Some time ago, I was made aware of the transcript of a FEMA podcast about preparing better for disasters. It specifically addressed some stories about the 2004 tsunami in Sumatra, Indonesia.
The speaker included some advice on physical preparation. He said “You need to make sure everybody …[has] trained for it physically. If you don’t do that … you will not want to live with yourself afterward. You need to trust people with as much knowledge as you can give them and as much physical muscle memory of getting out of a place as they will allow you to introduce them to. Because you don’t want to have to think in a disaster. It will not go well. It is not how our brains are designed to deal with new unrecognizable patterns. [U]nder stress [it] is almost impossible to behave quickly.”
“Physical muscle memory.” This is why there are fire drills at schools and in office buildings; why there are tornado drills and active shooter drills. This is why Japan has earthquake and tsunami drills.
Have you had a fire drill in your home? Do your children have enough “physical muscle memory” to get out of the house safely? Have you ever had a tornado drill or an earthquake drill? Do your children know what to do to stay safe? Safety drills are a good option for Monday night family activities. Give it some consideration. You will all be glad you did.
