“RCRC” stands for Regional Crisis Response Center. The U.S. needs several within its borders, and the world needs an international version. Seeing U.S. carriers rushing towards Indonesia was heartwarming, but the response would have been more effective had the carrier group been part of a pre-planned, coordinated effort. We would have had fewer deaths along the Gulf Coast during and after Karina if there was an RCRC ready for action.
The continental United States has three disaster zones:
1. Southeast -- hurricanes and other rainy storms
2. West / Southwest -- wildfires and earthquakes
3. Northeast / North Central -- snow, ice, and sub-zero temps
Each zone should have an RCRC (not in the most dangerous part; the West / Southwest RCRC should not be in San Francisco, and the Southeast RCRC should not be in Florida).
The RCRCs should be filled with weatherproof crates ready for air-dropping and transport by ship, rail, and truck. These crates should contain MREs, condoms (just kidding), bottled water, water purification tablets, rope, clothing and blankets appropriate to the disaster, first aid materials, crank-operated radios, and plastic information cards. The cards should list generic emergency information:
+ A warning against drinking unpurified water
+ The basics of how to survive
+ A reminder that looting will get you 15-25 years in prison
+ In bold: “The federal, state and local government is aware of your situation and is on the way. Do not panic or lose hope."
+ Techniques to increase the chances of being spotted by a rescue helicopter
Because there is no way to completely equip and man these centers, there should be a system similar to a volunteer fire department. For example, if a Cat 5 hurricane strikes the Southeast, pre-determined helicopters and personnel from the surrounding area should go straight to the RCRC or directly to the affected area. A certain percentage of equipment and personnel should be ready to act at a moment's notice: assets from state and federal military bases, local fire departments and law enforcement, and volunteers among the general public. Specific units of people and specific pieces of equipment should be tagged.
The Southeast RCRC should be in Northern Alabama, the Northeast / North Central RCRC should be in Wisconsin, and the West / Southwest RCRC should be in Las Vegas. These locations offer relatively quick and easy access to the entire zone, yet are in areas not likely to be hit with a major natural disaster.
International
There should also be international RCRCs. One should be located somewhere near Japan, which offers easy access to typhoon and earthquake problems in Japan, the Koreas, China, and the surrounding areas, including Hawaii and Alaska.
Another should be in the Indian Ocean, which offers easy access to India, Indonesia, Australia, and surrounding areas.
Others should be in the Caribbean Sea, Brazil, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and perhaps a few other places. Politics should not determine who can join an RCRC. For instance, Cuba would be welcomed in the Caribbean RCRC; Iran the Middle East RCRC.
Amazing things happened following Katrina and the Asian tsunami, but had we been better prepared and coordinated, more lives would have been saved.
The UN should not be involved with RCRCs. The organization sat idly by -- or actively ran away -- in the face of tragedies in Rwanda, Guatemala, Cambodia, and many other places. No UN involvement generally means the outcome will be better.
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