Education & Careers

Emergency Preparedness: Get Educated!

marcus — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:39:00 +0000

The world has become a turbulent place as of late. Tornadoes, earthquakes, cyclones, and pandemics seem to rear their ugly heads almost on a daily basis, with increasingly deadly results. And we haven’t even gotten into manmade dangers like collapsing cranes or terrorist attacks. As devastating as these events can be, they only get worse when disaster victims lack basic disaster know-how. If there is one thing we learned from Hurricane Katrina, it is that we cannot rely solely on the government to care for us in disasters. The responsibility ultimately falls on each of us.

We often think of education as a way to enhance our careers. In a very real sense, however, getting educated about and prepared for disasters can save your life and the lives of those around you.

Of course, then comes the response: “Disasters seem so unpredictable. How can I possibly prepare for everything?” Luckily, you don’t have to. If you begin by placing yourself in a scenario, like a flood or a pandemic, you quickly realize that there are some things that you will need in every scenario. You will notice that they revolve around basic human needs. Below is my list of five things to start with:

1. First Aid – There’s a reason why it’s called “first” aid. It has to come first. Threatening injuries have to be stabilized before food and shelter will do any good.

Research has found, unfortunately, that most U.S. households are deplorably unprepared to administer first aid. Most households have band aids, some Tylenol, and maybe rubbing alcohol. However, most are lacking in supplies to treat larger wounds like open wounds, burns, or broken bones. Relatively few have CPR training.

A little bit of first aid training can go a long way. In almost every community, classes on first aid and CPR are held regularly. Often, they are free of cost. Take the time to get some training. Also, do your research on what a real first aid kit consists of. This time spent will pay dividends in the event of a disaster.

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2. Evacuation Plan – Generally, when bad things happen, people act out of instinct, and their first instinct is driven by panic and survival. The bad news is these instincts can often lead to bigger problems. In the event you need to get out of your current situation, you can really benefit from planning out where you will go, how you will get there, and where you will meet your loved ones.

Keep in mind, your evacuation plans may vary according to the emergency. In a fire, for instance, your first priority is to get out of the house. This differs from a tornado or windstorm, in which your first priority is to find cover from flying debris.

3. Water – The human body can’t survive more than three days without water. Because water is in such abundance in our lives of modern convenience, we often forget to prepare for situations in which we may not be able to get water or, at least, clean water. While water for cleaning dishes or bathing can be neglected in an emergency, Everyone needs to have an emergency supply of fresh, clean drinking water.

4. Food – Americans often take the availability of food for granted. Anytime, we need more, we can usually stop at the local grocery store and pick up what we need. For this very reason, few of us store large amounts of food in our houses. It is worth reminding, however, that our local grocery stores are designed to carry only three days worth of goods at any given time. Their inventory is replenished regularly by freight trucks shuttling goods around the country.

In the event of a major catastrophe, like a pandemic or a terrorist attack, this distribution system could easily come undone. If drivers were frightened of a pandemic, they might refuse to deliver goods to certain areas. Highways might be demolished in areas struck by an attack or an earthquake, preventing delivery of food items. Without new inventory, grocery stores would soon be emptied of their goods. People would be left with what they have in their houses. If they had very little, the outlook would be grim.

Emergency food storage is an important part of emergency preparedness. The best of these include non-perishable items from all of the basic food groups. Of primary importance are staples like rice, pasta, or flour. Having plenty of vegetables and fruits can help keep household members’ immune systems functioning. Also, while a 72-hour supply is a good start, you may want to expand to a three- or six-month supply. You can never anticipate how long these crises will stretch out; best err on the side of caution.

5. Shelter – With houses getting tossed by tornadoes and others crumbling in earthquakes, it isn’t difficult to anticipate possibly losing your house. If you were unlucky enough to lose your home, where would you stay? This is the primary question surrounding shelter.

You need a place to sleep and stay safe from the elements after a catastrophe. Hotels, houses of friends or relatives, or emergency shelters can provide a must needed respite from disaster conditions.

If these weren’t available, what would you use then? A tent? A motor home? An igloo? These are things you want to figure out before things go bad. Even having a simple dome tent may mean the difference between sleeping safe and dry or having a cold, wet night in the open.

Preparedness can make all the difference for you and your loved ones in a disaster. Learn more about how to prepare by visiting the federal government’s emergency preparedness site.

Millennials Will Change the World

marcus — Fri, 30 May 2008 22:23:20 +0000

I want to stand up for the Millennials.

A recent article on 60 Minutes highlighted the unusual approach of Millennials (that is, kids born between 1980 and 1995) to their new workplaces. In very broad strokes, the article describes an entire generation of Americans from varying cultures, locations, and economic circumstances as self-absorbed, unaccustomed to criticism or loss, lacking in work ethic, and demanding workplace perks. Unsettled, probably older, viewers left the following comments on the 60 Minutes website:

"What a sad state we’re in! No wonder our country lags behind. It’s time these ‘little darlings’ had a wake up call. As a nurse manager, I work with some of this privileged group; thankfully, they are in the minority… Children of this generation were raised with overindulgence in every aspect of their lives. The pampering should not be continued in the work force."

