From TNPC issue #4.01...

Information in the Right Hands

by Dan Butler
January 11, 2001

The Internet has been touted as a way to satisfy nearly every need we have. Witness the DotComGuy who just recently left his house for the first time after spending one year dealing with the world solely via his laptop on the Internet. He ordered his food, bought furniture, telecommuted to work, all online. But our computer culture also insulates us from the real world and in ways I'd not thought about in some time. My computer has tons of information stored on it but it won't help me find my car keys. And, as a recent tragic event underscored, there are some pieces of information that would be better stored in the hands of my neighbors.

Early last week I heard strange noises coming from my front door. Thinking it was one of the kids playing I didn't pay much attention. A few moments later my wife was frantically trying to get information from someone. It was a neighbor who was in terrible pain, and having terrible difficulty communicating to us in English, which was not her first language, due to the distress she was in.

After notifying 911 we went about the task of contacting her spouse figuring he would have best chance of calming her down and asking her the questions the paramedics would undoubtedly need answers to. This proved difficult as our neighbor was in no condition to give us the phone number. The paramedics arrived and wanted to go next door to look for any special medications and a phone number for the spouse. One problem, the person had locked their door on the way to our house, and didn't have a key. As you can imagine this made for a very stressful situation for everyone trying to help.

As we later found out our neighbor had suffered a serious heart attack and had to have surgery. I'm thankful that our family was home to be of some help in a time of need. But it was a sharp lesson about "being prepared" for everyone in our neighborhood. We now have the crucial contact information on hand should anything else every arise again.

What about you? Are you ready should an emergency pop up in your neighborhood? Do you have the information you need to contact your neighbors at work? Do they have the information to contact you? Having a key piece of information in the right hands could save your house or your life, or the life of a loved one.

Just being aware of each other helps. It's not just dire medical situations that can arise. Maybe it's as mundane as a broken water line. Jim had an experience in his old neighborhood where a car came around a corner too fast and wound up in the back bedroom of one of his neighbors. Luckily he did have the phone number to call his neighbor at work who was able to come home and deal with the situation. But it could also be something serious like a fire, or a severe weather event like a tornado.

Let's not forget the real world around us and make sure we are in a position to help our neighbors and that they are in a position to help us!

Here's the minimum information I suggest you exchange with your neighbors:

• Home phone number

• Work phone number

• Emergency contact numbers (someone outside the family just in case)

• Other information that might be helpful such as special medications

• Any medical conditions (diabetes, epilepsy, etc.)

Put this together in clearly marked envelopes. And share it with each of the neighbors. Then update your information annually. Finally, feel good about what you've done. You may be saving a life with your actions.

You can reach Dan Butler at:
mailto:danbutler@TheNakedPC.com

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