In a recent article from overseas, I was reading the story of one country that is learning lessons the hard way:

Pakistan has failed to give disaster risk management national priority, with almost no separate budget line and allocations in the sector. Disaster risk management-related departments are said to be surviving on donations from the international community

Now Pakistan is not alone, in fact, it is not only countries that make this mistake.

Despite being prone to a variety of natural and man-made threats, Pakistan's decision makers have traditionally chosen to contend with these threats only AFTER disasters have occurred. After their October 2005 earthquake, which badly hit the northern areas of the country, it was, however, realised that disaster is not always best dealt with in a reactive manner, and that developing disaster preparedness and management capabilities can significantly help curb the extent of the damage.

Building the resilience of any nation and its local communities to disasters requires an effective integration of disaster risk considerations into sustainable development policies, planning and programming at all levels. Today, here in America, especially rural America, we can make changes like this now.

We have always said that "With more education we will need less response". Look at Pakistan and ask yourself these questions:

1. Are you a decision maker in your home or business?

2. Can you influence the decision makers in your home or business?

3. If disaster struck today, could you honestly say your family or business would be ready?

4. Have you done all you can to perpetuate disaster preparedness education in your home, your business and in your community?

Creating a more resilient American community is not that hard. It can be done with education from a grassroots level and now is the time to do it. We do not have more money for response, we do not have any more responders than we had yesterday. What we have is knowldge readily available, programs ready to yuse and the obligation as Americans to continue to defend our country against whatever threatens it.