It’s that time again.

You might recall the high school typing test.

For all good citizens to come to the aid of their country.

It’s the transition between government leaders and time to make suggestions.

I’ve learned that when citizens make suggestions, never to be heard about again, it means only a few things.

– The idea was ridiculous.
– You did not contribute to a political campaign.
– The idea was ridiculously good and is being held in stasis until such time that someone else could claim it for themselves as political gain.

The folks at FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) are really big about after-the-fact action. Kudos to them for helping people pick up the pieces.

But what is predicted — “follow the science” — is an earthquake. Just like all the other earthquakes in the geologic timeline. Except now there are bunches more people and the impossible fear of coming to their rescue in a timely manner … if at all.

Since the Army Corp of Engineers is moving tribes to higher ground now, and the emergency preparedness folks are also openly waiting to respond, I would like to please make a suggestion. One that would only take some time from a grant writer for the City of Edmonds and bypass political debate.

Every property taxpayer would be issued/equipped with an emergency first aid kit supplied by the FEMA folks. Now.

The goal is to reduce the response time in the event of a major event, standardize supplies so any training, questions or discussions could be uniform.

These kits could be military issue so as not create political debates about who suppliers should be. They would already be vetted by the materials process.

The kits could not be sold/traded or bartered and would have tags with warnings to that end.

— By Joel Patience

Joel Patience lives in Edmonds.