Outlast the Aftermath and work together

Outlast the Aftermath and work together

shard from another survival group

Christopher Young

http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/worst_case_scenarios/4331486.html?page=4



Rule 4:
Outlast the Aftermath

Last September, hurricane Ike hit Texas near Houston. As a direct result of the storm, 48 people in Texas died.

the aftermath proved to be deadlier than the storm itself. As many as 64 post-storm deaths occurred in Texas because of factors such as carbon monoxide poisoning and electrocution. More than 1 million Texans were left without power. Municipal water systems were overwhelmed, and clean water was the next to go. Enormous lines formed at FEMA food centers, grocery stores and gas stations - which had no electricity to pump what little gas was left. That first weekend after Ike, some 37,000 Texans were holed up in shelters that ran short of food and water within 24 hours. The next few weeks brought countless scores of injuries from clearing debris.

Mark Vorderbruggen and several of his neighbors in the Houston suburb of Spring got to work cleaning up their neighborhood. The crew had organized before the storm by gathering all the two-way Family Radio Service walkie-talkies they could find and then distributing them among 14 occupied houses. They had already taken a quick inventory of residents with generators, chain saws and first-aid skills (one neighbor was a retired Army medic). The day before Ike hit, Vorderbruggen went door to door with four or five guys from the neighborhood, serving as an impromptu pickup crew, clearing yards of furniture, tools and anything else that might turn into a deadly missile in hurricane-force winds.

Thanks to his preparations, Vorderbruggen's house survived largely intact. But there was still plenty of debris to clean up in the neighborhood. He and his neighbors all pitched in to clean up every yard and sidewalk.

"We tend to extend help to others," says psychologist Andrew Shatté, "on the understanding that some 'other' will expend a few resources to save us." By working together, groups reduce the danger and stress to individuals. "Once their basic survival needs are met," says Shatté, "people instinctively reach out to help the community. They are more resilient and happier with their lives for doing so."

Aftermath of Ike was less like a disaster and more like a barbecue. The area was without power for five days, but the neighbors conserved resources by eating meals together at a different house each night to ensure that no food was spoiled. "We cooked on the grill, and I ran a small light off a battery-powered electric inverter," Vorderbruggen says. "I got to walk around in Hawaiian shirts and swim shorts for nearly a week. Cooking outside, clearing debris. It was actually kind of fun-for me."