GAME DAY 3 SCENARIO: Over the past week, there have been growing reports of people falling ill all across the United States with fever, sore throat, vomiting and diarrhea. At the same time, several recalls have occurred on different forms of food which include produce and beef.
On today's news, you hear that your local public health department is concerned about intentional tampering of the water supply and a large grocery supplier issues a statement that they believe there has been intentional tampering of the national food supply. No specific foods are mentioned yet, but across the media, rumors are spreading that the food and water systems throughout the United States have been intentionally targeted by terrorists. The size and scale of these attacks are clearly not yet known.
Two simple questions:
- What are the initial actions you would take upon hearing all of these news reports?
- How do you think the community should prepare for this possibility?
- Leaving your comment here on the blog
- Commenting on the Facebook Fan Page at www.facebook.com/cresa.911
- Commenting on Twitter using the #12DaysPrepared hashtag or @CRESA in your reply
- Email your answers to cheryl.bledsoe@clark.wa.gov
Original Game Rules for #12DaysPrepared can be read here: http://cresa911.blogspot.com/2010/11/12-days-prepared-challenge-starts.html
We continue to encourage the community to attend the Community Conversation event on December 13th. Register today by filling out a simple online form. Everyone who attends will be entered to win special prizes handed out at that event.
For the grand prize for playing this game, you do not need to be present to win although the winner will be announced at the Community Conversation event.
3 comments:
1. Not give into the terrorists plot by panicking. Maintain situational assessment by getting frequent information from a credible source (not rumor or speculation), such as cresa911.blogspot.com. Lead by example and follow orders as directed by local government. Be prepared to use my emergency kits of water and food and freezer foods. Be prepared to use my emergency water, rain barrel and purify water. Remind community, self and others how to purify water if asked to.
2. Have emergency kits that go way beyond three days, as an emergency as this could go for a lengthy period of time. Water is often free to store as you can use 2 liter soda pop containers for no additional cost and buy cases of water relatively inexpensively. Have a water purification system.
A diet of blue-green algae tablets doesn't seem all that bad, but might be tough for omnivores to get used to. It's unfortunate and irresponsible that these media outlets haven't specifically mentioned brands or manufacturers' foods that have been making people sick because it would inundate all the emergency hotlines with imagined and unrelated symptoms of food poisoning. But if it regards the "national" food supply, then the best course of action for both produce and meat is to buy from local farms. Buy locally farmed produce and meat, get honey from nearby apiaries or the farmers' market, and eat less pre-packaged, mass produced foods. Boil all tap water before using. Eat more Pacific NW seafood such as dungeoness crab, salmon, steelhead trout, etc. Until a state or national agency (CDC, WA Poison Control Center, FDA, etc.) confirms what produce and beef products are affected by the presumed taint, you shouldn't pay attention to factless and one-person-incident rumors. A number of bacteria can cause these symptoms and aren't necessarily terrorism related: botulism, e. coli, and salmonella. Food contaminant recalls have already happened to fresh spinach, cantalope, bison (buffalo meat), cheese, romaine lettuce, fresh and frozen beef, just to name a few. At least the US doesn't put melamine in milk products.
There is little the community can do with such an outbreak other than coordinate with the media outlets and federal agencies on the tv, radio, and print, so that the right mix of information is disseminated: identification, symptoms, treatment, who to contact and where to go if food poisoning is suspected, and what consumers in various age groups should do if they're concerned about the food they just bought/ate.
I would maintain my daily routine. I use my food supply and be aware of my family and friends needs. I would secure the stash of twinkies in the office. (they probably have been there before the suspects were even born. 2. Preparedness is the first step.
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