Preparing for the Worst: What to Do in a Global Catastrophe

Preparing for the Worst: What to Do in a Global Catastrophe?

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You’re likely to hear about the potential for a global catastrophe every few years. Whether it’s an asteroid, pandemic, cyberattack, or nuclear war that poses the greatest risk to civilization as we know it, there’s always someone who believes the world is ending. To be fair, the world almost ended once before. Several times over recorded history—take the Black Plague in Europe in the 14th century or volcanic eruptions that triggered a period of extended darkness and cold called The Little Ice Age. Fortunately, these were all brief historical moments when human existence was at risk. As a result, we now live more sustainably than ever before. But what if this time is different? What if some new strain of disease like SARS or influenza mutates into something much deadlier? What if artificial intelligence becomes so advanced that it decides humans are no longer needed on earth? Or what if one small rogue nation decides launching a nuclear missile at another country is worth starting World War III?

Recovering from a disaster is usually a gradual process. Safety is a primary issue, as are mental and physical well-being. If assistance is available, knowing how to access it makes the process faster and less stressful. This section offers some general advice on steps to take after disaster strikes to begin getting your home, community, and life back to normal.

Recovering from a disaster is gradual. Take care of yourself and your family.

Your first concern after a disaster is your family's health and safety. You need to consider possible safety issues and monitor family health and well-being.

If you are returning home after a disaster, know it can be physically and mentally challenging. Above all, use caution. You may be anxious to see your property, but do not return home before local officials say it is safe to return.

Administer first aid and seek medical attention for any injured person following a disaster.

Check for injuries. Do not attempt to move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger of death or further injury. If you must move an unconscious person, stabilize the neck and back, then call for help immediately.

The last family on Earth is huddled over a fire, melting a pot of oxygen, in a run-down apartment building protected by multiple layers of hanging rugs. The planet has been sent to the chilly outer regions of the solar system after being ripped from the sun's warmth by a renegade black star. The last clan of survivors must walk out into the long night to gather the snow-like accumulation of frozen atmospheric gases.

Threat one: Solar storms

Instead of too little sun, like in Leiber's narrative, there may be a danger to civilization from too much sun. Bill Murtagh has observed the potential beginning. On the morning of July 23, 2012, he watched twin clouds of energetic particles known as a coronal mass ejection (CME) erupt from the sun and barrel into space while seated in front of a colorful array of screens at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado. The solar buckshot blasted by the location where Earth had been only days earlier, only 19 hours later. According to scientists, if it had hit us, we could still be in shock.

Murtagh now thinks a lot about solar eruptions as the assistant director of space weather at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in Washington, D.C. Humans are not directly harmed by CMEs, yet they can have a stunning impact nonetheless. They have the ability to produce geomagnetic storms that spark brilliant auroral displays by directing charged particles into the Earth's magnetic field. However, those storms can cause hazardous electrical currents to flow via long-distance power lines. Even at high latitudes, Earth's magnetic field lines condense as they arc toward the surface, and the currents can take out electrical grids by damaging high-voltage transformers.

In 2012, satellites tracked this coronal mass ejection from the sun as it barely missed Earth.NASA

7 Steps to Take When You Think the World May End Soon

- Check your health - If you feel sick or start to feel symptoms of a pandemic, make sure to seek medical attention immediately. - Be prepared to survive on your own for at least 3 days - If the government advises people to stay home due to an outbreak, it’s worth taking the advice seriously. Being indoors and away from other people will help you avoid spreading the disease to others. - Prepare your home - If you see an asteroid on a collision course with the planet, you’ll have little time to react. Luckily, astronomers are constantly on the lookout for these kinds of events and will give you a good deal of warning before impact. - Prepare to evacuate - If an asteroid heads straight for a populated area, there’s not a lot you can do to protect yourself. If you’re in the way, you’re almost certainly doomed.

What Do I Do in a Nuclear Emergency?

If an accident occurs at a nuclear power plant near you, stay calm and listen to your local television or radio stations for updates and instructions from your state and local officials. Radiation is not anticipated to escape the plant site in quantities that could endanger public safety other than in a General Emergency, though local authorities might start taking precautions early. The "Emergency Planning Zone" includes any area within 10 miles of the plant. Once protective measures are put in place, you can get one or more notifications to let you know what's going on:

-Sirens

-A tone alert on your radio

-A route alert from emergency responders (the “Paul Revere” method)

-A robocall from a public safety warning system (e.g., REVERSE 911®)

Tune your radio or television to your region's Emergency Alert System station if you hear such a warning. The station is mentioned in the emergency preparedness data you obtain annually from the utility. Pay attention to the directions this station gives you.

Make a List of the Things You Care About Most

You may not know exactly when a global catastrophe will happen, but you can list the things you care about most and prioritize them. Doing this will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed when the time comes. While it’s impossible to predict what a global catastrophe will look like and how long it will last, it is possible to make educated estimates based on historical patterns. If you know that a pandemic outbreak is likely to last around 6 months, for instance, you can plan to prioritize tasks that don’t require you to leave the house for up to half a year.

Store the Things That Matter Most for Later

At the top of your list, write down the things you’re most likely to need in a global pandemic. These include things like food, water, and basic medical supplies. You can find a full list in the pandemic preparation section below. You may not want to store food in your apartment since that could be a source of infection. Instead, rent a storage unit where you can keep your food items safely away from other people.

3 Months of Food and Water Storage

To avoid potential contamination and the spread of disease, don’t keep food or drink inside your home. Instead, rent out a storage unit where you can keep food and clean water safe from other people. You’ll have to be selective when choosing what to store. After all, you can only store so much food and water before it becomes a fire hazard. Choose the essentials, such as rice, beans, and canned fruit. Avoid storing food that requires special preparation, such as spices or coffee. You’ll also want to store clean water since many parts of the country are vulnerable to contamination. While you can’t store as much water as you can food, there are ways to increase your water storage capacity.

A Critical Information Device

As a lone individual, you have very little power to directly impact or change the course of a global pandemic. Fortunately, there are other ways you can help. One way is to create an account on a critical information device such as Wikipedia or a disease monitoring app. These apps collect information, such as the location of disease outbreaks, and make it publicly accessible. This is important for two reasons. First, it helps doctors understand the spread and progression of the disease more clearly. Second, it helps doctors and researchers create vaccines more quickly.

Conclusion

The world is a scary place, and it can be difficult to know how to prepare for potential disasters. This article has provided you with a step-by-step guide to doing just that. Now is the time to take action to protect yourself and your family.

God save us