The Disaster Decade

The Wikipedia entry for the "2000s" points out that there's no widely accepted name for the decade that ends in just seven months. There's the "zeros," the "aughts" and even the "nils" and "nillies." However, there's one defining quality that we'll remember the most about the last ten years: the relentless onslaught of disasters and the omnipresent threat that a new one could strike at any moment.

And for America's children, who are the most vulnerable victims during a crisis, the Disaster Decade has been particularly frightening.

From 9/11 through Katrina, Rita, Ike, the Wildfires and the Great Recession, we watched as children's unique needs during disasters were largely ignored. This inadequacy has been exposed most profoundly during disaster relief efforts:

• Following a serious event, there is no effective system for family reunification. In fact, after Katrina, it took up to six months to reunify some children with their families.

• Shelters routinely don't keep families (and thus kids) separated from the rest of the population, making kids vulnerable to abuse and even rape.

• Convicted sex offenders are only asked to self report when entering a shelter. Following Ike, it was reported that 35 sex offenders self-reported in a San Antonio shelter. However, it's very possible that many more declined to report.

• Kids are invisible during disasters in this country as shelters don't routinely count the number children in the facility.

And for many kids fortunate enough to be spared the experience of an actual disaster, their sense of security is radically different from kids raised in the 20th century. Watching skyscrapers collapse, cities destroyed and neighbors forced into homeless shelters because of the recession, they are now all too aware of their own vulnerabilities.

In two weeks, Save the Children's U.S. Programs will release a report -- "The Disaster Decade: Lessons Unlearned" -- revealing the preparedness of all 50 states and the District of Columbia for protecting children during disasters. We will also examine the effects of the economic disaster on our children.

We will unveil the report in Washington, D.C. (available at savethechildren.org) and we will also lay out some solid steps Congress and the Administration could take that would begin to make positive change.

The Disaster Decade will be remembered for horrific events that changed American life forever. As the threat of global warming, terrorism and economic hardship continues unabated, it is our job to make sure that the effects on children don't remain a disaster in their own right.

Comments

[lostmypassword]

You forgot the Tsunami and the earthquakes on China, Pakistan, Burma... Or do only american children count ?

[Kungfublood]

Neo Bling Treason decade?

[LMPE]

Another one of Bush's legacies.

[WindySailor]

The Disaster Decade? Give me a break.

- In the US we didn't lose hundreds of thousands of people to a tsunami, like in south Asia.

- We didn't lose tens of thousands to flooding, as frequently happens in Bangladesh.

- We didn't lose thousands to a volcanic eruptions as has happened in locales such as the Philippines

- We didn't lose millions to epidemics as has happened in past centuries

- We didn't lose tens of thousands in needless wars as has happened in Iraq

Yes, Katrina was bad, very bad. And the economic downturn has hurt many families. But I cannot endorse this "mountain out of a molehill" approach to judging life. If you are looking for a decade of disaster, just wait until the supervolcano under Yellowstone goes off. You'll have all the disaster you could ever want within a couple of days.

[toadsdee]

The "effective system for family reunification" is planning. The government is not responsible for your family. You should have your own plan in place to reunify your family just like the schools conduct a head count in fire drills.

"Shelters don't keep ...kids... routinely separated". You've obviously never stayed in a shelter - there is no separation, thus the use of the term CONGREGATE. The government is not responsible for providing private accomodations.

"offenders­...self report... entering a shelter". I'm with DamaskinosLives. A shelter is a microcosm of your community. The government is not responsible for the protection of your children. Parental supervision is required in your single-family residential community. Why should it be any different in a shelter.

"shelters dont routinely.­.. count children" I disagree. A look at the local community or American Red Cross shelter registration forms will show that this information is gathered and utilized for planning purposes.

I recommend that you review community Emergency Operation Plans and take the Red Cross shelter operations class before you cast aspersions.

Last, during the next major disaster, go to the impacted area and volunteer to work in one of the shelters so that you have a true appreciation of the difficulty of supporting people who (in some cases) expect that they will receive B & B style services and have no personal responsibility.

Americans will be well served to plan for themselves. Disaster or economic crisis, the village is responsible for reinforcing morality and ethics - NOT babysitting and individual

[DamaskinosLives]

Mark is absolutely correct about the faux hysteria.

We need more of it. It keeps us scared and easy to control.

Everybody who was ever guilty of a misdemeanor or felony or moving violation should be forced to register with the police for the rest of their lives.

Nobody wants thieves, murderers, burglars, embezzlers, drunk drivers or reckless drivers or pot heads near their children or in their neighborhoods,

United we stand !!!
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