VST & Company, believe it or not, was one of the very first things that came into my mind when I first heard of the problems at the Japanese nuclear plant that was damaged by the recent earthquake and tsunami. The Filipino disco group that became prominent during the late 1970s for their so-called “Manila Sound” was composed then of the Sotto brothers (Vic and Val), Spanky Rigor, and a few others. I was in high school at the time and our class just had a soiree with a group of girls from St. Scholastica’s College. We were so intent on seeing them again that we actually invited them to a formal debate on whether we should build a nuclear plant in the Philippines. VST was at the height of its popularity and one of the St. Scho girls who knew someone from the band invited them to judge the debate. I wonder today how we were able to convince our teachers to invite a group of celebrities that were more well-known for their comedy and Bee Gees-like falsetto voices to moderate a discussion on nuclear energy. Nevertheless, I recall that apart from declaring us the winner (we were the antes), they gave pretty insightful comments and feedback.
The recent tragedy in Japan, however, did not just jog my carefree memories of high school. I lived in Kobe for close to eight years and both of my children were born there. I therefore consider Japan like a second home and I am really heart-stricken by the catastrophe. As an overprotective parent whose constant preoccupation is the future of my children, the disaster has also unsettled me because of the knowledge that there is nothing I can really do to protect my kids against that kind of calamity. You can reasonably protect them against bad people, against car accidents, and even against many sicknesses. But how can you fight Nature? There is simply no place to hide. I already experienced a flavor of that when my family and I got trapped in the second floor of our house for a day during Ondoy’s deluge. But that now pales in comparison to what happened in Japan. How do we parents prepare our kids for something like that?
According to experts, we first need to calmly educate our kids about the different forces of nature like floods, typhoons, fires, and earthquakes. It should be explained to them that these acts of nature are not necessarily catastrophic but can become one. Of course, since our children are very impressionable, we need to balance what we tell them so that they do not get overly alarmed. The objective is not to scare them but to give them enough information so that we empower them with actions they can take to be safe. One great suggestion is to develop a “Family Disaster Plan” with your kids. Psychologists say that being open about what you can do as a family to prepare for disasters is comforting to the children. At the same time, it can present “teachable moments” that parents can use to educate them on what to do. For example, you can ask the kids to help prepare/assemble a disaster supply kit where you can explain to them the importance and use of each item in the kit.
In creating a Family Disaster Plan, the first step is to learn what kinds of hazard potentially exist in the area where you live in and how to prepare for each risk. For example, if you live in a coastal area, you obviously need to be prepared for tsunamis. Or if you live in a hilly or mountainous village, you need to know what to do in case of landslides. Once you know all the different hazards, the second step is to meet as a family and discuss what you would do in each situation. A good resource here is the American Red Cross website which provides a checklist for each kind of emergency. The third step is to make logistical preparations for your family in case of a disaster. This includes things like assembling a disaster supply kit for each family member, making sure that everyone knows emergency contact numbers, and agreeing on where to meet up in case you get separated from each other. Finally, you need to practice your disaster plan so that everyone will remember and know what to actually do. Make the practices as fun as possible for the children. One good way to do this is to make it like a game. For example, practicing different ways to get out of the house during an emergency can be made into a treasure hunt or an “Amazing Race” kind of activity. A flood drill can be transformed into a mini-picnic in the attic where you can eat emergency rations with flashlights and listen to a battery-powered AM radio. Experts point out that this kind of approach is not scary to children and even fosters family togetherness. In addition to the four steps above, I would also add one last thing and that is the need to constantly teach our children, in words and in deeds, to respect Nature. Don’t litter, segregate trash, recycle, conserve energy, and oh yes — say No to nuclear power plants in the Philippines!
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Acknowledgements: FEMA for Kids; Healthy Children: How to Prepare for Disasters; American Red Cross
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