"This story was so full of self-indulgence that it made my stomach turn. I wouldn’t hire one of these spoiled little brats to walk my dog much less play an important role in my company. Hard work and dedication isn’t a bad thing and I don’t feel I should have to hold weekly costume parades around the office or provide bouncy balls as furniture in order to get my staff to do the job they were hired for."

Ouch! The displays of pent up aggression toward Millennials goes on and on. No thanks to 60 Minutes for scaring the Centrum Silver out of all the crotchety, aging baby boomers out there; they have successfully discriminated against an entire generation of people.

I have two points for 60 Minutes and all those who responded far too hastily and in an unfair fashion to this unflattering news article: 1) Millennials are as diverse as any generation before them and therefore cannot be generalized as they have been here and 2) a change of perspective would do our country and economy some good.

To clarify, this article really highlighted a few Caucasian young adults who seemed to be middle- or upper-middle class. It completely left out Millennials from lesser economic circumstances. It left out minority Millennials. It left out those who actually go to work and work their tails off. In the end, the impression was given that Millennials have somehow formed one uniform body with a uniform code of conduct and collectively submitted their unreasonable demands to the bosses of the world.

This is just not the case.

Before we even discuss the validity of the Millennials’ worldview, let it be first stated that the ideas they espouse toward work, family, and community are as diverse as they are. To assume that they all share this one worldview is ignorant, insulting, and, let’s face it, just plain lazy journalism.

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Next, let me remind the aging boomers out there who responded so scornfully to the article that, once upon a time, the baby boomers came on the scene and shook things up. Some of the best social developments of the twentieth century (i.e. civil rights, economic reform) are their legacy. Guess what? Their parents and grandparents were scared to death of their new attitude, too. But there can be no doubt that more equality exists in America today because of their "radical" ideas.

Seeing as so many of the comments echo the idea that these spoiled brats need to learn how to do good, old-fashioned work, I want to propose that maybe there is a better way than the "good, old-fashioned" way. I point to the generation of boomers who grew up and learned to put up with jobs with oppressive environments, mediocre pay, and commanding bosses. Not surprisingly, huge numbers of these boomers found themselves on anti-depressants or in therapy by the end of their professional careers. Business as usual hasn’t been too kind to us as a country. I repeat: there must be a better way.

On the other hand, take a look at the innovations this generation has created thus far because they refused to do things the "good, old-fashioned" way. They are idealistic, creative, and globally aware. They could end up fixing the problems their parents left them (i.e. pollution, economy, crime, war) or, at least, they are more likely to than their parents.

So, perhaps, like every generation before us, the old generation needs to trust they have done their job and give the reins to the next one. Like it or not, these kids are growing up and our future will be in their hands.

Girl Power: Women Rule in the Classroom

marcus — Tue, 27 May 2008 19:28:06 +0000

We, the male population, had it coming, I suppose. After centuries of keeping women down with often unfair social mores and sometimes ridiculous fashion demands, we had to expect that someday there would be a backlash, that one day the “fairer sex” would come out swinging, eager to dispel those centuries of oppression. Well, newsflash for all you guys out there and congratulations to all the ladies: that day has arrived.

Women are officially kicking boys’ butts in the classroom. That’s right, the ivory towers once inhabited almost solely by men have been invaded and repossessed by women. According to statistics, 60 percent of college students are now female. Women earn 170,000 more bachelor degrees annually than their male counterparts. The ratios of females to males at business and medical schools are steadily rising, and at law schools, women now hold a majority. Meanwhile, increasing numbers of boys from elementary to high school are struggling to meet minimum requirements.

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Where did this trend come from? A few theories exist. One claims that females, who tend toward cooperation, collaboration, multi-tasking, and sitting quietly, are socially better suited for the traditional school system; boys, who crave adventure, competition, and physical activity, tend to be square pegs in round holes, so to speak, in school. Other theories suggest that the feminist movement, with its constant barrage of “girl power” messaging, and the relative silence from the male side is responsible for this dramatic shift. For nearly 40 years now, girls have had armies of supporters telling them they carry the torch for those who didn’t have the chances they did. Boys, on the other hand, have had very little to fight for; encouragement usually involves athletics rather than academics.

Two bastions of male domination still remain, however: management and salary. Males still vastly outnumber females in management roles. Average male salaries in comparable positions uniformly outpace those of their female counterparts.

It may just be a matter of time before those women who now fill universities spread into the companies of the world. It may just be a matter of time before women come to dominate business, politics, and life as we know it. It may be just a matter of time before men find themselves wearing really uncomfortable corsets and having to watch their figures. (Kiss your 32 oz. steaks and belching contests goodbye!)

All of Mom’s advice about being nice to girls totally makes sense now. Back then, it was about chivalry. In the future, it may be about survival.

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