's not about fear or panicking. That is the kind of response that everything this admin does tries to elicit, and we don't have to go there. It's just about being prepared for hard times. Bird flu probably won't turn into anything...but history tells us that there WILL be another pandemic of some sort, and probably in my lifetime.