Of particular interest was the show on Kobe, Japan's quake and the problems they had in the aftermath. It was easy to compare between the quake and Y2K when considering peoples' reactions to an emergency and what poor emergency planning can do to a populace.

What I found most interesting was the fact that ORGANIZATIONAL issues caused much more problems than the actual quake itself. In Kobe, much of the post-earthquake misery was caused by delays - delays that Kobe town officials caused because they were hesitant in telling Tokyo that the disaster was beyond Kobe's means...

Seeing human response to an emergency situation was also interesting. Shelters were set up in high schools and they were crowded, but people just laid around. People asked others what they should do...they had no idea what to do with themselves.

Of course, this is Japan I'm talking about. If Y2K should become quite severe, how do you think the American public will respond? Do you think enough is being done at the grass roots level to help manage situations as they occur?

-- Deb (vmcclell@columbus.rr.com), November 01, 1999

Answers

Remember there are 2 different paradigms working here. In Japan, it is very unusual to get someone to admit they can't handle something, so a LOT of time was lost. Thisa is due to the concept of loss of "face" which many of us have no understanding of, as we have no referent to that level of honor.

Here in the US, something like that happens, the phone rings in Alexandria and the conversation with the ARC duty officer and the folks in the affected area runs something along the lines of:

"Hello, Red Cross Disaster Services, Alexandria."

"HELP!! WE need help down here!!"

"SIr, where are you calling from?"

"Ah, er, CLEVELAND, where we have had a tornado go through. WE NEED HELP HERE!!"

"What level of damage do you have, sir?"

"I don't know but SEND US SOME HELP!@!!!"

"What do you need initially, sir?"

"I DON'T EFFING KNOW BUT YOU GOTTA SEND A LOT OF IT!! SOON!!!"

and so on....

Chuck

COnsider the ramifications of at least 50 of those calls going at once, and a LOT of busy signals for more of them if things are widespread....

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), November 01, 1999.

Chuck, a night driver---did you see "Bringing Out The Dead"? What did you think of it?

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), November 01, 1999.

I watched it and my mind raced as I watched the people in the streets in KOBE. I have to wonder how folks would have fared if everyone didn't pitch in and help each other? What if those who came out unscathed protected their stuff with shotguns?

-- Shrug (don't@know.com), November 01, 1999.

Having been red-tagged in the Northridge quake, I was glued to the tube Sunday night for the three hour show which will repeat Wednesday night. PTSD,post traumatic stress disorder, runs rampid with almost anyone who has experienced a life threatening trauma. I was amazed that anyone could help anyone. Shellshocked from WHittier, we had supplies in the car, but the Northridge quake is difficult to explain to someone who wasn't there. Being flung into the air from a dead sleep, everything in the room was a projectile, broken glass, collapsed masses, no light, not even a moon, no electricity, the exit was mound with furniture and stuff, stairwell twisted steel. I've been in many quakes, even in Japan, but this one was the BIG one for me. heck, you can be crushed to death...it doesn't have to be an 8.0 There is a really good book out now called Magnitude 8. It was recommended by my favorite geologist James O. Berkland,www.syzygy.com If you liked that tv program, check out James' website and newsletter. He had predicted quakes by animal behavior and the lineup of the sun,earth,moon and the tides. He is very cool. Hope you all survive and live in

-- Marilyn (me@MarilynEllis.com), November 02, 1999.

Live in comfort and Joy........Also there were looters around our place who were shooed away by our neighbor. An elderly couple next door were murdered the day after the quake. In Japan I use to leave my shoes outside. In L.A. I wouldn't leave soiled linen.....I look at the usgs cal/nev site frequently.....things are getting active. I think about Tsunamis caused on our coast by a great Alaskan or S. American quake. If that happens, I won't be around to write about it...................Surfs up..............................

-- Marilyn (me@MarilynEllis.com), November 02, 1999.