Aug 22 2008
Why live in a disaster area?
Our little girl Fay got me thinking. Why do people live in places where a hurricane could come through and wipe them out at any time? I’ve had people ask me that before, and my answer has always been “I aint scared of no Hurricanes!”
I have, however, wondered the same thing about people who live in areas prone to mudslides, tornadoes, earthquakes, blizzards, falling rocks, and alien abductions.
I found myself asking the question about a half dozen times while traveling across the US. Why would anyone want to live here?
Is it because it’s home, because we’re accustomed to it, or because we fear only that which we do not know?
The fact is that most of us don’t consciously and deliberately choose where we would like to live. If we did where would we go?
I’d go to the beach, but I guess that proves my point.
Anyone who isn’t scared of Hurricanes never watched a tourist chug a 64 ounce one during Mardi Gras. *rimshot*
As someone who has lived in 3 different disaster prone areas, I chose to live in 2 of them, and am currently in New Orleans. The gains have to outweigh the risks, I guess.
What I don’t understand is people who live in dangerous places and don’t plan for an emergency. Even people in ’safe’ areas should have family plans and emergency supplies, just in case IMO.
Interesting post!
I must admit I’ve been a tourist drinking Hurricanes at Pat O’Brian’s. It probably was pretty scary.
I know in Oklahoma (tornado country) most people are pretty complacent…until there is an alarm. But most areas have numerous underground shelters…one town where I lived required that each block have one. If we heard the alarm (and we DID…A LOT), we just headed across the street, and we’d all sit in the shelter until the sound was over.
my husband & I, who live in an area not prone to anything more serious than blizzards and nasty winter weather (cottage country Ontario), have often asked the same sort of thing …. i.e. why would someone choose to live in such places.
Particularly places prone to flooding… hurricanes and the like are somewhat less predictible… but so many places that flood do it repetitively… why build there? It makes no sense to us