Defending in place |
Defending in place may be the only option in some emergencies. In other cases the decision to defend in place may be the most apporpriate, even though there was adequate warning to allow for evacuation. In either case, it is important to be prepared and to have adequate and appropriate supplies on hand. If disaster strikes without warning the owner will need to defend in place. In other cases the owner may decide that defending in place is the best option. Deciding to stay put and ride out a disaster requires the ability to meet the needs of all humans and animals on the farm. At a minimum the owner must be prepared to cover the basics of:
Equipment such as generators should be acquired well before any emergency arises. Remember, in a major disaster much of the public infrastructure will be compromised. Electricity is likely to be intermittent at best, or completely unavailable. Roads may be impassible. Telephones and other communication may be unavailable. Medical services may be overstretched or unreachable. The farm owner will need to be prepared to deal with these eventualities and should stockpile their own emergency supplies, both for humans and for animals. |