The previous post was all business. This one is more personal.... it's that during the whole Red Cross buildup for Y2K, there were two themes running that I think we need to think about now.

First, people reacted, unconsciously, with all the fear saved up from the cold war and the rehearsals of atomic war drills many of us experienced as schoolchildren. And Y2K was not going to be anything like an atomic attack even if the worst occurred. People were not thinking flexibly and accurately. They wanted to do things like hoard bread and guns when what they really needed to do was be sure on water and heat, and communications. Because the communities had plenty of food right at the stores... but it was winter, hello! Heat! Frozen water lines! Duh!

Second, the preparedness that was actually recommended for Y2K-- the non-panic-mode stuff-- amounted to what we should alll think about, all the time. A lot of peole, deciding Y2K was all hype, did not take those basic steps then. But those ARE the basic steps we may really NEED to take now. And if people are dismsissing concerns now because they found the Y2K thing so overblown, they may miss some simple planning now that could make a big difference.

Another thing. In Red Cross we learned about a way of responding to emergency I had never really heard about-- "Sheltering in Place." It meant, being prepared to hunker down at home and ride out an environmental incident.

In such a situation, emergency management authorities can declare either an EVACUATION situation or a SHLETER IN PLACE situation, and we must comply.

For sheltering in place, you need to have the disaster supplies up to date, and you need a LOT of duct tape for windows, doors, cracks.

Shelters are so publicized that few of us are prepped for sheletering in place. Well, we hill and country folk are-- it's called being ready for the big one (blizzard) with a full bathtub, a full pantry, gas in the vehicles, etc.

Anyway, people, please give these factors some thought. Calmly and sensibly, and with present-time thinking rather than fear.

~Susan