The Great Plains of North America are the product of their geology and geography, further molded by wildfire, periodic drought, severe weather, relentless wind and, in the past, massive herds of bison. Wildlife native to that physiographic region have managed to survive by utilizing underground burrows to escape wildfire or severe weather and by undertaking seasonal migrations to less hostile environments.
Native Americans and early European settlers lived in small, widely dispersed communities and, in contrast to modern Americans, were able to relocate or rapidly rebuild their primitive homes when natural disaster struck. While some, like the wildlife, succumbed to storms, drought or severe winters, their personal skills and knowledge of the wilderness made them more resourceful than most modern humans, reliant as we are on the products of our industrial and technologic revolutions.
This week's tragedies in Oklahoma remind us that we remain at the mercy of natural forces and encourage us to learn from our wild neighbors. While our tornado warning systems continue to improve, our means of escaping these deadly storms have not kept pace. Indeed, according to a report on the Weather Channel website, most homes in Oklahoma are not equipped with basements (due to soil conditions and current building codes). As our cities sprawl across the Plains (and as our climate continues to warm) we will become increasingly susceptible to episodes of mass destruction. At the very least, we should make every effort to ensure that safe refuge is provided in homes, schools and workplaces; bathtubs and mattresses are not the solution.
