March 4th, 2010
As reported today on KCAL TV News, Channel 9 in Los Angeles, the tsunami warning system in place to warn portions of Southern California of incoming tsunamis failed to warn many of the relatively minor tsunami that came ashore as a result of the recent large earthquake in Chile. The system recognized the tsunami but the phone system became flooded and dysfunctional as warning calls went out and therefore the warning calls did not connect to the residents who may have otherwise been in harm’s way and awaiting such a warning.
An assuredly expensive high-tech system failed to perform as expected? Who would ever think such a thing was possible? Given our unequivocal and utter dependence on high-tech systems for every nearly every facet of our lives from pocket change to warning and safety systems, maybe, for times of emergency, we best start keeping a cookie jar full of money buried in the backyard or under the mattress too? Such an emergency plan assumes any of us to be in a position to fund such a cookie jar now-a-days, of course. ‘Cause who knows what other high tech systems that are vital to the nation’s well being may also fail when we need those systems the most.
Adam Trotter / AVT
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment