Instead of our usual Viewpoints section, we have blanketed you this week with photos and opinion articles about Snowpocalypse 2k15.
We’re pretty sure you’re all sick of the snow and ice so kindly dumped on us by winter storms Octavia and Thor, but we won’t apologize for running this snow-covered issue, given the extent of the problems caused by the weather.
Our reasoning is simple – disasters happen, and we have to be ready for them when they do.
For example, now that the snow and ice are pretty much gone, we’ve already had one flood warning for the area and are now under an areal flood watch because of the amount of rain expected today through Saturday. The ground is already saturated from the snowmelt, so all the rain we’ve gotten and will get has no place to go.
We’re also coming up on typical tornado season in the Southeast, which encompasses much of March through May. We also live fewer than 30 miles from an active fault line, the New Madrid fault line, which means we could, at any time, be subject to an earthquake disaster.
The point is that we have to be prepared as individuals for anything that life and Mother Nature throw at us. We can’t, and shouldn’t, merely rely on “officials,” whether they’re government or university leaders, to take care of everything when a disaster strikes. We do agree with many of our writers, though, that the weeklong closing truly wreaked havoc on everyone associated with this campus.
For those who truly want to be ready for disasters, call upon your self-reliance and your initiative and start checking websites to find out how to become disaster-ready. We recommend sites sponsored by NOAA/National Weather Service, Department of Homeland Security, and our own UTM Office of Public Safety.
Meanwhile, try to stay dry in the predicted downpours, get caught up on your class assignments, and learn how to best take care of yourself no matter what happens.
We do hope that some of you got to play in the snow and actually enjoyed it without being injured. And keep in mind our saying about our yucky weather: “Hey, at least we don’t live in Boston.”
