Last few days, I was engaged in coordinating rescue of friends, employees & their relatives of my organisation - marooned / stranded / isolated in floods in Kerala, a disaster that claimed the lives of hundreds and displaced thousands of people.
Being a veteran, I was fortunate to get close support from my unit Officer Col Tx (leading a column in Rescue Mission), Air Commodore Vx (Tvm), Col Sx CO of an Infantry Battalion, my Brother-in-Law, Captain M (Navy) and of course friends in Services, besides official channels. It's extremely satisfying to coordinate rescue of people in distress - around 250.
*Observations:* Though my activity was limited to few areas, sharing my
observations/ experience:
1. *Material Attachment vs Skill to Save Life:* People are so attached to
their houses and belongings, they refused to leave their homes, despite imminent danger. While animals move to safer places, humans just can't leave their belongings.
2. *Spending Money to Build Palatial House vs Fund to Manage Crisis:* Many people have invested 80% or more of their savings to their home/ land and surviving on either on pension or income from deposit interest. Now that houses are gone with the flood, they have no financial capacity to build another home. I don't think, even the Govt will help them, as they are middle/ upper class.
3. *Utility of Spending on Luxury:* People have spent so much money on
luxurious items, electronics, car and painting - everything is taken away by
the fury of the nature in one go.
4. *Essential Survival Skills:* Despite living in the land with plenty of
water bodies and rivers, many didn't learn how to row a boat - not even
swimming. Over a period of time, we've so accustomed to comfort, we have forgotten the basics of survival.
5. *Tech Savvy, Yet Tech Illiterate* : While we are fond of technology, many didn't know the basics of surviving using technology - for example - how to prolong / save battery life; how to find and share own location coordinates (so that rescue team can reach at precise location).
6. *Saving Critical Resources to Manage Crisis:* Many houses had half a dozen mobiles, but they used it simultaneously, probably with all apps running, resulting quick drainage of battery. Soon these people, marooned / stranded were out of communication few hours after the power failure, knowing well
that - to rescue them, remaining in communication was very critical. We are so used to plenty of resources; we just can't think of thrifty.
7. *Physical Fitness for Survival:* Physical fitness of some of us are so
weak, we can't think of wading through chest level water for few kms, despite being born and bought up in land of 44 rivers and innumerable water bodies and streams.
8. *Forgotten the Real Community Living:* Community living is missing in many cases - there are cases, where rescue boats picked up a family, but didn't pick up the neighbor, because the rescued just didn't know there are some more people in the neighborhood, awaiting rescue. They lost their chance to save their neighbours!
*Brighter Side of the Human Behaviour:* But there are lot of positives too.
1. *Solidarity:* The people came together quickly, proactively tried to find out the requirements, gathered resources and got into action to support the relief measures. There was no caste, religion, politics, rich or poor.
2. *Situation Created Leaders:* One could find common people, who had no experience of managing crisis, and leading initiatives in rescue and relief
efforts. They didn't wait for the support or resources to reach from the authorities or Govt.
3. *Smarter Millennials and Post-Millennials:* We all complain, the young generation is self-centered. I disagree. I found the volunteers pouring in and working tirelessly (let's not be judgmental about the young) We've a bright tomorrow.
4. *Sharing at the Time of Need:* Resources were shared without hesitation. I found lot of people coming individually and collectively to hand over the ration and other essentials to relief camps.
5. *Misconception about the Retail Shops:* Shops didn't raise rates or misuse the opportunity.
6. *Empathy:* Overall, the human element is intact; people empathise, support and don't look for credit. Though, there was confusion initially, the civil administration quickly gathered and coordinated the efforts. Most kept the Onam celebrations aside, a festival very dear to a Keralite, and focused on
rescue and relief.
Here, I would like to share a story of Mr M. While coordinating the rescue
efforts, I received a tele call from a Mr M, Kalamasseri (in Cochin),
checking with me the details of my social media post requesting for supply of clothes for a Relief Camp. After confirming, I continued the conversation - I wanted to know more about this volunteer working in a Disaster Relief Centre. To my surprise, I got to know that this volunteer himself had lost his house during the disaster and was shifted to the Relief Centre along with his family. Instead of cursing his luck, this disaster affected person,
became a volunteer himself and started tirelessly working for other disaster victims arriving at other Relief Centres. How many of us will even think of working for others, when we ourselves are disaster victim? Hats off to such
mental strength of ordinary citizens!
The biggest lesson for me is that - human beings are basically good at heart and trustworthy, especially during crisis.
Signing off...
Satheesan, Veteran, Garhwal Rifles
Head Talent Acquisition
The Catholic Syrian Bank
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/disaster-human-behaviour-satheesan-nair
