Oh Shit, It can't be happening to me!?!

One of the first lessons I would like to bring up related to Katrina is inspired
by the saying above, that I read online from a "survivor" of the hurricane.
In truth, with the attitude and ignorance displayed in this comment, he is lucky,
and not a survivor.
When it comes to survival, whether during a natural disaster, or a street situation,
denial of the reality of what is happening will kill or hinder you like nothing else.

Reality does not care that you have blissfully traipsed through life without preparing,
either mentally, or physically. Nature, and reality happen and exist despite you, not
according to your perception, or thoughts. It is up to you as an individual, along with your family and friends, to prepare, and take care of yourselves. It has been shown that
help will not always be provided.
Now, before someone complains, or says something like the people didn't have enough money,
I want to say one thing to quash that. It doesn't take alot of money. I have been poor most of my life, hell, I didn't have my own computer til just a couple years ago. But, despite being poor, a portion of my money went to food, emergency supplies, and other necessities. It can be done,
it is just a matter of having the proper priorities in your life.

So much heartache, pain, and death could have been stopped, or prevented, had these people,
who knew they lived under that threat, and had days of advance notice of this particular storm,
had simply decided to be their own FEMA, or realized, that in life, we are responsible for our own.
And, before the gear junkies start using this to push their own crap, the gear and supplies
won't make a shit of difference if you ignore reality. If you don't think it can happen to you, you can't save yourself, nor can you help anyone else.
It is all up to you, and you need to see the world as it is, not how it has been sold to you.
Thanks, Terry