KATRINA: WHAT ABOUT THE NEXT BIG ONE? ARE WE PREPARED?

NUSSBAUM / BUSINESS WEEK 9/19/ 36-46

There is little doubt that the United States has the largest arsenal in the world. Further, it may even have first strike capability. Some maintain that we also have a nuclear shield of the roughest sort to strike down incoming missiles. Last, attacks from shore by large military carriers and planes can be neutralized. So what’s the problem? Mother Nature can become a terrorist. A few line men can accidentally take electricity away from millions in Los Angeles.

Let’s add to that NUCLEAR BOMBS, SHOULDER MOUNTED MISSLE ATTACKS ON PLANES, BIOLOGICAL ATTACKS, CHEMICAL ATTACKS, DIRTY BOMBS, COORDINATE ATTACKS, CATEGORY 4 OR 5 HURRICANES, EARTH QUAKES, TORNADOES, FIRESTORMS, and PANDEMICS AND RADIATION LEAKS. There you have it. The USA is just as vulnerable as the next country.

Both Brits and Spanish faced terrorism. How about 9/11? When New York and Washington DC were running for their lives, most folks in other places sat watching the television cozy in their illusion that they were okay. What if ten dirty bombs went off in 15 cities all over the USA AT THE SAME TIME AS the 9/11 attack occurred? Dirty bombs don’t do much damage, but they cause panic. Thus Americans perceive that they are unsafe anywhere.

BUSINESS WEEK discusses strategies each city can use to quell the panic and promote the common good. However, it takes money and organization. When the levees broke with Katrina in New Orleans, perhaps the money the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could have staved off the flooding. No matter. It is over.

Each city has its own problems and strategies. There really are things that we can do. It takes the locals to organize and the feds to help finance. These are wild cards and after awhile, we want to forget them. To make matters worse folks are only really appreciative if the disaster almost happens and they are saved. Or, that the next city gets the problem and the first city does not and both share the same problem like flooding. Many of the above problems never happened because we were prepared so life goes on and who gives a damn?

Ah, the wonders and conundrums of disasters.