Recent scary war articles in WHT touched upon something I have been thinking about. Being on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean creates an unusual situation for those of us who live here full, or part time. I have been pondering this while living here since Jan. 1, 1989. You will never forget what I say to you on this day.
I propose the following: We build four very large warehouses on the Big Island, one in the north, one in the east, one in the west and one in the south.
These warehouses will be built up slope mauka to avoid large tsunamis and hurricane tides. They will be built very strong, and defensible, surrounded with chain link fence and perhaps razor wire on the top. They will house very large shelving units, similar to Costco, but movable. We will then stock them with enough basic food commodities to feed the area population where they are located for a period of two weeks minimum.
Some foods become dated before others, and strict inventory will include the date of expiration of the reserve food units. Prior to the expiration date, the food will be moved to the back door, and distributed to the immediately hungry or needy, or sold for very little. This distribution can dovetail into the current food bank and food distribution efforts existing. No child on this productive island should go to bed hungry, period.
I am not a doomsday person, but the threats can come from nature or mankind. We see it every day around the world. If the shipping containers stop coming to Hilo and Kawaihae, how long would we have before crisis and chaos emerge? How long before Costco, Kmart, Walmart, Longs and all grocery stores are stripped? I would estimate no more than 14 days, maybe less in a severe crisis. Can you say this is not true?
Having a reserve of food available to feed people immediately would bring continued order for at least two weeks. We will call this phase 1. The alternate would be chaos and desperate people who act in violent and unlawful ways to obtain what they and their family need right now.
When I am really hungry, I am a different person, irritable, distracted and focused on getting to some food. All people are the same, and multiply that by 100,000 and you have a force to be reckoned with. Having been a boy scout, which was a great experience thanks to some great uncles, the one thing I always remember and try to practice, is “be prepared.”
Having four stocked and secure warehouses on this island will be excellent and recommended preparation for come what may. If it doesn’t come, food is being distributed on a fairly regular basis supplemental to other sources.
Phase 2 would be how can we self-sustain in a prolonged world crisis? How much food can we produce with current land under cultivation? Versus current population? How much additional land can we press into production and on what timetable? Which crops will produce the most food for least amount of fertilizer and input of labor? How will we purchase and deal with current beef and cattle owners for their asset? How will we fish if current petroleum sources are disrupted? There has been much thought on this subject I read about. I think we should proceed to planned courses of action to implement Phase 2.
There is a lot of work to be done and many unanswered questions, but when the collective will is set there is always a way. We are ohana, whether we like it or not, and the time might come when we will have to act that way to survive. Prepping together as ohana is preferable to individuals going it alone as we see across our mainland nation.
Not having preparations if severe events strike is not an acceptable picture in my mind.
In closing, let us prepare by considering the four warehouse project and how we will make it happen, ASAP. You will never forget what I have said to you on this day.
Jay Failing is a resident of Puako