This is Part 2 in a series about What Makes Us Civilized reflecting on the building blocks of our own community and the most important elements that we must get right.
Our family ventured out to the great white north. No, no, it wasn't too snow covered since we visited in late July and early August. The wilderness of British Columbia, the Yukon Territory (no, I am not the Mayor there, I checked) and of course Seward's Folly (the best deal money could buy, Alaska).
When we were literally in the middle of nowhere, I reminded my wife and all my children to exercise more caution than usual since there was no help on the way.
Where did I get that advice to heed? In 1998, I took a trip with 4 other young guys (high schoolers) and 5 old dudes (50- and 60- year old experienced construction guys to build a church in Alaska. They handed that advice out on day one. Don't shoot yourself in the chest with a nail gun, don't fall off a roof, don't electrocute yourself or any other life-threatening injury.
No one was coming for you. At least not for about 4 hours. And, in a life threatening situation, you don't have 4 to 8 hours to spare. I took that to heart and did not have any reckless injuries during those two weeks of construction.
In the heart of Yukon, Oklahoma, (not the Yukon Territory) we have a higher expectation of care. Our wonderful fire department and our emergency medical personnel are usually on scene of any emergency in 5 to 8 minutes. And, thank God for their rapid response times. It is truly a lifesaver.
If, in a densely populated area, our lives are threatened by a health emergency and help from these services does not arrive in a timely fashion, lives are lost. Senselessly lost. We don't die from the same things our great-grandparents died from.
If fire and emergency services are present and responding well, we remain civilized. If not, civilization rapidly breaks down.