These are the mornings I generally write to all of you about what’s on my mind. What I want you to be thinking about. Disaster wise.
I am mindful this morning, however, that whatever I say now may be perceived as speaking on behalf of the City of Houston and the Mayor of Houston. So let’s be clear, I am speaking as the (limited) expert I am, not on behalf of any institution, and as always, out of a deep love for the people of this city.
I am currently reading “The Heat Will Kill You First”. No matter how aware you are, even if you spend virtually all of your time, studying disasters of every kind, you will miss big things. Every single time. Heat, as a life threatening condition is creeping upon us and being overlooked by nearly everyone. “It’s always been hot in Houston”. Air conditioning is not a “luxury” in Houston any more than heat is a luxury in Alaska. Without AC people will die.
The number of seniors in our region has increased by over 56% in the last 15 years. Our population is both very young and very old. And both are extremely vulnerable to high heat. Let’s be mindful that the “senior” category in our society includes 55 to 105. With a similarly wide range of abilities and challenges, physical and cognitive. Many vulnerable seniors live in complexes with other seniors which makes perfect sense. These places range from fun “senior living” places to intensive full nursing facilities. Some required to be licensed. Some not. Some required to be registered. Some not. Some well managed Some atrociously, hideously neglectful.
I think I’m kind of a bad ass. Hilariously. Soft and tough. On my second day of no power ALL the cool was gone from my house and my gasoline powered portable generator would not start despite all Victor’s best efforts. He had been starting generators for facilities all over the city as a volunteer but our own stubbornly refused to turn over. It was over 90° inside even after dark. The windows were closed because I thought hot was better than mosquito swarmed. I gave myself an “attitude” talk. “You can do this. You won’t sleep but that won’t kill you. Drink a lot of water. Read a book by flashlight. One hour at a time.” Then around 1:00am I felt my heart rate increase and my blood pressure was going up fast. Suddenly I realized “this may not be an attitude thing.”
Both heat and age creep up on us.
The thing is, I know heat is dangerous. I spend all my time studying threats and how to mitigate, prepare, prevent, save – everything possible. But heat is a creeping menace. If you’re accustomed to it, you have a better chance. If you’re youngish you have a better chance. But a power failure in a city where people depend on air conditioning, where people are acclimated to it, is a life threatening situation. I don’t care to argue about whether or not the earth is heating up. It is. Stick your head in the (very hot) sand if you want to but I prefer reality. Even if I don’t like it.
What we are faced with is the need to create two power systems. One we regularly depend upon, and another we can default to when a storm takes out the main one. This “second system” will be small and distributed, composed of a host of solutions, multiple methods of generating power. Experiments at the individual and community level. Systems thinkers know that smaller and distributed is in some ways much less vulnerable.
Now that you know, you must be on the team. Finding solutions. Preparing.
I wrote this for me and for all of you.
Love,
Angela
