Originally Posted By Lisann22 February 9, 2006 - Question of the day: There's a natural disaster of some kind in your area. You are alone isolated from your family or friends. However when this disaster hits you are in a public area. You are unharmed but lots of people around you are hurt. You are about 80% sure that your family could not be harmed. There is not enough medical crew and they need help. Do you stay or do you leave trying to get back to your family?
Originally Posted By TomSawyer I stay. I can't see leaving injured people behind - I was an EMT and have had to do triage more than a few times. I'd head for my family as soon as I could (and I'd try to contact them on the phone), but I can't see leaving the wounded behind.
Originally Posted By peeaanuut Ohh, a deep question today. But a good one. I think being the person that I am, I would do what I could without causing more damage. I am not a medical person or do I have much experience in Disaster control. So I would look towards someone else to take charge (medical staff, police, fire) and do what I could. As soon as time permitted I would attempt to contact my family as best as I could. I think they would be more worried about me than me about them because I know they couldnt have been effected. Also, when things like that someotimes, not always, but sometimes the best thing to do is stay in the area for others to find you. However, if I felt that all I was doing was causing more problems by staying there I would leave and go to my family.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 Me either Tom. I'd stay, I'd try to call my family or find someone to find out about them but I know I could not and would not leave.
Originally Posted By Ursula I would stay for so many reasons. I know nothing about medical stuff, but I can hold hands and talk to people and comfort whomever I can. I could also make bandages and I'm best at calming people down. Chances are, it's an earthquake, and we all know it's best to stay put in the case of aftershocks and it's safer to stay off of the roads leaving pathways open for Emergency Services to have better access. We also know that it's best to leave phone lines open, so one call to our out-of-town contact is all that is needed, they will then relay messages to everyone else calling in that so-and-so is okay.
Originally Posted By sherrytodd I would like to say I would do the honorable thing, but I can't imagine how much good I would be if I knew that there was even a 20% chance that my son had been hurt. If I knew 100% that they were ok then I would definately stay and help as best that I could.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper When Hurricane Wilma hit I had responsibilities here being in local government. That said I tried very hard to contact friends family both near and afar to let them know we were ok.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 I don't think there is a right or wrong answer - looking for honesty. People are different in make up. Some are equipped to be a leader, a helper, some just need to get out of the way. So, I'm just looking for honest answers and opinions here, no judgments. We are not World Events in here, we are about sharing our views. No one above this comment has said anything wrong in my opinion, I just feel the need to make this clear. thankyouverymuch, let's continue please. ;>
Originally Posted By beamerdog If they assigned me to do something useful, then I'd stay. But quite honestly, given my physical condition, I think I'd be in the way. So, I'd want to stay, but my head would tell me that everyone would be better off if I left.
Originally Posted By gaydsnywitch I have no idea what I'd do. I hope that I would be able to help out in anyway that I could but depending on the scope of the disaster I think I might be too in shock to do anything other than stand around and stare in disbelief.
Originally Posted By TomSawyer >>but depending on the scope of the disaster I think I might be too in shock to do anything other than stand around and stare in disbelief.<< That's how I felt watching "Home on the Range". /rimshot
Originally Posted By TiggerPooh1973 Good one Tom. I don't know. I would like to say I would say, but like someone else said, I think if I wasn't 100% sure that my family was OK I would be too worried to stay and be of any use. If I knew, then yes, I would try to help as best I could.
Originally Posted By Ursula I wonder if those of us with kids and those of us without kids have different answers?
Originally Posted By TomSawyer I look at it this way, Ursula - I'd hope that someone where my kid was would jump in and help just like I would jump in and help where I was.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper Ursula, that is a valid point. I was also thinking it probably depends to some degree on what your background is. If you are a doctor you might feel more compelled to stay and assist than if you are a clerk.
Originally Posted By t1lersm0m I would stay, if I was relatively certain my family was unharmed, and pitch in with what I could.
Originally Posted By SuzieQ I think I would stay. However, I would constantly try to get in contact with my family.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 I think I know myself well enough to answer this regardless if I had kids or not. I've been in some tough ER type situations and just general tragedies enough to know that I go into a zone. It's really kind of hard to explain. I become eeriely calm, organized and productive. It's scary.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 Since my medical knowledge is zero, unless there was a need to life and carry people ( which I would do) - I would set out to find my family
Originally Posted By mickeymeg In our area there the media is constantly trying to create a mass fear that 'the big one' (earthquake) is comming. When we were small my mum set up a plan that if this were to happen when we were at school or otherwise away from the family we should call a designated relitive on the otherside of the country to check in. This would avoid the problem of busy local phone circuts. Now that we are all grown up and dont live at home anymore my mum still reminds us of this plan if anything were to ever happen. So with that said I would certainly stay where I am and offer whatever help I could. In terms of medical or emergency training I only have a basic training for first aid so I would also likely be looking to someone else for leadership but would do whatever I could. Then as soon as I got a chance I would check in with the relative and let them know I was allright as well as finding out the situation of the others.
