Being Prepared

The world is still processing the tremendous and devastating power of the earthquake and ensuing tsunami that hit Japan last week. Thousands of people have had their lives changed forever in a matter of minutes. Many are happy to have survived with their lives.

As the world watched breathlessly, a point I found striking was one brought up on Twitter by someone flowing through my tweet stream via a #Japan search I had set up.

The above tweet by @daveewing was a reminder of how being prepared can be a huge blessing. Eventually, David was proven wrong in that headlines were written on the subject (thankfully so, he tweeted); the New York Times ran a piece detailing the change Japan underwent after the Kobe earthquake of 1995:

After the Kobe earthquake in 1995, which killed about 6,000 people and injured 26,000, Japan also put enormous resources into new research on protecting structures, as well as retrofitting the country’s older and more vulnerable structures. Japan has spent billions of dollars developing the most advanced technology against earthquakes and tsunamis.

Japan has gone much further than the United States in outfitting new buildings with advanced devices called base isolation pads and energy dissipation units to dampen the ground’s shaking during an earthquake.

Is essence, the pains of the past fueled a change in Japan that likely saved thousands of lives. Countless videos have been posted online that show the earthquake in action and its relatively minimal effect. Normally buildings stand little chance against an 8.9 magnitude earthquake. And yet, rather than crumbling, a good number of buildings stood fast, despite the close proximity to such a massive quake.

Obviously the tsunami that followed as devastating (and our thoughts, prayers, and resources continue to go out to those from Japan), but the lives that were saved because of advanced preparation should make us pause and think–what are we doing to be prepared?

This morning at Prolifiq’s all hands meeting we began laying the groundwork for emergency contingency plans. What do we do in the event of an earthquake? What about our team in the field? How do we keep track of where everyone is and what they’re up to?

As Japan begins a lengthy recovery process, in addition to praying for them, perhaps it is worth asking, whether for yourself, your family, or your business: what are you doing to be prepared?