People need to better prepare themseleves for emergencies

With Atlantic Hope being this past weekend, Maryville and people living in the midwest could have a lot to gain from understanding the tragedies that we could still face while living in the middle of the United States. No one ever knows what is going to happen, and everyone should always be prepared for anything at any time.

Atlantic Hope is a training experience that is put on from March 30-April 2 at the Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area at the Mozingo Youth Camp. Atlantic Hope is typically hosted in Florida, but was temporarily moved here due to destruction by hurricanes.

This is an intense simulation of an earthquake and incorporates real life scenarios to help prepare students studying emergency and disaster management. This simulation is not only for students at Northwest but also for participating students from University of Missouri-Kansas City, The Citadel and State of New York at Albany.

Although Missouri is not as known for earthquakes like California, the New Madrid Seismic Zone is located in southeastern Missouri, northeastern Arkansas, western Tennessee, western Kentucky and southern Illinois. Small earthquakes frequently

YOUR VIEW: happen around Missouri.

The last large-scale earthquake happened in 1812, and it caused the Mississippi River to temporarily run backwards, an 18-mile lake was created and towns were destroyed. Though it’s been 211 years since the last major earthquake, that doesn’t mean it can’t or won’t happen again.

Whenever bad weather is coming in or is already here, most people want to travel to get away from it. This doesn’t mean you won’t be affected by the weather somewhere else. Just because you’re in the Midwest, doesn’t mean that you aren’t going to avoid natural disasters in other places when traveling.

Over the last decade, 45,000 people globally have died each year due to natural disasters. Though these don’t happen often and they’re not preventable, the deaths they cause are.

In Missouri, schools take steps to prepare for emergencies that could occur. A program called Ready in 3 helps students, administrators and parents prepare for emergency situations. The three steps are create a plan, prepare a kit and listen for information. This American Red Cross, State Emergency Management Agency and Missouri’s Office

KRISTOFF HERROLD Senior General Studies

of Homeland Security program is available to schools and families in Missouri free of charge.

Tornado season has made its entrance known as the peak season from April to June. With the recent days being over 60 degrees, if people weren’t paying attention to weather services March 31 when tornadoes ripped through the south and midwest, they wouldn’t have been prepared. Just three days later, death tolls have increased to 32.

Five of the 25 deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history occurred in Missouri. Nationwide, there is an average of 800 tornadoes per year that have resulted in 80 deaths and 1,500 injuries, according to the National Weather Service. With it being the beginning of peak season, everyone needs to be aware of their surroundings.

When you’re younger, you go through drills preparing you for these disasters. As you get older, it’s still just as important to continue these practices to keep yourself and others safe during an inevitable event.

Utilizing resources like Missouri Hope, Atlantic Hope and the Ready in 3 program will help prepare you for disasters in which all you can do is react — not prevent.

HOLLY MODLIN Junior Math and Economics

“I do not think so. I don’t know where the safe places on campus are. I feel like they have stuff but I don’t know where to look for it”

“I would be prepared because I think I’m always thinking about the end and so I think because of that I think my faith plays a big part in that. So I think that I am constantly preparing for the end because I never know when that will come. ”