2. Demand that Homeland Security immediately, within the year, coordinate an all-out effort with every state and all larger city governments for a "worst case" response plan, including:

• How to provide immediate water and food during an emergency in every major city (plus surrounding towns and countryside)
• How to evacuate an entire city in 24 to 48 hours, in case of biological, nuclear or natural disaster attack
• Where to provide shelters, food and other necessities for these evacuees
• How to protect on a priority basis medical and food storage facilities in case of major disaster
• Call on citizens, companies and local governments to form brainstorming committees to explore possible ways to implement these requirements.
• Provide for emergency funding for these efforts when they are required.
• Plan to organize a volunteer organization of citizens to work with government agencies; those with skills to take decisive action in case of disaster, similar to the organization that existed in Great Britain, block by block, community by community, during WWII

3. Remove entirely our dependence on outside energy sources.  Yes, it IS possible.  We are the richest, most inventive country in the world, and we are letting oil, gas and coal companies manipulate our future, our security and our health, while the wealthy few in various industries laugh all the way to the bank.  How many people knew that most of our petroleum was offloaded ONLY at one port, and processed nearby?  I did, and expected a terrorist attack there for some time.

4. Provide tax incentives for the general population, in an ongoing basis, for purchasing low-energy use vehicles, appliances and industrial equipment.  Also for energy efficient homes, added insulation, wind resistant windows and doors, hurricane shutters, solar panels, and shade trees.

5. Provide tax incentives to builders AND consumers for houses built to resist hurricanes, floods and earthquakes.  Am I being naive?  Nope.  Habitat for Humanity built sprayed concrete homes throughout South Dade that had NO DAMAGE during Hurricane Andrew, while those around them were reduced to rubble.  This includes building homes at higher elevations (yes, even in New Orleans); they already require that in the Florida Keys.  The old "Florida Crackers" built their houses on stilts or pilings almost a century ago, and hundreds of thousands (including ours) are still there after multiple vicious hurricanes.

We must see an immediate, organized plan fall into place in case of future disasters.  Savings in lives, future insurance and energy costs, illness and anguish, and personal loss will surely offset this effort, in place of the disorganized and delayed response that now occurs whenever an "unthinkable" disaster occurs.  And imagine our peace of mind by arming ourselves with the knowledge that we are prepared, and what action we must take to protect ourselves and our families, when the next "unthinkable" event occurs!