Sometimes it Takes Disaster
Disasters can save lives. The devastating earthquakes in Haiti have caused safety officials to perform extensive research to ensure history does not repeat itself. Despite the inability to control nature, they realize that buildings, not earthquakes, kill people. Earthquake-resilient buildings mean less human loss. Such buildings exist. The technology to build structures that can withstand major earthquakes is used in almost every construction project in the United States and other more prosperous countries. Haiti suffered simply because of its economic standing. Now, however, following recent tragic events, many are concerned with Haiti’s future, and many are working to rebuild Haiti with much higher safety standards. The true test of a society’s ability to learn and develop can be measured in the moments after a disaster: safer airports and planes after 9/11, more advanced anti-malware software after a major digital attack, and better emergency protocols after ruthless school shootings. As history becomes a teacher, rather than an unspoken bad dream, society, with the help of technology, can ensure a safer future.
