Sue, you are just a bit pessimistic. You are correct that some people wouldn't respond to new information and change their behavior with respect to tornado shelters, etc, but the battle would be won or lost in terms of the proportions of the population that changed their behavior for the better.

After all, fewer people are smoking these days, and more are wearing seat belts compared to, say, thirty years ago. The population as a whole is healthier for it.

Of course, some us still live in earthquake country........