Is L.A Ready for a Mega-Disaster?

If you’ve lived in the Southland all your life, as I have, you may have grown tired of hearing this time-worn question. From 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina to the tsunami in Indonesia to Haiti and Chile and, now, Japan, we've all heard questions like:

Is America ready for a major disaster? Are we prepared for another 9/11? Or, do you have the required supplies to survive in case of an emergency? In a world that is hanging on every word that Charlie Sheen says (it took a disaster to get him off TV), these very real questions are going ignored.

As a first responder and huge advocate of disaster readiness, I’m really concerned right now. I’m concerned about the apparent apathy that seems to exist when it comes to “real” preparedness. Oh, yeah, the disaster in Japan will command our attention for a few more weeks to come, but after that, will Charlie Sheen once again dominate the airwaves and the Internet?

The disaster in Japan has and will teach us a number of lessons for the foreseeable future. But what have people really learned thus far?  This is what we know:

Since the devastating earthquake of 1923, and the destructive Kobe earthquake in 2005, Japan has come to be billed as the leader in disaster preparedness. In fact, a recent Time magazine article reported that Japan has not only done more than most nations when it comes to preparedness, but every year, Sept. 1 is Disaster Prevention Day in Japan. It has some of the most advanced earthquake prediction technology in the world, and the toughest earthquake construction standards around.

So why is it that so many people have been without drinking water less than 72 hours after the quake hit? I realize that their homes may have been damaged or may not even exist; but why so many? Could it have been the same complacency that seems to afflict many of the households here in Los Angeles?

When was the last time you made the effort to pick up an extra pallet of water from the store just for emergencies? Do you have one gallon of water for every person in your household per day, for drinking and cooking? 

There are many areas of Japan that have a food shortage right now. However, with advanced planning, nonperishable foods and ready-to-eat meals stored in quantities for several days could have minimized the food shortages. So this begs the question, why are so many people without food and water there right now? Have you stored enough food for you and your kids to weather a similar crisis for at least three to five days?

Much of Japan remains in the dark right now due to widespread power outages. To make matters worse, temperatures are near freezing. Will this motivate you to make a small investment in some flashlights with extra batteries, blankets and cold-weather clothing for an emergency?

Japan has one of the most reliable and formidable cell-phone systems in the world. Most people had cell service returned to them within two days. Have you set up a family communication plan with your loved ones that includes using an out-of-state contact as a relay point? 

Please don’t think I’m being critical. I’m genuinely concerned because the answer to the question “Is L.A. ready for a mega-disaster?” seems woefully apparent when you look at Japan, one of the most prepared countries in the world, suffering what some are calling its worst disaster since World War II.

Please take this warning to heart folks: If the recent disasters in New Zealand and Japan haven’t become a teachable moment for you, demanded your full attention and prompted you to take action, then you need to check your pulse! If you haven’t drawn any conclusions about your own readiness from these disasters, then I’m not sure what you’ll draw from it. Because when it’s our turn in the crucible of catastrophe, I doubt we’ll be able to look to Charlie Sheen for any real answers.

To form a family disaster plan, go to EarthquakeCountry.org, Fire.lacounty.gov or download a PDF version of Los Angeles County’s Emergency Survival Guide at Lacoa.org/pdf/EmergencySurvivalGuide/.

Roland Sprewell is a fire captain who has been educating Southern Californians about fire and life safety for 25 years. He has been a firefighter/paramedic, a fire inspector and a media relations officer in addition to commanding a hazardous material response unit. He has also received advanced training in homeland security and counterterrorism.