Three years ago, Hurricane Sandy hit the shores of Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey, killing 71 people and causing damages worth $50 billion. We suffer from a kind of amnesia: we know it happened, but we hesitate to change much about the way we prepare for future events. New York invested nearly $20 billion in new protective measures, simultaneously allowing 900 new housing units to be constructed next to the water.
Most of us don't pay much attention to the idea of disasters unless we believe they can happen to us. Earthquakes, tsunamis, cyberattacks, and hurricanes can seem a distant probability.
Yet there are many simple steps individuals and communities can take to ease the aftermath of a disaster and maintain vital channels of communication. The biggest is the purchase of a simple radio with an antenna. Why are we so reluctant to prepare for a disaster, or even learn about how to get information that can save our lives?
GUESTS:
- Manuel Centeno - Program Manager, Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, FEMA
- Arnold Chase - Former owner and manager, WTIC radio
- Jeff Hugabonne - Broadcast engineer; Associate Chair, CT Emergency Alert committee
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.
