The natural and man-made disasters to our east prompt the question: Can this happen here?
Can such devastation and mishandling of a situation become reality in San Antonio?
The answer is yes.
Of course, this city is not beneath sea level or close to any large bodies of water, but San Antonio is no stranger to floods. Catastrophes - wildfires, drought, flash floods - can occur anywhere.
Can a city be prepared?
And more important, can a city handle a disaster once it has reached one's doorstep?
The answer here also is yes.
Residents must watch local government closely.
Residents should know if the city and county have a workable disaster plan.
They also should know if their representatives are working in their best interests to prevent such disasters.
Educate yourself on the dangers. Assess your personal risk and that of the community.
Then question officials who jeopardize public safety - sometimes betting the risk isn't worth the money.
See the bigger picture, look into the future and ask yourself: Is this workable?
Does this make sense for my well-being and safety? My community's well-being?
Educate yourself on the issues. Know what is going on in your community.
Then step into the voting booth. You have the ultimate power to elect officials who have your and the city's best interests in mind.
And to oust those who haven't put the public first.
Educate yourself on state and national procedures. Observe how the government operates.
All three levels must work hand in hand to create a functioning society.
Finally, educate yourself to be as independent as possible. Be prepared to administer first aid.
Have a plan for protecting your family.
Know your neighbors and learn the problems your neighborhood faces.
Together figure out how to address them. Your neighbors can be one of your most valuable assets in time of need.
It's easy to ignore problems we face today. Ignoring those that threaten but may never come is even easier.
One thing is certain: Ignoring them will make them worse in the end.
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