Preparing Our Community before a Disaster Strikes

My idea to help our communities before a disaster strikes and how the government can support community-based activities to help everyone be more prepared goes like this:

I am a U.S. Postal Service worker and I think that the postal service is a recognized brand in every community throughout the United States. Letter carriers and postal workers are highly visible in uniform, and or while driving the clean white “mailman” vehicles with the Iconic sonic blue Eagle through neighborhoods every day. For over 235 years it has proven it knows the community better than anyone!

In an era of declining mail volumes and an urgent task to “Bind the nation together” through “service” to every household and business in America six days a week. I think we can help prepare our communities by using local postal facilities as designated reference points for the public to receive health & safety information via paper or disc format pertaining to community disaster preparedness. The preparedness information can be tailored and formulated by the local government and then distributed in conjunction with the federal agency. Not everyone has a computer, and there are still communities that are digitally divided by economic status. One organization that that will keep everyone connected regardless of economic standing is the United States Postal Service.

Letter carriers are already thoroughly familiar with the locations of every home and establishment on their route and they are fully capable of reporting back to the local postmaster about potential problems on site when a disaster strikes. In the event of extended loss of communication they could make stops at their delivery points to deliver goods, supplies or gather information while working as a messenger in tandem with law enforcement, faith based agents, labor organizations, non-profits, private sector business leaders, or veteran organizations to ensure the safety of citizens.

Most communities utilize local school facilities as the designated gathering place in the event of a community disaster. This should continue to be the case for all appropriate situations not limited to; Fire, flooding, terrorism, earthquake, severe destructive storms or weather patterns, and extended utilities and communications blackouts. The local Postmaster or designated representative could have direct access via secure satellite phone for contact with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to keep the government apprised of the current local situation and necessary support in conjunction with local authorities.

The United States Postal Service has a track record of being the most trusted government agency. That is because “We deliver” is a mission statement that goes all the way to the last mile. USPS is an established integral part of keeping the community connected on a daily basis and should be tasked with continuing this tradition of binding the community together even in disaster or preparedness.