Is it just me or are a lot of the rest of you having trouble getting anybody to pay attention to this impending crisis? Either the people I talk to are totally oblivious, or they say something foolish like “I won’t need to go to the store for at least two weeks”. There seems to be no planning where I work, a large public university, about emergency plans or possibly working from home. My boss looked at me like I was crazy when I brought up the idea. There was a story on the front page of the local newspaper about DHHS head Michale Leavitt visiting our state and presenting nearly a million dollars for preparedness planning and nobody seems to have read about it. This apathy is nearly as scary as the flu…
How can you get people to prepare for some event that may or may not occur at some unknown time? You can’t even get them to prepare for a hurricane that is 2 days away!
BTW don’t forget the can opener. They are usually so poorly made you might want a backup or two. I have seen people in this predicament after a hurricane.
Regardless, it is wise to have a contingency plan for any event, not only for pandemic. There is always the threat of terrorist, earthquake, weather, etc. Also, a sharp rise in the price of fuel or a serious disruption in fuel supply would result in a national emergency.
No, even with helath care professionals every day I am getting laughed at, but…with gentle persistance, oral and written information with quoted sources for reference, more people are considering thinking about it. Try Peter Sandman’s info on Risk Communication, very well done on how to start to explain the potential hell to people. How well it’s received; well, one example- a sister who’s shopping so far consists of 6 cans of soup and a double supply of hair coloring. She may starve to death, but heck, she’ll look good doing it.
No matter what the media reports on any level of government planning for this, I feel 200% that should go pandemic relatively soon, it’ll be katrina in every state, county and most every township. Plan for your self and yours; people may take it more seriously if you set the example.
Well it took a lot of talking to get my wife to understand that it just made sense to be prepared, not just for a pandemic but any type of emergency. She brought up the question of faith, we are both born-again Christians, but I mananged to convince her that it was prudent to pray for the best and prepare for everything else. The 6 cans of soup thing is about what I get when I try to convince extended family members to make preparations. That’s OK, they can think I’m crazy..
well hair dye can be important for her moral. She probably thinks you’ll be feeding her if that time ever comes, but you won’t be prepped with hair dye.
Moral on an empty stomach is a moot point. She’s not stupid, she has a MBA. It’s a mind-set, being able to wrap your head around the just the idea of this thing. I’ll be persistant, but because our home will most likely be used to self-isolate my daughter and grandson, once those doors close,…..My husband, son-in-law will be out and about. Just be persistant.
Interesting. The violent storm I mentioned from Sat nite caused a lot of power outages from tree damage. In two days the house temps fell to 40 degrees, to hose houses without heat. Could this be a talking point. Of course people were hassling the power companies, but some houses need to get in electricians as it isn’t the main lines. I notice a stack of seasoned wood as I pass places on the highway runs 5$.Those with fireplaces might want to stock up before seasoned wood is hard to come by.
How do you get people to pay attention to bird flu?
Wrap it up in taffetta and silk and send it down the red carpet on prime time TV.
I love it,M Fox.
I am finding that most people don’t want to hear about it and simply don’t care. Most people seem to live in a daily crisis lifestyle (struggle to pay bills, manage kids and work, health issues) and tell me they don’t have time or energy to think about one other thing. My doctor even scoffed and said unless I intend to play with dead chicken heads, I shouldn’t “worry” about it. I am preparing my family and sharing information now. When it hits, I want to know that I did everything possible to prepare my family and others. I appreciate this site and am encouraged that some people are being wise.
M Fox – at 17:45 “Wrap it up in taffetta and silk and send it down the red carpet on prime time TV.”
Great! a Bird Floozie :-)
Actually, not such a bad idea…I bet if you got Pamela Anderson to say she is only interested in a guy who is prepped for bird flu, every man in America would be out there shopping for canned foods and bottled water!
Pirate girl, had my first laugh today. Bird Floozie indeed. I’ll never thinkof it any other way now.As far as Pam Anderson, to each his own, but she is a good hearted girl, that why her chest is so large. I think she would do something like this, but who will volunteer to ask her? Any volunteers?
Bird Floozie! GOOD ONE!!
Bird Floozie:
Have actually had this image in my head for the past few weeks…
Oh Bjork. Everyone hated that dress, I thought it was the best at show. I loved it.How appropriate, they have a lot of wild swans in Iceland.
Wrong word dress. Costume. Now thats creativity and imagination, and guts.
And we’re still talking about 4+ years later!
That’s publicity!
I’m trying to convince my co-worker to prepare. She has a husband and two adult sons that live next door. The other day she said “Well, I guess I could put a little ‘kit’ together and keep it up in the closet” Today, she was a little more receptive and we talked about exactly how much she would need to feed 4 people for 3 months. I’m afraid it is more than she can stand to think about.
Maybe just for now Top cat; change is incremental.
