WHAT JAPAN COULD HAVE DONE, TO AID IN SURVIVING A TSUNAMI--A STORY, A TSUNAMI SURVIVOR IN THAILAND TSUNAMI

WISDOM FROM AN OLD CRONE BEAR ???? HOW TO POSSIBLY SURVIVE OR UP YOUR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL IN A TSUNAMI?!!!

note:  I am seriously considering adding a
Sister blog, Just on this issue, of Survival for Women, Emergency Prep and Living with Nature in Harmony series, I think it's Direly needed, one that is Woman Earth friendly, rather than para-military patriarchal type.  Also see post below, on How to survive nuclear fallout--a Very real possibility with the reactors in Japan, esp the one #3 that is using MOX fuel, aka Plutonium.  For now, I will keep this series here, and will add a note to the top with links/archives.  Thank you, Jane

In doing some research this morning as to why many in Japan don't own boats, or how one could Maybe ride out, white water rafting type of way, a Tsunami after viewing the many clips of the Tsunami, wondering why there weren't some walls/embankments built, that sort of thing, from being actually curious as to Is there any ways in possibly Saving lives in future, in case of Tsunami [never hurts to look, and think at because you Never know] and I ran across this story,

it had one thing that I do think DOES stand out, those that could Swim and swim strong, seemed to have better chance of survival, and the second thing that stood out, was the Danger in being impaled or thrashed by all the metal pieces which tells Me, that Maybe near by coasts, we shouldn't one be building and Two, only using non-metal parts, on Tsunami hot zones, because it Appears that it's the being pulled under and banged, caught onto sharp metal edges that Kills the most, second to drowning. 

And if you wondering Why in the World I would be thinking of something like this, well I live not too far from some serious rivers that Yes, people die in them Every Single Year, when the rapids get too fierce, water speeds from mountain melt off become Very dangerous, and sure enough, some one thinks they are invincible, and what Kills them, is the speed and smashing into rocks.  But you can, up your chances of survival IF you can avoid being smashed into rocks, and grab on to something that you can pull onto shore, they Teach you this in white water rafting.  

IF you watch the videos, many of the cars and houses tossed around, though yes the water Is carrying them in very high speed, there on many of them IS the potential of 'floating' it out Until maybe, possibly being able to jump onto a more secure device or higher ground, of course one would have to be on constant look out for the smashing into or being smashed into, etc., of other buildings and cars...but my point is, Why aren't we training people living In these high tsunami risk areas, ways they can possibly swim/float out even the most violent of waves?  We do this for white water accidents...

now this in No way means, that one would be protected or safer, no, NOT what I am saying BUT if there is Anything that could possibly Up one's chance for survival, then why not look into it?  In one video clip, there is mountains around the water, my question is, for those who live in such areas, from what I heard on one video, they had 11 minutes to evacuate, Not a lot of time...now I have no confirmation as to this time limit [further north Japan] however,

why don't these people have Boats?  I see masses of CARS, but no boats.  I'm talking small boats or life rafts?  Here we have, people Living on an Island completely surrounded by water, but no Boats!  For individual families, I see bikes, tons of cars, computers, gadgets, but not one canoe or boat or raft? [not talking here of the bigger fishing boats and tanks, of course we saw those]

I don't know but it would Just seem common sense to me, that If you live in what you KNOW is already a very HIGH POTENTIAL OF EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI, on an island with water, that you would at Least have

a small boat, life raft, and LIFE PRESERVERS as well as HEAD HELMETS AND BODY GEAR in EVERY SINGLE HOME  [question, Why didn't Japanese Government push for this, helmets for EQs but not gear for Tsunami??????]

possibly using Rope to I don't know, Secure onto something on higher ground or more stable less likely to get smashed up...

COMMON SENSE GEAR EVERY JAPANESE FAMILY 'SHOULD' HAVE HAD NEAR THE COASTS 

way before you own an I Pad, Computer, Bike and Brand New CAR!

Even in a violent EQ and Tsunami, one may Still have a Far better chance, of survival IF they could boat out to the near by higher mountains Or ride out at least with a damn Life Preserver--you would have to of course still dodge the oncoming metals and cars, and etc but Still, your chances would be better, than trying to swim out or worse, stay in the house, etc., I don't know,

[AVOIDING BIG ROCKS IN WHITE WATER HIGH RAPIDS SIMILAR TO AVOIDING DANGERS MANY COULD HAVE MAYBE SAVED THEIR LIFE IN RECENT TSUNAMI, PARTICULARLY AREAS WHERE RIVER BANKS WERE EFFECTED, these rocks if rafter does NOT know how to use feet to kick off/how to sit/float down with current Can KILL, it's not 100% proof, but it's sure as hell Better than NOTHING if one Can't evacuate in time]

just thinking...if it were Me, this is what I would do, if I didn't have time to evacuate, I'd grab the preservers, rope, [yes Rope and learn how to loop-throw the thing or anchor of some kind or the type you use in mountain climbing-repelling], a life raft With paddles, strap on my damn head helmet and body gear,

I mean--you could still drown but at Least, you'd have a FIGHTING CHANCE.

 The ancients all had boats, [in fact Japan ancients had some of the Best boats engineered just For tsunami's]  it seems they had a bit more sense, but Modern Society, tends to think that I don't know, that cars and electronics are more important than boats and life preservers, head helmets, etc.,  in areas KNOWN for EQs and Tsunamis or floods.

