Brian Rogers Rogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz

The nation's hearts and minds are focused on the tragedy in Canterbury this week. There's a hollow feeling of frustration and helplessness amongst many of us outside that region – wanting to assist, but knowing there's not much we can do.

Other than throwing cash, one option gaining momentum is the offer of holiday homes and temporary accommodation for those needing to escape the earthquake zone.
Sun Media is working with MP Simon Bridges to coordinate and promote the plan and there are several websites and Facebook pages also working to connect people with accommodation with those who need it outside Canterbury.
Those in the Bay with accommodation on offer should contact Simon:
simon.bridges@parliament.govt.nz
There will be more on this on SunLive.co.nz and in upcoming editions of The Sun.
This is likely to be assistance that will be valuable, not just in the short term to accommodate displaced residents, but in the longer term to provide a break away from what will be a long and arduous recovery phase.
Right now, while all energies are directed to save lives and cobble together basic essentials, longer term, the traumatic effect of this disaster won't have been considered yet by most.
The psychological effect will be horrendous.
Beyond the heartache and the rubble, the rebuilding of lives, property, businesses, culture and lifestyles will take years.
Another action we can take right now is learning from this disaster.
It is only a matter of time before the Bay of Plenty is stricken by quake, eruption, tsunami. It could be in a thousand years; it could happen before this newspaper reaches your mailbox.
The Civil Defence people have been hammering out this for years, but it often takes a close tragedy for the message to hit home.
There are simple things we can do to prepare, and seeing the footage of Christchurch residents queuing with makeshift water containers brings home the message to stash basic water and food stocks, replenished regularly.
Even those who experienced the September 4 event, it seems, still weren't prepared for this second and much more destructive quake.
A couple of 20 litre containers of water and non perishable foods would go a long way to keeping the household functioning. Three litres per person per day is the recommended ration.
Simple methods to collect rainwater are a good idea. A plastic sheet, tarpaulin or simply redirecting a downpipe can suffice.
The website www.getthru.govt.nz has all the details of how to prepare; and how to react to minimise your chance of injury or worse.
Stocks of food and water are obvious things; along with emergency shelter, battery powered radio, flashlights, waterproof clothing and strong shoes. There's information on the site to prepare a getaway kit, which is particularly important to have ready in coastal areas such as ours, which are vulnerable to tsunami.
Have a family plan, so everyone is sure about what to do and how to keep in contact. Remember that cellphones won't necessarily work – a concept that the ‘now' generation will find incomprehensible. But it may be that you agree on a meeting point or a mutual contact in the event of crisis happening while the household members are spread between work, school or sport.
Keep your insurance up-to-date – Keiran at Tauranga Insurance says it's particularly important to have current values and square metre measures recorded correctly.
With sound insurance in place, you know that in a crisis, you can concentrate on helping family, friends, neighbours and even strangers in need; and that lost possessions are less important and can be sorted later.
And finally, a byproduct of this misery and pain – at least we haven't had to hear about Hone Harawira for a week.