The secret to emergency preparedness

Wow! When I asked about climate resilience questions, this community responded in a big way. Emails flooded in with thoughtful questions about everything from emergency preparedness, to insulation, to stormwater management. Let's dive right in. 

I'm going to start off our Climate Resilience Q&A series with a little wisdom on emergency preparedness from the Boy Scouts of America, whose motto is "Be Prepared."

Before a storm, I make sure I have pretzels in my car, in case there’s traffic on 26 and I get hungry.

Before a storm, local scout leader Scott Varn makes sure his saw kit is in his car, in case downed trees block the road.

In it, Scott keeps hand saws, a chain saw, blade oil and gas, plus a hard hat, gloves, safety glasses, and a visibility vest.

“For many mountain addresses, there’s only one road in and out. If a tree falls, everyone is stuck,” Scott said. In an emergency, being prepared with that kit may prevent car accidents, keep the road clear for emergency vehicles, and allow residents to get home. 

So between the two of us, Scott is the better person to teach us all about emergency preparedness. 

Scott first learned about emergency preparedness as part of his Eagle Scout preparation. 

Now he teaches it as a leader with the Daniel Boone Council and Troop 91.

Preparedness is an Action; Not a Shopping List

It feels good to have lots of supplies in your pantry, but extra marshmallows, on their own, are not enough. 
(Even if you already have chocolate and graham crackers, too)

You need plans.
You need to decide how and where and with what, you will take action.

To earn an Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge, one of the many things that scouts have to do is make their own preparedness and disaster response plans for a long list of scenarios. 

Here are some of the scenarios that stuck out to me.
(Listed in the order in which I am personally afraid of them)

1. Food poisoning (I HATE feeling sick to my stomach)

2. Plane crash in your neighborhood

3. Explosion in your home

4. Avalanche

5. Violence in a public place 

Are you ready for a plane crash in your neighborhood? Me neither….

“It’s not a lightweight merit badge,” Scott said, adding that it’s common that scouts and their families feel overwhelmed by it — or embarrassed at how underprepared they find they are. 

Scott said that most of the scouts he speaks with are anxious about climate disruptions, but planning ahead helps. “These boys, especially boys 10-13, are deeply anxious about climate change and how it will affect their future."

"They think they won’t survive and they want to just tune it out.”

Scott says the better approach is to face these challenges head-on.
“Planning gets them thinking, and that helps them feel in control,” Scott said, adding “There’s power in planning ahead and taking responsibility for your own well-being.”

So we have a lot to learn—and a lot of calm to gain—from asking the questions needed to make a plan. 
Ready to get started?

Here’s how Scott breaks down the Boy Scout emergency preparedness planning process: 

For each disaster scenario that makes you anxious, start by considering your own circumstances and the resources available to you.

Then answer five questions:

• How could I prevent this scenario from happening? 

• How could I prevent myself from harm in this scenario?

• How could I mitigate the negative impacts to myself and my community? 

• How can I respond to the scenario?

• How can I recover from the scenario?

Let's Look at an Example

Scott said the most common emergency in our area is flooding, either from excessive rain, inadequate home sealing, or burst pipes. 

So let’s work through flooding as an example:  

How could I prevent this scenario from happening?

1. Insulate hose connection and outdoor faucets

2. Update basement waterproofing/add sand bags 

3. When I leave for vacation, make sure the heat is turned high enough that the basement pipes aren’t in danger of freezing

How could I prevent myself from harm in this scenario?

1. Waterproof items stored in the basement

2. Locate water shut off and make sure it’s free from obstructions and in working order

3. Ask the neighbor to check on the house while we’re away

If this scenario did happen, how could I mitigate the negative impacts to myself and my community?

1. Use sand bags to divert water away from basement door

2. Schedule a mold specialist to come in as soon as possible

3. Check on the neighbors to make sure it didn’t happen to them

How can I respond to the scenario?

1. Borrow ShopVac to clean up the water as soon as possible

2. Get fans to help drying go faster

3. Check the water entry points to see what needs to be repaired

How can I recover from the scenario?

1. Update gutters and downspouts

2. Replace items that were water-damaged

3. Ensure mold remediation is complete

Asking myself questions about these scenarios proved to me that Scott is right. Thinking through how I'd respond gave me a sense of control, and reminded me of all the resources I do have. It also made clear that no one can do it all on their own. Community is a powerful resilience resource. More on that to come. 

When Scott teaches the badge, he always says, "Bad stuff is going to happen, but the outcome depends on your level of preparedness." 

When he's not leading troop leadership training, helping scouts earn merit badges, or leading hiking events for the Daniel Boone Council, Scott Varn is the Executive Director of Preserving a Picturesque America, an organization that preserves natural landscapes through the power of art. You can check out his fantastic work at https://preservationthroughart.org/

- Nicole, GreenWorks Marketing and Communications Manager