I think incremental is exactly the word. I never thought prepping was nutty, just didn’t seem able to motivate myself into doing so. Most people aren’t into reading about the Avian flu,Grade school children are into games, teenagers into games and sex, college age into their studies and parties, scoping out the girls if they are boys and visa versa. Adults are working then dinner, t.v. and so on. Avian flu hasn’t crept up on them yet, and as someone on these posts pointed out, a dead chicken isn’t as pretty as Paris Hilton. What do you see when you check out at a supermarket, nothing but celebrity hype. gorgeous clothes on pretty actesses and pop stars. Nothing but froth.One day I typed into Avian Flu and came across this site. And so here I am.Since I say to myself when I see a beautiful gown, very nice, but when will I ever wear a beautiful gown. That way of life isn’t the norm. At one time it was to a degree, but no more, so maybe its a dream life to some.The young girls I know are into their American Dolls, the teenagers into giggling and boys. The young mothers into their children. The Bird Flu will only get their attention when it actually hits this shore.I wonder if a new thread could be started. What made you aware of the Avian Flu. What made it seem important to you, even if every one else pooh poohed the notion.What is interesting about this site is the variety. It touches every base.
Grace: I have been building credibility at my Grand Rounds presentations on diabetes for almost two years. Developed good staff and some(2–3)physician turnout.On the 25th I will be presenting “ Avian Influenza Update” I have had half dozen requests for something on this. I’m sure it did not hurt to have the Pandemic conference in Phoenix this month.
Great timing on your part, and good luck with it. What materials will you be presenting? I was pleased today to find out that after my brief presentation last week on avian influenza and potential pandemic, my peers want more information. Trying to get my boss to give us conference room time.
I will be using the PP presentation from the “contingency planning and business continuity workshop” that is posted on the main page of the FW.Also I will also be providing handouts from the May 5th NEJM,the Pandemic Flu Planning Checklist for Indivduals and Families, and maybe one other. If there is enough demand I may repeat this program in Feb. I actually bumped another program on evidenced based medicine that I was going to present for this one. One advantage that I have is that my administration supports any (reasonable)education programs that I want to put on.
Np1, What is the Planning Checklist you mentioned and where could I find that?
Thanks for the presentation info; those are good choices to start with. (Some of my peers asked for in-house experts to give info at any meetings; no one in-house so far will even talk to me about this!)
EOD: this doc can be found at the flu.gov- refirmatted as http://tinyurl.com/8vm3b.It is pretty basic, leaves a lot to be desired but I am aware that I need to start slow. Grace, we had one of our pathologists address this subject in Dec. Good turnout, except no physicians. Strange, and we offer free lunch. Maybe dounuts would help.
Sorry that should have been: http://tinyurl.com/8vm3b Kelly
Physicians are best bribed with cigarettes and large amounts of caffeine. Oh, they need visuals too, just telling them won’t work.
If this doesn’t wake up sensible people, then I don’t know… from the new Calif state pandemic plan at: http://tinyurl.com/crlwf
“One major focus will be for families and individuals to take more direct responsibility for their own care,’‘ said Dr. Marty Fenstersheib, public health officer for Santa Clara County.”
This is a good scenario for local problem possibilites:
EOD: I googled “Pandemic Flu Planning Checklist for Indivduals and Families” and found this: http://tinyurl.com/ajefh
My wife mentioned our preparations to some of her co-workers and got the expected reactions. They are not worried at all and if something happens they will deal with it then. One person said that if they needed food they would just come to our house. I hope she can stretch a box of saltines and maybe a jar of peanut butter because that is all she will find after I have made her back off my property and I have disinfected a trail out to the road….
Why does anyone tolerate the “I’ll come to your house “ remark which seems to be prevelants. May be someone can come up with a remark that is just as stupid as theirs, but puts the onus back on them. You can’t say they aren’t welcome, there must be some witty person among us who can give us that retort. Noone has said it to me, so my subconscious hasn’t handed me a smart a— retort.
my usual response is “Remember: I’m Sicilian….just try it”
Can’t use the “Don’t come here, or I’ll have to …. … “ one.
I suppose, if we had overheard that huge earthquake report that the few who got contacted did not want to pass the Tsunami Warning along for fear of “alarming the tourists and the economy” and were out trying to get someone at the BBC or hotels to get people off the beaches on a nice sunny morning, or, we were going around New Orleans and saying, why haven’t we spent money yet to get the levees up to Cat 5+ hurricanes, we need better evacuation plans, what about prisons, tell that neighborhood to keep a boat and an ax in their attic if they won’t leave, they’d be saying why are we any likelier to get hit by a killer storm this year, show us the statistical probability -we see no need to, we’ll take our chances, we’d just be looked at as nuts, too.
I hope the Deaf Ears get smart, that bad bad things maybe can happen quickly, and should be planned for; don’t trust some official to be having your life looked after -they don’t care about individuals. A year of pandemic. Ugh.
With some people it seems the more you tell them about it, the less willing they are to listen, or the less they will really tune in. You have to “seduce” certain people as though it were a mystery — tell them less, then they want more. They like to think there’s a mystery so to speak. If you just give all the info, they don’t pay attention. It’s weird. Anyone else seen this?
I think, at least here in the USA, that “just in time if I can find the time” mentality is a real problem with deaf ears. People are so busy running to stay in place that they just don’t want to deal with one more thing … especially if it is something that isn’t guaranteed.
