IT'S been quite awhile since we heard the words “condition of readiness” being discussed, but we heard them yesterday. In fact, we had a conflict.

Guam’s more or less permanent condition of readiness, or COR, is 4. It refers to the amount of time it may take for the winds and rain of a tropical storm or typhoon to reach our island. COR 4 means destructive winds of 50 knots or more are possible within 72 hours.

As the Navy says in its formal briefing for new residents: “Due to our location in typhoon alley, this condition is in effect year-round unless a higher condition is set.” COR 3 means the winds are 48 hours away, COR 2, they are 24 hours away, and COR 1 means the winds are within 12 hours of the island, or are already happening.

We’ve been in COR 4 for so long there is concern that a lot of us won’t know what to do when a higher condition is set, and will not be ready. Typhoon alley? We haven’t had a destructive typhoon since December 2002, but that one, Pongsona, was a doozy!

Thus when the military put their portions of the island in COR 3, we sat up and took notice. Get the typhoon shutters oiled up and ready, clean up the yard, store up some water, make sure you have a battery-operated radio and extra batteries for it and for flashlights, cook up and eat as much of the food in your refrigerator as you can, and so forth.

But wait! Guam’s Homeland Security Office decided to keep the civilians here in COR 4. That sent us to the weather channel and Internet photos for a better look at the area of concern, which happens to be right where we worry about approaching storms, south and east of us, down near Pohnpei. It looked pretty cloudy but not very well organized.

And that’s when we realized we’re a little out of practice predicting and preparing for these things. We need to brush up. By the time you read this, the conflict will have been resolved, the entire island will be in one COR, whatever it may be, and we’ll wait and see what this weekend’s weather brings.

However, all of us should always be prepared for the worst. Do those things we suggested, get the radio and batteries ready, and remember just how destructive Mother Nature can be. Put some gas in the car, figure out where you will park it to be as safe from flying debris as it can be, break out the generator, if you have one, and test it to make sure it still works. Remember that after a major storm, electricity may be out for days or even weeks, meaning water will not be pumped and neither will gasoline.

Guam is as strongly built to withstand damaging winds as anywhere. But we can always use a reminder that we are in a location which, from time to time, is subjected to severe weather.