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Annabelle Macneal

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Preparing our cities for coming global upheavals (climatic, societal, man made and natural catastrophes) by neighborhoods, by city blocks.

(orig. posted on April,2011)In recent weeks, we've experienced a preview of what our world is heading to. Revolution in the Arab world, unimaginable destruction in Japan, and many other calamities brought about by climate change that will greatly affect our future life in this planet.
We believe that fire drills are important and effective, yet we don't apply this common sense idea to a larger scope which is our cities, neighborhoods, city blocks, streets, homes, individuals. We have no coherent plans to prepare these sections of society to many unforeseen catastrophes.
My idea is to create very local responses to major upheavals and catastrophes by organizing each city blocks where residents are responsible for protecting their blocks and where many will be trained to be first responders rather than just wait for help ( that may take days or weeks) to arrive. We can organize food, water, and energy saving and sharing schemes that will sustain our individual blocks until outside help arrives. If these societal saving drills are implemented and become a part of our everyday lives, it may greatly improve our chances in surviving major disasters.

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  • Same AsIs

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    Oct 25 2012: I agree with everything you just wrote, how can I help?

    • Annabelle Macneal

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      Oct 25 2012: I posted this idea over a year ago and I'm happy to inform you that there are solutions being proposed and implemented by some people in the Ted community namely the people I posted above with their related Ted talks.
      Listen to their stories to get ideas and inspiration on how you can apply it to your own community.
      Cheers!

  • gale kooser 20+

    • +1
    Oct 13 2012: Based on chemical spill involving a leak from a train tanker in Baltimore city area.

    When I was a student at UMBC, I submitted a paper(more like a book when finished) on this very subject. I complied many variables including, but limited to weather, emergency services, public reactions, and also routes for evacuation.
    The conclusion(s), after all the data was complied, was very enlightening. The human element, no matter how much they are trained, will panic. A big city, like Baltimore, would be at the mercy of a fleeing public. All roads would be clogged & many would die just from racing mobs.The emergency personal would be hard pressed to preform any type of rescues.
    I could go on & on here about the perils of evacuating a large city but won't.
    Those who live in suburbs share some of these same perils. While those who live out in the "country" so to speak, have a much better chance of survival. That is, until those who make it from the big city arrive there.Human nature is the key here along with tight living/working conditions.
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    chen xin

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    Oct 11 2012: there are thousands of natural disasters evry year .it causes huge hurt ,while many of it doesnt hurt itself .on the contry it is the facilities that kill many people ,take japan for example .the earthquake itself did a big harm to people while theNuclear leak heavyed it and cause another big hurt .it is a notice to huaman that we should develop in the direction of eco and healthy not the heavy big item with huge hurt .

  • Annabelle Macneal

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    Oct 10 2012: Disaster relief may greatly be helped by these new locally based initiatives. I hope that these efforts are multiplied to solve even bigger problems regarding disaster relief.
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    Fritzie Reisner 100+

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    Host
    Oct 10 2012: I know many city governments have for many years run emergency drills assuming specific emergency scenarios. Radio stations and television stations do test exercises of the emergency broadcast system.

    Children in school where I live have over many years also been engaged in discussions of emergency preparedness, and I know my kids, including the two now grown, had homework assignments frequently in grade school to discuss with their families our emergency strategies.

    People who live in areas with particular hazards will tend to have drills specific to the threats they should most expect, like tornado or earthquake or tsunami. As I am from California, I have had fifty years of practice for earthquake, including real responses.

    The city public utilities send messages through the mail regarding good steps for households to take to be prepared for the most likely emergency.

  • Annabelle Macneal

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    Oct 10 2012: I'm ecstatic to hear that solutions are being proposed on this issue. I live in Nola (New Orleans, La) and the impact of climate change (rising sea levels, hurricanes) may be much more severe and become more frequent here and of couse the rest of the world. Ted conversations and other social media platforms like Facebook can really help fill in the gaps in the way we respond to natural disasters and calamities. Please spread the word.
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