The Uniqueness of Islands

Disaster response must take into account The Uniqueness of Islands.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:05

Thank you for listening to another Prepare With ICEBUDDY Podcast. How many times have you heard the phrase"No Man Is An Island"? It comes from a famous church sermon delivered in 1642. It explains how human beings are connected to each other and how important that connection is for the wellbeing and survival of any individual. It's ironic that when an island is coping with a disaster, the population's wellbeing and survival depends entirely on understanding the critical need for connection to each other. I lived on two islands in my lifetime, one in the Atlantic Ocean and one in the Pacific Ocean. Islands have unique realities based on their geographic location. As you listen to the news this week as to how Hurricane Fiona and Hurricane Ian have impacted numerous islands, I need you to have a heightened awareness of what those populations are having to deal with and what contributes to the difficulty inherent in bringing them aid. Let's start with what the population is having to cope with. First, there are two distinct groups occupying islands at any given time, year round residents and tourists. This factor alone exacerbates the situation and causes tremendous problems for First Responders. Let me explain. Tourists don't visit an island knowing what emergency services are available, what to do, and where to go for assistance. Especially if power and communication systems have been knocked out. They feel trapped because they are trapped. Likely air service and ferry service has been canceled. If power outages last for long, cell phone batteries will run out. If they came here for vacation, they may not know anyone to turn to for help. The resorts tourists are residing in are usually located along the beaches, making them susceptible to crashing waves, tidal surges, tsunamis and flooding rushing down from higher elevations. Should they be told to evacuate from their low lying location, they often drive their cars to higher ground in residential neighborhoods. This ends up blocking roadways, creating more hazards. If hunkered down in their cars for any length of time, they tend to knock on residents' doors asking to use their restrooms or request that they share what limited supply of food and water they have for their own family. Nerves are already frayed. People are scared of what is unfolding, and having strangers knock on your door expecting to be let into your home creates untold incidents. Another problem occurs when tourists try to drive to another area of the island not knowing which roads are safe to traverse and which are susceptible to landslides and washout. The countless number of rescues that occur because tourists get lost and stranded on islands heightens the number of injuries and loss of life. Islands have extremely limited resources, be it food, medication, hospital beds, firemen, police officers, and First Responders, to name a few. Those limited resources have to be rationed out to every soul. Supplies will not be arriving from neighboring states or islands anytime soon. Remember, islands are sitting disconnected to any other land masses. Are you aware that right now the Jones Act of 1920 is prohibiting ships situated off the coast to Puerto Rico that are not owned by U. S. Companies from bringing them supplies desperately needed. The Jones Act is a U. S. Federal law that regulates maritime commerce to the United States. The Jones Act requires goods shipped between U.S. ports be transported on ships that are built, owned, and operated by U. S. Citizens or permanent residents. The Jones Act is Section 27 of the Merchant Marine Act. When other countries respond, and non-U.S. owned ships are in the area of U. S. devastated islands, they are forbidden to lend direct assistance. As you listen to this podcast, efforts are underway to see if our government is willing to make an exception to that law to bring help to Puerto Rico before its people continue to suffer needlessly. We can do better! We must do better! Let's look at the fate of those who use medications requiring refrigeration, and what happens to them when disaster strikes their island. Hurricane Ian caused a nationwide power outage on Cuba. Imagine that an entire nation without power. Now, let's take a look at another island that lost power due to Hurricane Ian this week, the island of Puerto Rico and the impact of loss of power has had on those dependent or taking insulin. Project HOPE reports that diabetes and related conditions have been a problem in Puerto Rico. Approximately 16% of the adult population has diabetes compared to 9.4% in the general U. S. population. In the last 10 years, deaths from diabetes increased on the island by nearly a quarter. Insulin must be stored at a temperature below 46 degrees Fahrenheit. Even when there is a sufficient supply, the lack of consistent electricity on the island makes storage and transport difficult. To make things even more challenging, thousands of doctors have left Puerto Rico since Hurricane Maria in 2017. 60% of all general practitioners and over 8,000 specialists doctors have left. Insulin is just one of over 100 medications people take every day that has to remain refrigerated. What becomes of the tens of thousands of other people relying on the other medications to stay alive when power is lost? There is so much more that island government officials can do to improve the emergency response when disaster strikes. The solution will only come when islands remember what I said at the beginning of this podcast. So let me repeat what I said,"When an island is coping with a disaster, it's population's, wellbeing and survival depends entirely on understanding the critical need for connection to each other". Yes, that is the key to expediting recovery. Plans have to be made that primarily focus on getting the resident population and tourist facilities, the equipment they need to help their families and the tourists. There never has been and never will be enough First Responders available nor enough supplies to last. The key is to put survival equipment in the hands of individuals so they can be active participants in saving their own lives. Citizens have been told for too long to depend on First Responders to save them and to have the supplies needed. That never worked. Never could work. We created populations who have become dependent and feel entitled. That mindset can no longer be tolerated. Disasters are happening faster and with more intensity threatening more lives. Citizens need to be trained and made to understand that their wellbeing and survival depends entirely upon their own preparation and ability to help each other. Haven't you seen that as these disasters have gotten longer in duration and intensity police and fire rescue squads are often being suspended until the wind gusts subside below 45 miles per hour. Until that occurs, you are on your own and need to be prepared. ICEBUDDY Systems Inc. is a healthcare company headed by someone who has served as a First Responder and has seen firsthand what has been missing for individuals to be self-sufficient. That is why the ICEBUDDY System was created and why it has won National and International acclaim. The two component lifesaving system provides an iceless cooler spelled Q O O L E R. This Kosher and Halal certified container, with food dish uniquely is able to keep medication requiring refrigeration cold at the required 36 to 46 degree temperature for three day intervals. This buys time for citizens to reach shelters or be rescued by First Responders. The QPACK component is capable of holding 120 ounces of liquid, a 10 pound bag of ice, or over a dozen 16 and a half ounce bottles. It comes with a spigot for easy access to liquids needed to take medication. This expandable bag can transport food, important documents, clothing, or other supplies. It uniquely is designed to fit on wheelchairs and walkers, enabling the elderly and physically challenged the ability to help themselves. This is a brief overview of the ICEBUDDY Systems' transformative elements. When citizens have equipment like the ICEBUDDY System in their possession, that enhances their ability to survive and they are less likely to panic. Individuals gain critical time by being self-sufficient until help arrives. Our goal is to have every household and First Responder group equipped with an ICEBUDDY System. This enables island populations to have what they need, ensuring their wellbeing and survival at all times. The ICEBUDDY System provides COLD on the GO.