MAILBAG - July 6, 2007

How to effectively prepare for a disaster

Disaster planning is frequently mentioned these days.

There are many local agencies that have developed planning schemes for the time when our community is involved in a disaster. These include fire, police, community clinic, utilities and many more. These plans are set in motion when an emergency occurs.

Your community disaster planning committee is a subcommittee of the Laguna Relief and Resource Coalition, and is now working with Neighborhood Watch groups to help each citizen and every home to be prepared in readiness for trouble of any kind.

What we have found is that the best way to minimize the impact of a disaster is to be prepared. With a modest amount of preparation, knowing which of your neighbors will be helpers, who will need help, and setting up your home to safely survive for 3-7 days without public utilities, you can be ready to do your part.

There are basic and simple things we can do to be ready. We know that disaster responders will be overloaded with the tasks of the community as a whole. So it is our responsibility to take care of ourselves and our neighbors.

Each home should have the basics:

If you are ill or handicapped, your neighbors can help you. Contact them now so they know to check on you. Also, have a week’s supply (or more) of medicines, hearing aid batteries, extra glasses and communication equipment.

There are informational pamphlets and fliers at Laguna Beach City Hall to help get you started on the basics.

Stay off the phone and off the road in case of an emergency. If you are confused about disaster preparedness, look in your phone book on page 8, or pick up a yellow trifold at city hall.

DR. LYNN M. STANTON

Laguna Beach

Good riddance to Caltrans sign

I would like to publicly chastise Caltrans for their flagrant disregard and insensitivity for our quality of life in Laguna Beach by installing their monstrous electronic reader sign adjacent to the animal shelter in our beautiful Laguna Canyon Road without permits and in violation of Laguna Beach Municipal Code and the Coastal Act of the California Coastal Commission. What arrogance.

I understand that the sign is being removed. This is good news, but what a rotten waste of taxpayers’ hard-earned money this debacle is. Thanks and kudos go to many citizens, city staff and our state representatives for working together and bringing about the removal of this sign so quickly.

I hope in the future that Caltrans will be more respectful of our Laguna Beach elected officials by informing them and city staff of their proposed installations and road schemes.

CHARLOTTE MASARIK

Laguna Beach

Borders are meaningless

“Nationalism is a childhood disease, like the measles.” “” Albert Einstein

This quote by Einstein was made in the 1940s. It seems to imply that national borders, which mankind has drawn all over the planet Earth, are indicative of our “infancy” as a species.

We started by claiming “my cave against your cave” and progressed to “my nation against your nation.”

Unfortunately, that stand and conviction is becoming harder and harder to maintain due to the shrinking of the world through commerce and the technology.

Therefore, it seems to me it would serve us to grow up and realize that we are all truly only “mankind” on planet Earth which has now become “one cave.” Wake up, people. Face the fact there are no “those” or “them.” There are only “us-ens” left on our planet Earth-cave.

BARBARA N. PAINTER

Laguna Beach