Vulnerable? Act Now, Be Prepared

August 11, 2020,

Vulnerable is a word, like the emotions associated with it, that swirls with connecting wires that if left unplugged, can be very damaging.

Or very pre-protective.

We sense that few of us like feeling vulnerable but when it comes to building trust in important relationships, few can grow or be sustained without it.

The definitions that speak to being vulnerable are wide ranging.

Able to be easily hurt. Being susceptible to something, a bad something naturally, such as disease or infection. Living with the possibility of being attacked, damaged or rejected.

Is being vulnerable a good thing?

Emotionally, most likely yes.

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If you watch many films about love, it appears that very little of substance can happen unless the characters allow themselves to be vulnerable.

Physically? Most likely no. That is a completely different situation.

What can be striking about physical vulnerability is that for some time you may not be aware that you are vulnerable even though strong evidence indicates that you are.

The city of Beirut is a perfect example of that.

Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon.

No recent population census has been conducted, but 2007 estimates ranged from slightly more than 1 million to 2.2 million as part of Greater Beirut, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region and the fifteenth-largest in the Arab world.

On a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coast, Beirut is an important regional seaport.

It is one of the oldest cities in the world, having been inhabited for more than 5,000 years. The first historical mention of Beirut is found in the Amarna letters from the New Kingdom of Egypt, which date to the 15th century BC.

On the afternoon of August 4, 2020, two explosions occurred at this port city.

The extremely powerful second blast resulted in at least 220 deaths, 7,000 injuries, and US$10–15 billion in property damage, and made an estimated 300,000 people homeless.

The blast was linked to about 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate – equivalent to around 1.2 kt of TNT – that had been confiscated by the Lebanese government from the abandoned ship MV Rhosus and stored in the port without proper safety measures for six years.

Think about it. Six long years they were vulnerable and didn’t know it.

Though some did. It’s important to note that.

Some people in authority knew that the rest of the city was vulnerable to an explosion and did nothing about it.

Previously there were indicators of the deficiencies in leadership.

According to National Public Radio npr.org, “Lebanese officials say there has been concern about this volatile cargo for years, something Prime Minister Hassan Diab noted publicly in the first hours after the blast. So, rather than war or terrorism, this blast brings to a head something else about Lebanon — the deep paralysis, official corruption and unaccountability that Lebanese demonstrators had been protesting in huge numbers for months before the coronavirus pandemic shut them down.”

They add the port's customs director says he sounded several alarms about the material. Since the blast, some port officials have been placed under house arrest.

The economy of Lebanon was in a state of crisis prior to the explosions, with the government having defaulted on debt, the pound plunging, and a poverty rate that had risen past 50 percent.

In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic had overwhelmed many of the country's hospitals, several of which already were short of medical supplies and unable to pay staff due to a financial crisis.

The morning before the explosion, the head of the Rafik Hariri University Hospital, which served as the main coronavirus medical facility in Lebanon, warned that it was approaching full capacity.

That is the pivotal point about physical vulnerabilities.

If you know ahead of time that you are vulnerable in certain categories of your life, are you taking steps now to shore them up?

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How much savings do you have?

If you are a woman, have you taken self-defense classes?

If you have a history of diabetes in your family line, are you taking steps to reduce your sugar intake, drink more water and consistently exercise?

Do you have adequate insurance that can house you for some time after a flood, earthquake or fire?

If your car broke down and temporarily is not fixable, do you have a plan to get you to work, buy groceries and other basic needs?

If there was a natural disaster in the region where would you live? Do you have enough supplies to survive for at least three days?

The team at ready.gov/kit educates, “After an emergency, you may need to survive on your own for several days. Being prepared means having your own food, water and other supplies to last for several days. A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.

Make sure your emergency kit is stocked with the items on the checklist below. Most of the items are inexpensive and easy to find and any one of them could save your life. Headed to the store? Download a printable version to take with you. Once you take a look at the basic items consider what unique needs your family might have, such as supplies for pets or seniors.”

Here is their list:

Basic Disaster Supplies Kit

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To assemble your kit store items in airtight plastic bags and put your entire disaster supplies kit in one or two easy-to-carry containers such as plastic bins or a duffel bag.

A basic emergency supply kit could include the following recommended items:

Water (one gallon per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation)
Food (at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food)
Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
Flashlight
First aid kit
Extra batteries
Whistle (to signal for help)
Dust mask (to help filter contaminated air)
Plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place)
Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)
Manual can opener (for food)
Local maps
Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery
Download the Recommended Supplies List (PDF)

When you look at that list, how are you doing?

If your list is deficient perhaps go down the list and day by day, week by week, purchase and stock up on the items you need until the list is complete.

The key to knowing that you are vulnerable to certain events is to start preparing ahead of time or addressing the situation.

When?