Five of the Most Unexpected Emergencies

  • Natural Disasters
  • Terrorist Attacks
  • Live Shooters
  • Famine
  • Disease Outbreak

Emergency preparedness is a challenging task for most people – especially for those with young children at home. Fire, flood, natural disasters, and many more are all emergencies that most people know to prepare for, especially for those far away from potential emergency responders. While technology is improving the outcome of many disasters, as shared by Forbes, some emergencies are most helped by preparation and foresight.

However, there are emergencies that are difficult to prepare for – or don’t even occur to most people. Here are five emergencies that most people are not prepared for.

Related resource: Top 10 Emergency Management Master’s Degrees Online

  1. Natural Disasters

    From hurricanes and floods to tornadoes and tsunamis, natural disasters are truly challenging to prepare for. Beyond renter’s and homeowner’s insurance, most people don’t anticipate having to deal with a natural disaster – especially if they don’t live in an area that’s prone to them somewhat routinely.

    However, with climate change on the rise, natural disasters are becoming more common all over the world. Emergency preparedness for flood, hurricane, and other violent weather patterns is becoming more and more vital to survival – so much so that more and more cities are investing more in search and rescue equipment and team training in the event of this type of emergency.

  2. Terrorist Attacks

    While terrorist attacks aren’t typical in the lives of most people, global awareness of terrorist activity is growing. Terrorist attacks may take many forms, from poison and gas attacks to explosives and gunfire.

    Preparedness for a terrorist attack for the ordinary citizen does pose some psychological risk – the risk of paranoia at the likelihood of such an attack. However, basic preparedness in the form of survival skills and knowledge of emergency equipment is still an excellent idea.

  3. Live Shooters

    Live shooters, regrettably, are becoming a much more common phenomenon, particularly in the United States. Live shooters have become prevalent enough that schools the nation over are now instructing students in how to respond if a live shooter enters the campus. State workers are being trained similarly.

    The average person can go their whole lives without ever encountering a live shooter. However, knowing how to respond – and help others respond appropriately – can and will help preserve lives.

  4. Famine

    On the heels of a natural disaster often comes famine. When crops are wiped out, food scarcity goes from being a problem to a legitimate disaster – especially for those who are economically disadvantaged. Famine following natural disasters is becoming more common in the era of climate change.

    While individual citizens can do very little to prepare for famine, government institutions and food bank agencies can work together to ensure that the population is kept from starvation while alternative solutions are found to help the land and people recover.

  5. Disease Outbreak

    Disease outbreak is also becoming more common due to natural disasters and wartime events, which often have a tremendous impact on the quality of drinking water and sometimes on air quality. The largest fatality rate following natural disasters and combat often comes not from the event itself, but from starvation and disease that nearly always follows in its wake.

    Disease outbreak can be managed by citizens possessing the necessary knowledge and skills to obtain and create fresh drinking water, limiting exposure to dangerous airborne and waterborne chemicals, and ensuring that their neighbors do the same.

As with most emergencies, a little bit of preparation goes a long way – and emergency preparedness professionals can help everyday citizens ensure the preservation of life and limb in the event one of these emergencies comes to pass.