//Separate post to avoid hijacking the “Johnson & Johnson Sues the Red Cross” thread//

The above-referenced thread includes a link to the CNN story, which reads in part, “Research has found that only seven percent [emphasis mine] of Americans have taken the necessary steps to be prepared — and that more people would get prepared if preparedness products were more available, including at retail locations.”

Aside from the fact that “seven percent” is deplorable (but predictable?), I’d be interested to know the survey’s definition of “the necessary steps to be prepared.” Having lived in earthquake country for over 20 years, the topic was frequently discussed among co-workers and friends. Often times, it went something like this, “Sure I’m prepared — got a case of water and a couple of granola bars stashed away for the Big One.” I wonder what level of preparedness earned inclusion in that seven percent.

As for the assertion "... more people would get prepared if preparedness products were more available ... " — I personally believe that the reason for the widespread lack of preparedness is not one of availability, as suggested, but rather one of (lack of) motivation. These days, Home Depot, Walmart and the like sell rudimentary kits (better than nothing, and a start), and internet sources are limitless — plenty of availability. Or am I being too cynical?

Dan

No.



The only shortage I can point to in the US is a shortage of superstar singers. Thank goodness that American Idol is addressing this concern head-on.

I agree. What is their definition of prepared? It can range from having a couple bottles of water to ten year supply of food. I also don't understand what they mean by "if preparedness products were more available"? What perparedness item isn't available to anyone living in the US? I can't think of anything special in a emergency kit that you couldn't find at a local store. Being prepared basically means having stuff that you would use or need on a day to day basis, not some fancy tools or special dehydrated food. That kind of stuff makes it easier, but it's not necessary. I think you're right about one thing, it's not about availablility, but just plain laziness on the part of most people.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

I would guess that the article sets the bar of "prepared" at the standard 72 hours mark that the American Red Cross information conveys. I would like to know how they arrived at their 7% calculation.

I think it is partially a naive belief that disasters only happen to the other guy.

50bux and an hour in a wal mart would get you prepaired to last a week if you had nothing in your pantry. There is nothing that you need for survival that can be found in wal mart or your local grocery store or heck dollar store for that matter. I can get those cans of chow mein that will feed two people 2 for 5.00 that I can heat off of a rigged up sterno stove, I can fill up my old 2 liter or 3 liter coke bottles full of water, heck batteries go on sale cheap at walgreens and the dollar store has flashlights, tarps, trash bags and all kinds stuff that while not the best would be better than nothing. Theres no excuse to not have stuff ready for an emergency people are just lazy and they expect .gov to come save them and make everything better.

You spurred me to dig a little deeper. Part of the news release on the ARC website:

"...only seven percent of the population has taken what the Red Cross considers the three steps necessary to prepare for a disaster or emergency: get a kit, make a plan, and be informed...Harris Interactive conducted the online survey of more than 2,500 respondents during April 10-16, 2007. Results also demonstrate that:

• 90% of Americans who have a disaster kit feel prepared. Yet, only 28% actually have a kit.
• 60% of American households own a pet, yet only 37% have a plan for their pets during a disaster.
• 69% of Americans living in hurricane-prone states don’t have a disaster supplies kit, and 60% don’t have an evacuation plan.
• 64% of Americans have no evacuation plan, even though 27% have had to leave home for at least one night because of a disaster or other emergency."

Curious to know how they selected the 2500 participants for the online survey, e.g. visitors to the ARC website? Could skew the results. Stats on hurricane-state residents a little scary, though I'm betting that earthquake-states would yield similar results.

Following this link takes you to well-presented preparedness info on ARC site, including a downloadable, interactive Excel spreadsheet with their suggested kit contents.

Good find! I figured that their 7% calculation had to be somehow based on what they promote. Thanks for finding the specifics.

I agree about the 2500 online participants. Online surveys can be skewed badly. Case in point: The Spice Girls recently had an online poll asking for a city that should be added to their planned reunion tour. Netizens came very close to sending 'em to Baghdad, Iraq.

And an equally naive belief that it is the governments job to take care of everybody, and the absurd belief that the government can.

the expectation to be protected and cared for by FEMA and the like reverberates throughout our society. (why should i have a gun for home-protection? i have 911!) part of me feels bad for them. the other side could care less...as you have pointed out the ease of which one can, at least moderately, prepare themselves for a multitude of eventualities.
the line one must walk between being a well-prepared, forward-thinking citizen and a misanthropic, "survivalist" is fine indeed. i guess i have lost my faith in humanity at this point and pray that people get it together before its too late.

One time or another, I've asked most of my co-workers if they've made any disaster preparations. All but two brushed off the question, saying that they would go live with friends or relatives. One said she and her husband would just wait for someone (read: govt) to come to help them.

Only one has a family-sized tent, a non-electric heat source, and has collected water, food, a decent FAK, and has made some plans. Unfortunately, she lives just 25 miles below a volcano, very near a river from the same source, and the major way out is a single 50-mile two-lane road.

Sigh.

Sue

According to a recent article on emergency preparedness in a national news magazine, there are four states of denial involved in the failure to be prepared.

1. It won't happen here.
2. If it does happen here, it won't happen to me.
3. If it does happen to me, it won't be too bad.
4. If it does happen here, and it does happen to me, and it is bad, it was God's will and so couldn't be helped anyway.

The Time magazine article didn't provide any great revelations, but disheartening nevertheless.

Excerpts: "We know exactly — exactly — where the major disasters will occur...but individuals underperceive risk."

"[Disasters] are made much worse by our own lack of ambition — our willful blindness to risk as much as our reluctance to work together before everything goes to hell."

"...the past year in disaster history suggests that modern Americans are particularly, mysteriously bad at protecting themselves from guaranteed threats...in times of crisis, our greatest enemy is rarely the storm, the quake or the surge itself. More often, it is ourselves."

Uniquely American, or a global phenomenon?

I wouldn't be surprised if we couldn't blame it on fifty years of television. All problems solved in 30 to 120 minutes (including commercials).

But I've never been to another country, so I don't know.

I wonder if the citizen of Botswana (etc) think the same way?

Sue

This, I agree, is the winning trifecta. Not only for our society now, but for every society in the past that has had a woefully unprepared population. The differences now that make it harder to excuse are the wide availability of good information, and the equally wide availability of supplies and gear that could save lives.

Frank2135

It seems to me that the first piece of equipment people need to have to be "equipped to survive" is the idea that things can go from "normal" to "survival" in seconds, and that it will be your actions, not 911's, that spell the difference between survival and the alternative. I have had this happen too many times to me. I was there for the riots in DC in '68; twice I have had "freak" winter storms turn a 30 minute commute into a 4 and 12 hour "adventure". Recently, our power went out for 7 days because a hurricane knocked a branch off a tree, which then broke a power line. The line was on a main street 1 block from my house. The local power company needed 7 days to get a crew available to fix it.

I have a friend who works in downtown Washington D.C. who worries about a possible next attack on D.C. -- dirty bomb, biological etc. Yet, he can't seem to bring himself to prepare to "bug out."

Our society and culture has conditioned us that we are not responsible individuals, rather, it conditions us that we will be taken care of.

Only after you get out of this mind-set can you then think about the "hardware" aspects. They are step 2, not step 1.

That reminds me of the Foreign Office 4 stage plan:

• In Stage One we say that nothing is going to happen.
• Stage Two, we say something may be going to happen but we should do nothing about it.
• Stage Three, we say that maybe we should do something about it, but there's nothing we can do.
• Stage Four, we say maybe there is something we could have done, but it's too late now.

(According to Yes Minister).