The response I got back from the Board and property management basically asked: "Why can't I wait until March when it's more convenient for THEM?" (Are they EFFING KIDDING ME?!?!?)
No, Bones - they're not kidding. It very well could be that they are afraid to learn - have it pointed out - that they "should" be doing something that they're not currently; or that they'll need to correct some obvious safety issues. That would wind up being more work or cost for them, you know? And of course, in the process they have to discount the risk that does exist.
That's pretty standard human behavior... we all do something like this, at one time or another. Even me... I have a whole list of things that "should" be done...
Thanks, P.R.
I understand that this is pretty standard human behavior. What frightens me is that we have people of all ages, from newborn to senior citizens, along with people who have a variety of health issues, physical challenges, disabilities, who are at risk. For example, one building is the only building that has an elevator. There are disabled people who moved in there BECAUSE it has an elevator. During an emergency, the elevator would be unavailable and there is NO plan in place on how to get the disabled to safety! (The earthquake should have been a wake-up call then!)
This person who is willing to come and talk about what needs to be done is doing this at no charge. The guest speaker knows what I'm up against with this situation. During one of my numerous efforts to talk up emergency preparedness, (being prepared individually as well as a community), one of the Board members commented to me: "That's nice to think about but it's too much of a bother." I feel that the continued inertia of the Board puts everyone at risk when they continue to blow off and ignore an issue that is staring them in the face! I hate to see a newborn or a person in a wheelchair killed because the Powers-that-be refuse to get off their butts and even THINK! Time and time again, the attitude I have observed has been: "Now that WE are on the Board, WE don't have to listen to anyone!" (This attitude has been demonstrated to others to the extent that other condo owners have gotten disgusted and stopped coming to the owners' meetings. And the Board continues to ignore, ignore, ignore and do their own little merry thing.) My sense, for what it's worth, is that the "group mind" is thinking, "If I ignore this, it will NEVER happen!" (When I was taking classes at a community college many decades ago, I learned that this concept is called "group think". An example of "group think" is Pearl Harbor. The Powers-that-be back then were given numerous warnings and indicators about what was coming and they refused to believe that Pearl Harbor could ever be attacked. History proved otherwise and a LOT of people died as a result.)
