As if the recent news from New Orleans weren't bad enough, on Saturday morning I thought all over again about disasters that will sooner or later fall upon us here.

I attended my first REACT class, taught by Sandi Genser-Maack. "Richmond Emergency Action Community Teams" training is all part of an ongoing program offered free by the city.

We thought all about personal preparedness. Hitting this point first reminds me of the instruction you hear before a flight: if the oxygen masks fall down and you're with a kid, put the mask on yourself before you put a mask on the kid. In other words, you're no good to anyone else if you're a victim.

I've got five more sessions on my way to being what the trainers call a "CERT," someone who responds to emergencies before the pros arrive. The delay could be hours, days, or weeks.