Your view: Be a survivor

The difference between a disaster victim and a disaster survivor many times is $15...the cost of canned food and water for a family of four for three days.

I am lucky enough to be the director of the city of Portageville Community Emergency Response Team. Our team is made up of volunteers who help assist first responders during a disaster. The training on disaster preparedness alone is worth its weight in gold.

The first rule of surviving a disaster is to have a supply kit prepared. This kit should include food and water for each person in the home for three days MINIMUM. You should also have a flashlight, radio, spare clothing, a basic first aid kit, and any life saving medication (I.e. insulin,heart medication, etc). You should also be aware of how to shut off your own gas and electric.

These are some basic steps. If possible, everyone should take a class in disaster prep. These are offered by cities and counties as in CERT classes, Red Cross, and others. If you can not find any, The city of Portageville will be scheduling one soon and can be found on our web site www.portagevillemo.com soon and all are invited, or call your local county Emergency Management Office.

Imagine, for a moment, a 7.0 earthquake hits the bootheel area. Ever try to leave your hometown without crossing over or under a bridge. We maybe cut off from assistance for a while. Will you be a victim or a survivor?

Vincent Berry

Portageville Community Emergency Response Team Director