Everyone wants a guarantee. Everyone wants a sure thing. In a prepping situation though there isn’t a sure thing or timetable that you can just whip out and say “here, you need to do this on this day and pay that on that day, and wait in line here and the government will give you a ration book ….” yada yada yada.
I truly believe that if we take the time to just say a few words here and there, the ones that are going to respond will … whether we know it or not … and the ones who won’t because they refuse to are no longer our responsibility. I’m not saying it to be flippant, but you do what you can and then the responsibility falls in the other guy’s court.
Don’t worry about the deaf ears. Do what you know you are supposed to be doing. Someone … even if it is just a few … will hear you.
The writing is on the wall…the gov is asking everyone to stock up.. and the masses respond by buying a new wide screen TV and a new video game.
I made copies of the Oprah show and gave them to several friends and family along with a “hey, you gotta see this, it is really important!”…and three of my kin folk just have not had the time or the nerve to watch. I now believe that those who don’t prep are destined to reap the results.. call it karma… it tears my guts to think of the risk these folks are taking on, but I will just have to live with it.
When I started this thread, I was frustrated that nobody in my immediate or extended family percieved the threat of avian flu as I did. I am pleased to report that a little progress has been made. My mother-in-law is working on preps, although mostly just food items. They are not actually in a bad situation with their own well and a standby propane generator. Different people come around to the realization of the threat at different times. Some people will never get ready. My children (biological and step) fall into the later catagory I’m afraid. They are classis Gen Z’ers who never make a decision until they are forced, or all but one of the available options have expired. I continue to do what I can, but I have stopped fretting and wringing my hands.
I nkow what you are saying, and it gets to be a bit much when you are the one trying to alert those who just dont know or dont care. I can say though i have convinced at least 2 people to prep and some others to at least think about the idea, That is all we can do, and when TSHTF we can say at least i did the best i could to alarm the people in my community by never shutting up about it. The one thing im worried about is that all those people will show up at my doorstep looking for hand outs. And what if they come bearing arms? I have heard so many people well at least 7 or 8 people say they will just come here… and im like “no you wont!! that is why im telling you to prep, cause i just cant afford to do it for you! go now my little pupils and fly to the store and stock your own.”
This weekend I got approval from my pastor to start a food bank for our church. The stated purpose was to have supplies on hand for any of our congregation that might have hard times, and also to give to those who stop by the church looking for a handout. As I presented the program to the congregation, I was counting households that were represented at that service and there were about a dozen. The thought that my plan could possibly save the lives of these people was really overwhelming. I have talked to them all about prepping, but got no positive response, there have been other threads that discussed the barriers to gettting Christians to focus on prepping. Now, I am accomplishing this for them with their help. Sometimes you just gotta work the system…..
DJOD….I have gotten that same reply many times and said the same thing back to them.It is a hard issue because these people are all people I love alot.I figure when tshtf I will do some things like block the end of the driveway with logs,put out quarentine signs,I even on a more paranoid day thought I would wrap an old maniquin in a rug with fake blood obvious on that rug and a sign that says “Please give my son a Christian burial”I feel in a quandry about all this cause in ordinary circumstances I am seriously community minded,volunteer 6 hrs per week at my kids school,visit oldsters at 3 different assisted living facilities,teach Sunday school class every sunday at my church and many other volunteer hours there.I have even taken the suggestion to speak to my friend who is a nurse at our local hospital about taking in her 2 kids to shelter in place with us,unfortunately she thought I was crazy to even think that we will have a problem with this “Asian” issue.She said she will have them at her parents tho so I assume she is giving it some thought.But when tshtf I will do what I have to do to protect my 4 kids.Afterall we aren’t getting the Tamiflu,or the vaccines for maybe a year after all this starts.I work hard to try to get people to prepare now.I hope that my local health dept will be working on an awareness campaign soon as they are today at the MI summit meeting with Dr. Levitt.
Hi Maliachi !! I said the other day if i didnt have kids this might be a different story, i might stock up on some rice and chick peas. But when you have children it is a whole other story! And i want all those people to just stay away. But we are working on ideas as to how to make sure they do. All bets are off and if people come trolling around my dooryard in times of BF i will do what i have to to protect my family. This is not how i am normally, all are welcome in my home and i would feed anyone any time of the day and have, but wont be able to in times of Bf pandemic, and i hope they all understand.
HillBilly…Great job on the food pantry with your church.This will be a good thing for panflu or any emergency.We have 3 area churches who have come together to do this for our community in the last year.(this is an ecumenical project not 3 seperate food banks)My church is having “preparedness sunday” this next weekend.I finally get to have my little meal made with easy store foods and collect a special donation to buy foods for our food bank.I have made a sign that says “dont get caught with your pantries down”with a list of easy store foods and simple instructions in a hand out for disinfecting water,rehydration solution recipe,simple flu care at home.If anyone can think of things I am forgetting please lmk.This is my shot at getting the word out on a larger scale and I want to be complete in the info part.
I have made a sign that says “dont get caught with your pantries down”
Love that sign!!!
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