Most of the daily discussions about Individual Life and Liberty involve the transgressions of Government into the lives of Individuals. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy it's time to look at the other side of the equation: the responsibilities of the Individual for the protection of themselves, their family and their community.
Here is a short quote about the situation shortly after Hurricane Sandy passed from a resident of South Brooklyn, "Now let's recap the series of events: no water, no power, no communications, no public transportation, no gasoline for vehicles (lack thereof). Now add one more problem to this dire situation: no working ATMs in the blackout areas. The same applies to credit card machines at businesses that managed to open their doors. CASH only if you need anything, food, water, medical supplies." So what is the response of most people to this situation? They complain that Government and business aren't doing anything to help them. They act abandoned, lost, and bewildered because their world is in disarray. They never thought about a possible emergency in their lives so they are totally unprepared. They cry out for help and expect Government and relief agencies to arrive immediately with whatever they need and complain when they don't. The irony of being totally unprepared to help themselves and their condemning everyone else for not immediately helping is lost upon them. Is this taking responsibility for your Life? Is this taking responsibility for protecting your family and property? What's a better answer?
Individual Liberty carries with it both Rights and Responsibilities. Most everyone recognizes that they have a fundamental Right to defend their Life, Liberty and Property against those who would take it from them. What many do not readily recognize is the primary Responsibility they have for Protecting those same things. The term 'First Responder' means 'You' - the person you see in the mirror every day - not the police, fire department, or FEMA. When there is an emergency it is the Individual who must handle the situation until additional help arrives. If the nearest help is 30 minutes away, you must be able to handle the situation until help arrives. This involves planning.
In the case of natural or man-made disasters this requires greater thought and greater preparation. Where do I live, what are the major disasters I could face? What would I do if the case of a tornado, flooding, blizzard, or hurricane? How many days might I have to go without being able to get to the store? How long could I be without power or water? How will I handle a medical emergency? What about a man-made disaster? What if I had to evacuate? Where would I go? What would I take? What about cash? How long could the ATMs and credit card networks be out?
For each person the answers to these questions are different. Different because of tolerance for risk or ability to purchase everything you might need. In all cases there is some ability to prepare. Beans and rice are cheap. Canned goods including milk can be safely stored for long periods. Water can be stored in old milk containers. Candles are available in every store. If you have a little more money and space a kerosene heater and generator will add extra comfort and protection.
The world we live in day-to-day is a wonderful place. It also depends upon an intricate and interwoven transportation and production system that is hugely dependent upon everything working as it should. It is also marvelously adept at managing disruptions both minor and major. It cannot however fix major disruptions in a day -- it can take weeks even with the most aggressive response.
Knowing your situation is imperative. Preparing yourself and your family is critical. Working with your neighbors and your community to build a coordinated emergency response plan will also make survival more likely for everyone.
Without Individual Responsibility there cannot be Individual Liberty nor a 2nd American Revolution.