# 2454
If there has been one overriding theme to this blog, it is simply:
In a disaster such as a pandemic, if we hope to minimize our losses,we must find ways to work together as families, as neighborhoods, and as communities.
The government has an important role to play, of course, but their concerns are more on a macro scale; keeping the power on, communications going, transportation of food and medicines, vaccine manufacturing, national security, and maintaining law and order.
Important work, obviously, but unlikely to include coming to your neighborhood to check on you or your neighbors.
How well individual communities and neighborhoods do during a pandemic will depend in large part on how well people come together to help in those places.
And for many that could mean volunteering to help with the American Red Cross, or the Salvation Army, or becoming a member of CERT, or perhaps even the Medical Reserve Corps.
Others may wish to form, or join, a local neighborhood watch.
While others may just vow to check on their friends and neighbors every day during a crisis. Maybe tend to someone who is sick, fetch them medicine or bring them meals.
During a crisis, no good deed is too small not to matter.
Now, I know I risk offending some of my readers.
There are some people who plan to sequester themselves and their families inside their home, with a basement full of supplies and a shotgun across their lap, for the duration of a pandemic.
I fully understand that reaction. Self (and family) preservation is a strong motivator. Perhaps the strongest of our species.
For a handful of people who may have a cabin somewhere in the woods, far from `civilization', it may even be a good plan.
But for most people, it simply isn't practical. Like it or not, few families can remain self-contained and isolated for months on end.
None of this is to say that there won't be times when it makes sense to stay home, and to avoid infection. You may even be asked to do so by your local health department during particularly heavy periods of infectivity.
This is one of the reasons that it is important to have a well stocked pantry, so you can remain in your home for days, or even weeks, if you need to without going out for supplies.
And there are some people, either due to their health or circumstance, that it would make sense for them to avoid exposure as much as possible. Those that are immunocompromised, for instance, or people with chronic health problems.
Pregnant women are another (very) high risk group, along with children and teenagers. It may make sense to protect single parents, and young adults as well.
And when you are outside your home, it only makes sense to take precautions. To use masks and gloves where appropriate, to avoid crowds, and to observe social distancing recommendations.
But a pandemic wave could last for months. And multiple waves could come over a period of one or even two years.
We can't all hide ourselves away, and wait for it to pass. Many people, for example, will have to find ways to go to work.
The Federal government has already stated that it will be severely limited in what it can do to help communities during a pandemic. The quote, made famous by Secretary Leavitt of the HHS is:
"Any community that fails to prepare with the expectation that somehow the federal government will come to their rescue at the last moment will be tragically disappointed."
I would add, that any community that fails to work together during a pandemic, with the expectation that someone else will do the work for them will be tragically disappointed.
We need to think of our neighborhoods as modular building blocks of preparedness that when put together, form a prepared community.
Units capable of doing much of what is needed to care for themselves, and when necessary, able to extend help to surrounding neighborhoods as well.
The idea of forming coalitions, or mutual aid agreements, isn't new. Governments, large and small, do it all the time. Your local fire, police, or EMS department, undoubtedly, has a mutual aid agreement with other departments in your area.
If a situation arises that they cannot handle alone, they can call for assistance.
During a pandemic, families need to form the same sort of agreements with their friends and neighbors.
Every neighborhood, every apartment building, every trailer park, every church, civic organization, and school needs to be thinking of ways to work together during a crisis.
If you are looking for some ideas as to how you can help in your neighborhood or community during a pandemic (or any other disaster), here are a few suggestions from past blogs:
Adopt an Essential Worker’s Family
Rx For A Pandemic: Neighborhood Flu Centers
Prepping And Morality
A NET Gain For Your Community
The Over-The-Hill-Gang
We're Not Helpless In A Pandemic
