Mayra Castillo
MPH O768 Emergency Preparedness
Des Moines University
Pre-event: disaster plan The movie The Impossible is a real eye opening experience to the struggles and survival of a horrendous disaster. It’s based on the true story of the Belon family’s ordeal during and after the devastating 2004 Tsunami in Thailand that killed over 200,000 people. I have seen this movie three times. It’s truly an emotional and frightening experience. I could only image my two kids and myself there, riding among the victims in a terrifying state of mind. Sometimes, I wonder if my family would have drowned or survived this unexpected natural disaster. I didn’t include my pets because they are usually …show more content…
As a family, we have decided to prepare an evacuation plan prior to a disaster in order to decrease injuries and death. We will stay in hotels further from the beach in Thailand during our vacation. We have learned the three signs of an impending tsunami: tremors, water receding and a loud roar. After an earthquake, tsunamis can happen fairly quickly. If we hear an official warning or detect these signs, we must run inland to higher grounds for safety, and stay there. It’s important to take the emergency kit with us to have the supplies during the evacuation. We must be familiar with the different routes of evacuation that lead to shelters. We will conduct drills to be clear about what to do and where to go in case of a …show more content…
It’s important to stay in safety shelter until officials say it’s safe to leave. Tsunami waves can continue for hours. If we are injured, we will seek first aid first. Then, we will help people that require assistance. We will also avoid the disaster area. A tsunami or any disaster can be a devastating experience. It will take time to forget it. Most people suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Maria Belon and her family had nightmares months after the tsunami. It took them a year before they went back to the beach. I am not sure if my family would ever visit the ocean after a tsunami experience. The community will take many months to recover from disaster because there’s potential for disease, lack of food and water, and more injuries. It’s essential to protect the family and maintain the support to survive the long-term