You have the power, until you don't

I had a very interesting conversation with several Phillips County residents from several different Phillips County entities last Wednesday at the Great Northern Lodge Room.

The topic of the day was “what if the power was out for a week, how would your organization manage and how would our community of Malta respond and potentially help each other?” The meeting was in conjunction with the Local Emergency Planning Committee and though the person who invited nor the person in charge of the meeting showed up for this get-together, once we figured we all were in charge of the meeting some interesting questions were asked and some serious situations were discussed.

Since the meeting never actually “began”, I never actually started taking notes and that is why I write about the event here in my (mostly) weekly column. Folks representing the Hi-Line Retirement Center, Phillips County Hospital and the Phillips County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) were at the luncheon -- to name just a few. As far as I know, the meeting will be rescheduled and I will get a chance to report on “what if the power was out,” but what I came away with from the leaderless-meeting is that those charged with protecting and caring for this community are indeed ready for such a calamity, God forbid. Things can always be tightened up, but if the switch was thrown on our electricity tomorrow, I feel confident that our young and elderly would be cared for.

The other thing I left the meeting knowing is that I am in no way ready for the power going out at my house for weeks on end. I am spoiled rotten and so is my family. If the power was to go out tonight, I doubt that I could find a candle, let alone a flash light with good batteries. How does one cook a Hotpocket without a microwave? How would I tune in to KMMR without a transistor radio? Will my Facebook friends notice I am in peril when I do not post what I had for lunch for a solid week?

A few antonyms for “prepared” are “ignorant” and “unready.” I am ignorantly unready for any type of disaster – both major or minor. I went to sleep last night assured that most of the leadership of this community are willing and set to take care of me if the lights go dark. I need to take more accountability for also protecting myself and my neighbors and so should you.

Thanks for reading and aloha.