I am sure some of you Gather Chatters are in the path of hurricanes and tropical storms that have passed or on their way. I pray that you were spared from most or all the damage and do not have to wait for the next big storm coming your way. However, from watching the news many of you must be suffering greatly from loss of home or job.
I have spent most of my time since Katrina trying to get home owners to take things into their own hands and develop a preparation and recovery plan along with their neighbors.
All you have to do is assemble together somewhere you can discuss your future and try to develop your own plan for the group's protection. To start, make a list of the tools and equipment each of you has that could be used for recovering from a disaster. Assemble another list of the larger items that you will need but are more expensive then most can afford, or are only needed for a recovery. If possible, you should have a planner helping you that is paid by the local government and knows what they have available. Does this sound like something that can be done?
If you can get this far, you are prepared to go into your plan for taking care of all of you. Don't forget to keep adding as many of your neighbors to your plan as you can. The more you have, the better your chance of getting what you need. Now it is time to ask questions and develop your list of people and pets that will need to be cared for.
Now, let's develop your "Peoples Village". This is where you can be taken care of when you return home to a damaged area that can't. Start thinking if this is what you would like to consider and if you do, just post a short comment so I can best set up a village example you can follow.
Until next post, this is your recoveryman just waiting to help anyone that will take a few moments to read what I have to say, or listen to one of my speeches on Hurricane Recovery.
Gordon Swanson Retired Professional Engineer and Author of "Hurricane Recovery/The Peoples' Village Plan.", and "Soldier Pigs/When Soldiers Are Guinea Pigs", and fellow Gather Chatter. Lectures and talks available within the Richmond, VA Metro Area.
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Comments: 4
By the way Cathi, what kind of P.E. is your husband? Did you get hurt lately in Baton Rouge? The news said that Gustov came up your way and provided a little excitment.
I hope that you had a neighbor recovery system developed so each of you didn't have to bare things by yourselves.
I find the world very small when you travel in it. Just think Cathi that you used to live in the Richmond area, and in Chesterfield. Maymond is still going strong before I forget to mention it. I lived in Chesterfield near Hopewell in an area off Route 10 called Enon. I worked with Allied Chemical, starting with the Nitrogen Plant, then the Nitrogen Division Engineering, on to the Fibers Tech Center outside Colonial Heights. Went to the First Baptist Church in Hopewell. Such a small world, because I also spent a lot of time in Baton Rouge designing new Chemical Plants for Allied. I enjoyed the city but didn't get to see much of it as I arrived by air at New Oreleans, rented a car, drove to Baton Rouge, spent the week in the plant, and was back home to Richmond for the week end to clean up the place and mow the lawn.
I love to chat with my fingers but they have a tentancy to run away from my brain and I am always having to slow them down.
Is it possible that you three nice peope could get many of your friend to tag on to my posts, expecially the ones that may be hurt by the storms? I want to reach as many people as I can.