All of us are still reeling with shock, anxiety, and sadness over the recent tragedy in Japan spawned by a 9.0 Earthquake, herculean Tsunamis, and now a fear over a possible nuclear disaster. This happened only four days ago, yet it feels a lot longer. When everyone is at the edge of their seat, waiting if true recovery can now come or worrying if the containment efforts in some of Japan’s nuclear power plants will work, time seems longer.
No one saw this coming. Natural disasters do not convenience us with an advance notice of the time and place when it strikes. Before 2:46 p.m. people in northeast of Tokyo were going about their daily routine. An hour after that time and still in a daze after the shock of the earth’s shift, they had to run for their lives when a 30 foot tsunami washed over the coast. Ten thousand people and counting did not survive. All in a matter of hours.
It felt like déjà vu. Wasn’t it just a little over a year ago when we emphatically experienced the trauma over Haiti’s 2010 Earthquake that killed more than 220,000? And likewise, countires and its citizens once again showed their compassion in a myriad of ways. Social networks filled with news updates, opinions, and feedback on how to show financial and emotional support. The world demonstrated how we can all come together when nature has dealt a deathly hand.
And while we continue to help in our respective ways, we should also contemplate our own preparedness. When catastrophe pummels, do we know what to do? Do our children know? How about our extended families? Or do we convince ourselves that where we live is safe? If you do, then know that is the furthest from the truth. There is no discrimination when cataclysm strikes. No lineage, no industrial categorization of first world vs. third world, and no cultural partiality. No one is immune.
Thus, continue your efforts to help Japan. Keep exerting your benevolence. But while you do this, safeguard your own security and that of your families by formulating a plan in times of calamity. Here are some suggestions to get you started:
1. Formulate a Disaster Plan. Utilize the information shared by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). They have an excellent website to help you and your children become prepared.
2. Write your will. There are a number of sites that offer this service. I prefer Legalzoom.com which charges $39 for basic and $49 for comprehensive. This is a small price to pay for the peace of mind for your family.
3. Scan significant documents (i.e. Wills, Passport, Birth Certificates, Bank Accounts, Property Deeds and Titles, etc.) and store it on a secure online cloud. By using the web as your repository, you can access pertinent documents at any time and any place.
4. Hold a family meeting to reinforce your Disaster Plan. Everyone should know their respective roles.
5. Insure what is critical starting with your home. Also deliberate on acquiring life insurance for extra financial security for your family.
Sometimes when we think of grave situations we cannot help but question if being prepared is even necessary. I feel it is. We cannot predict what may happen, but we should always anticipate survival. And while we continue to live each day blessed with no affliction from Nature, we should never forget to say a prayer of thanks and contemplate the value of time. We need to make each day count.
