As a child I would "prepare" for tornado season by moving my favourite stuffed animals and books into the basement in a little bag.
I have since learned what was really needed to be prepared, but I became really aware of the need to be prepared after wathcing the Katrina aftermath.
This may be what a lot of other people thought and thus the increase in survival interest.

Welcome to the forum Agate.

I don't think survival preparedness is considered fashionable, at all. And I haven't noticed an uptick in preparedness in the past year. Certainly not post-apocalyptic survival. Perhaps if the television show "Jericho" had higher ratings and stuck around for a few seasons that would change.

There's always been hoarding around snowstorms and hurricanes. Surprising there's not more hoarding going on now because of the rice shortages headlines and, even worse, reports of pending doom in the form of hyper-inflation.

Awareness of the need to prepare for lesser crises probably is greater in the past decade, though still not anywhere near the level it needs to be. There's a federal government web page -- ready.gov -- devoted to it. Y2K, 9/11, anthrax, northeast blackout, Katrina, Rita -- took place in the course of just a few years. So there are more people with duct tape, plastic sheeting and N95 masks shoved in the back of a closet or in their basement, somewhere.

Because of historical discoveries in the 90s, the Pacific Northwest is being educated on its vulnerability to a massive earthquake and coastal towns there now have tsunami evac routes. Californians' earthquake preparedness comes and goes with tremors. Because of the James Kim family's horrible experience with being stranded in their car on an Oregon backroad, many more people became aware of how tenuous survival could become during such a seemingly routine roadtrip. Recently the mid-Atlantic and northeast states have seen and read news reports of their vulnerability to hurricances and the fact that these areas are overdue for a huge storm.

Yet, I am unaware of any of my friends being as prepared as I am. That's simply because I'm the one with most of the camping gear. Despite the many wise posts on this forum, I haven't made any special effort to store extra food or water, except for my dog (my only "dependant"). I always keep ample canned soup on hand in case I'm stricken with the flu. Since 9/11 I do top off my gas tank every Sunday and won't let it go below half. That's because I live in DC.

In the early 90s, while I was gearing up for camping, we were hit with a week of severe ice storms and rolling blackouts. Ever since I have been conscious of the survival utility of camping and hiking gear. More recently I've become aware of the notion of "bugging out" and my bikes and bike trailers assume new significance.

But do I see increased preparedness around me? No. But perhaps there are closet survivalists among us. That would indicate that such survival preparation is not fashionable.

TS_Shawn,

That's some very good points that you've made.

I have been finding more people have made basic preparations. These same people will not admit to it (because they feel foolish????).
{covert hoarders???}

Still, others like to point out the latest gadget or tool they have acquired but they go outdoors a heck of a lot less than I do.
{the "Fashionable ones"}

Others are convinced that the Gov't will provide whatever disaster assistance they may require and/or need.
{typical Katrina or Rita victims}

I know a lot of folk who have first aid kits ready, and food stored, etc - and this is in "suburban" NYC.

Do folks call it "disaster prep"? Nah It's "I have a first aid kit" and "some flashlights and laterns after the last blackout" and "Gee - I do buy my food in bulk at costco - it's cheaper, and I have a nice patry of cooking stuff like Grandma had" and "Yeah, I still have my old camping gear, and my sons have theirs" Many/Most of my friends are fairly prepared, but don't THINK of it as "disaster preps"

That's in line with the level and admission of preps that I am seeing for the most part. Thanks for putting it into words so well.

A fad for some, most assuredly, but in others I am seeing what I believe to be an almost subconscious level of preparation. I have been shopping with many friends both male and female and they will frquently pick up a couple of extra candles or or boxes of batteries and other items. If I ask them about it they will say it seemed like a good idea at the time. Also I have 2 friends with rural backgrounds that I have known for 15-20 years and they have always stocked enough food, etc. to last themselves and extended families for at least 30-60 days because they were raised that way. If you take the time to observe people as they shop in a grocery store you will frquently notice that many are adding a little extra to their shopping carts. I have talked with employees of grocery stores and they comment on how people seem to be purchasing more. Of course this may be simply out of fear of rapidly rising costs on some items.

There will always be a wide range in people's planning for emergencies, just like with everything else, from the people who think their government will take care of their every need to the people who think Burt Gummer was underprepared.

I don't have TV, and I don't know anyone who watches Oprah (okay, I'm deprived), but does anyone know if she has ever done a show on getting prepared? Surely she has more clout than Britney Spears or the others of that ilk. If there's one person who can influence American, she is probably the one.

Sue

Hey Susan. I don't suppose that you and Blast can do a segment on Oprah's show?

An Oprah segment on preparedness surely would have a big impact.

And spawn a huge boost in sales for any product she plugged.

Her endorsement of Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" sold a lot of those books so she has some recent immersion in the most dire scenario.

Someone noted earlier in this discussion that America had a large-scale preparedness effort during the Cold War.

What was that "duck-and-cover" turtle's name?