There is no Civil Defense in the US, that was killed off a long time ago, no system of fallout shelters and only a the Early Warning System in the media and even then, what then?
If CA had 1 hr to prepare for a Tsunami, it wouldn’t matter because the freeways would be packed there would be no place to go, and no plan for what to do if they stayed in place.
I am surprised at some of the posts here that negatively compare our culture and behavior under stress with that of the Japanese.
Our country has a tradition of responding well to challenges. In the vast majority of cases the American people work together dealing with disasters such as tornadoes, floods, and even hurricanes. Before the flood waters are receding the American people in most disasters are out there looking for survivors and cleaning up. There is no reason for us to be ashamed of our reactions to disaster.
Let’s be clear - what happened in New Orleans, Detroit and Los Angeles is not a reflection of our American culture. It’s a reflection of an amoral thug culture that not only is being allow to flourish but is being fed by our government.Twenty years from now it may be the mainstream American culture but it’s not there yet.
“If CA had 1 hr to prepare for a Tsunami, it wouldn’t matter because the freeways would be packed there would be no place to go, and no plan for what to do if they stayed in place.”
I think most of the reponsibility to plan for what to do in those situations should be at the local level. It’s the local governments that help keep society from falling apart in affected areas when disaster hits, and failure there has a huge impact on the outcome.