Just saying

anyway, so I read this story, what I wasn't prepared for, was HOW it ended--I think, we could Learn a few things from this man's horrible experience...

http://www.esquire.com/features/what-it-feels-like/japan-earthquake-tsunami-12746

Question is, most of all, is Why does Society allow Total Dependence on Modern Tech, and yet, Refuse to Train People, in basic Survival Skills ADAPTABLE TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT?  Point being, while Yes I know Tsunami's are rare natural occurrence's, Yes I realize they are far more violent than white water rapids...the Fact remains, if these people, like this Man in this story above, survived just by swimming and LUCK a major Tsunami, then it begs to be said--that with TRAINING, AND RIGHT GEAR, ESPECIALLY LIFE PRESERVER, THIS COULD HAVE SAVED HUNDREDS OF LIVES,

now Why isn't this, type of Information, being Put out there, by Modern Governments?  Or maybe, this is the Result, of our becoming Overly Dependent on Modern Technology, Media"" Dumbing""Down Boxes and Trust in Government, to Save our Asses in a Crisis...Especially, when in Every single video, there was clips of computer toys, big screen t.v.s, nice brand new cars and bikes, all getting Washed away, but no damn Life Preservers, Boats, Ropes, Safety water gear, Nada,  AND IT'S NOT LIKE THE GOV DIDN'T TRAIN/HAVE DRILLS FOR THOSE IN URBAN AREAS FOR EQ'S, where in fact, are more of the Wealthier Class [oh yea, I thought about this], but in rural areas where the incomes tend to get a bit Lower--hmmmmm, makes Me wonder, and Yes, while the Tsunami is dragging heavy things that a Life Preserver and Gear wouldn't Protect you from--the Thing is, WITH THESE TYPES OF GEAR, YOUR CHANCES OF BEING TO STAY AFLOAT TO AT LEAST GRAB ON OR AVOID THEM ALTOGETHER, GO UP, NOT DOWN, without the gear, you're Fucked, seriously, unless like the Man in the story, you Just get Lucky...


I'd rather depend on Possibilities, rather than sheer Luck, Wouldn't You?  Not only that--Another thing, without rafts/life boats, HOW does one Get to those people who say, Do survive by mere Luck and are hanging Onto top  of house?  IF there was rafts, there would be at Least, better chance of Getting to these people, in time, at least with some water/food supplies...

sorry but it's kind of Stupid.  Not to be cruel, but you know, Maybe, this IS what those living around coastal areas, Need to hear.  It just might, Save some lives in Future...

I for one, think it's Highly Irresponsible for Governments of nations that Live around high EQ and Tsunami or Flood Zones, to NOT see to it, that citizens are Educated on at least, using Gear to up their chances of survival, but instead are More concerned with Selling Consumer Goods that won't do Shit, to save anyone...[but then, we're talking Governments that put high risk plutonium nuclear poison tanks on EQ faults, gee Duh I don't know, why they for years, even in Japan, oh yes, said, Plutonium is your Friend...yea do some reading on not too long ago Accidents, of those plants, leaking and the gov putting out Animation that said, Plutonium is your Friend, I mean, relying on government-media for our Survival, kind of, not too bright Don't Ya think?


Not only that, but reading the stories of where those Did survive the Asian Tsunami we should at Least do some comparison studies as to What they encountered, such as this man's being drug under, the numerous incidents of people getting slammed by sharp metals, That right there says, there could be Inventions of Body type of Scuba Gear [like the above in white water rapid drill] that has Protective Shields around legs, extremities prone to injury, etc., that would at least, Reduce sharp metals from penetrating [and Building Codes should be using materials that Don't rely on as much metals around Tsunami or Flood zones], maybe even possible flotation devices that could be used like in body type of surfing, with ability to kick away from larger objects, etc.  Collect these survivor stories and Find comparisons and then Work with them--see if there are types of trees that stand more through Tsunami than others and then Plant them, SOMETHING....just Do something, more than rely on Luck.

Maybe, and This would increase Jobs, come up with a metal type non-penetrable ball type of flotation device, Did you See the numerous objects, of huge mass size, that were floating down through the Tsunami rapids, such as the large garbage/freight they use on boats?  If THOSE can float and stay on top in the most violent of EQ produced Tsunami's, then it's Very possible we could Invent a round bubble type of device, with similar materials, that are Enclosed, that could be used to float down--never say never, if MythBuster's could invent a device to help save a life of human in case of Tornado, with speeds of winds up to 200 miles per hour, that can be Carried by human, then it Can BE DONE--WHY AREN'T WE WORKING ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS?  For coastal and Flood Zones, just Think of how many Lives could have been saved, especially With life preserver, for Katrina???????  [come on People, HD is all nice and all, one can see the pimples on the faces of actors, Big Deal--Let's work on Economy that Invents to SAVE LIVES!  use that Tech know how for things like This, rather than mega millions for Disasters Waiting to happen, you know, like Plutonium Uranium energy, DUH--300 year + plutonium life span on all soils kicked up with Wind, Gee I don't know, one would just Think--2012, Maybe THIS is what WE finally GRASP]

In known flood/EQ zones with possible Tsunami's [Japan Knew the big one was coming one day, every 70 years or so, remember], WE should be At work, preparing individuals in Having Survival Water Gear in Every Home...Residents of Southern CA and West Coast--I hope you somehow read this, Pass it  Forward, Yes it's again, not 100% guaranteed, the risk of death we all know, is Still very high in these natural disasters--But it's Far better, to at least Own helmets, preservers and other possible life saving gear--AND FAR MORE IMPORTANT, THAN BUYING THE LATEST

CELL PHONE-WEB TECHNOLOGY.  Pretty gadgets do NOT help one, stay afloat nor do they help in times of crisis--except maybe to call out, That's IF the lines still Work.  Just saying...

People, WE have become Seriously, stupid sheep.  WE NEED TO GO BACK TO LISTENING TO THE OLD CRONES OF ANCIENTS...if anything, to Learn how to live and survive With the Nature around you.

You decide.

Jane