The slow-to-develop response to the hurricane Katrina disaster in the South should serve as a reminder to people on the Northwest: When disaster strikes, be prepared to help yourself.

It took several days for meaningful relief to reach the suffering people of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. And we can tell by the pictures that time really drags when you have no food or water and the streets have been taken over by armed gangs.

We have no real fear of a hurricane, although the Columbus Day Storm of 1962 showed killer winds are possible here, too. The real threat is earthquakes. Whidbey Island is marked by several major faults that don’t show up on Realtors’ maps, and the Puget Sound region has been ravaged by huge quakes numerous times over the eons. It’s only a matter of time until another really big one hits here.

A big quake would leave Whidbey Islanders in the same state as rural southerners today. All the attention would be on the big cities where the TV crews are, leaving those in the boondocks to fend for themselves.

It’s hard to guess how long it would take relief workers to reach Whidbey Island, but it could certainly take many days if the roads and bridge buckle and the ferry docks are knocked out.

The Boy Scout motto, “Be prepared,” should be taken literally in getting ready for a disaster. Have plenty of food, water and fuel on hand to keep your household comfortable for a week or two, if not longer. And if the big one doesn’t hit, don’t worry. Your stockpile could also be used in a tsunami.