We Need To Discuss Pandemic Plus Disaster

4 posts / 0 new

Tue, 2020-03-17 21:01

Aristotleded24

What do I mean by this? Here in the Red River Valley, the spring flood forecast is not good. They expect flooding. How can we respond if everything is still locked down? Have you ever handled a sandbag that they use to block floodwaters? I have. They're damn heavy"Social distancing" is simply not practical when moving them along a line, not to mention the risks of injury of catching and throwing without thinking about this. What about other disasters? What if Australia had still been on fire while this pandemic was happening? Or what if this pandemic had hit a month earlier when Newfoundland was repeatedly hammered by snow? You don't think that would have disrupted vital supply lines to get supplies to people who needed them? What if an earthquake hits? You think you'll be able to maintain "social distancing" when all the buildings around you have collapsed, not to mention the impact on hospitals and such?

Folks, this is very serious. There will be a next pandemic, and it won't care about our timelines or what we need or if our homes are flooded or burning down. We need to start having these conversations.

Tue, 2020-03-17 23:27

Pondering

Legault has already announced there will be no shelters for flood victims this spring so people should plan accordingly.

It is fully accepted now that 30 to 70% of Canadians will catch it. If it can be slowed it won't overwhelm the medical system. This is why anyone at high risk is being encouraged to self-isolate for what could be 3 or 4 months while it spreads throughout the population. It's the only way to keep the death rate down.

People who do sandbagging are presumably fairly young and strong. They will catch it they just won't die from it or even know that they have it. Staying out of groups will just slow it not stop it. Everyone who doesn't have to work needs to stay away from the people who do have to work.

Thu, 2020-03-19 13:57

Hurtin Albertan

That's the fun part for my organization at the moment. This time last year we had already started bringing on the seasonal fire crews. This year due to the budget constraints we were to start all our hiring April 1. Some of the new staff on the fire crews already have training, we are still figuring out how we will carry out the training required by new staff, still a lot to be figured out. And whatever plans we make this week are likely going to be out of date or completely unrealistic by next week.

And that's without any forest fires actually starting and spreading. Hoping it's a nice slow spring and it rains lots.

Fri, 2020-05-22 21:33

Aristotleded24

I don't know what scares me more, that we're talking about hurricane sason along with the pandemic, or that we are talking about hurricanes in Canada:

Quote:

As the Canadian Hurricane Centre warned of another active hurricane season Friday, one of the country's top meteorologists said the COVID-19 pandemic could make it more difficult for people to prepare for a long line of tropical storms.

"I think this year is going to be particularly important to have those preparations completed prior to the arrival of a storm because of all the other situations we're facing," Bob Robichaud said during the centre's annual pre-season briefing.

"What we usually see when a storm is approaching — just one or two days prior to the storm — is lineups at stores. That is the thing you're really going to want to avoid this year — being caught in some of those lineups."

Robichaud said there are a number of factors behind the prediction for an active season, including the fact that ocean surface temperatures are slightly above average. The warmer the water, the more energy there is to feed a storm.

As well, reduced vertical wind shear over the Atlantic will make it less likely that tropical storms will be pulled apart as they are forming and growing.

Social distancing is not compatible with natural disasters.