Three articles caught my eye this past week that I think are worth you taking a look at.  The first involves a partnership to produce a better shelter.  I think any reader who has helped put together a piece of furniture from Ikea will appreciate this idea.  I understand as a prototype the cost is close to $10,000 each but they hope to get it down around $1,500 when mass produced.  I like the idea of a 40′ truck rolling up and inside are 48 shelters which could be set up using an inmate work crew in hours.

 

The next article looks at a partnership between Toyota and Tahara City in Japan.  This sounds bad but when I think of Toyota what comes to mind are all the various insurgent groups you see who are driving around in Toyota pickups.  This could get Toyota some good PR.  I think it sets an example for many major corporations to enter into specific agreements with local government prior to disasters on how best to support one another.  It’s good for the immediate response and certainly good for the local economy and a return to normalcy.

 

The last article outlines what I think we should be doing more of.  Robust pre-planning to get sufficient assets onsite post-earthquake to be of value in the life-saving phase.  This current plan calls for some 137,520 Self-Defense Forces personnel, police officers, firefighters and other responders nationwide would be dispatched to damaged areas within three days.  This is similar in concept with the catastrophic earthquake planning I did with FEMA Region V. Predesignating specific assets to go to specific location without request or having complete situational awareness.   Unfortunately in a massive earthquake if you hesitate to deploy resources until you have a complete picture, trapped survivors will become body recovery statistics.

 

Any questions, thoughts or ideas contact me at abetteremergency@gmail.com.