I guess it's part of the "I'm the only one in the world" syndrom, that you can see in every big city.
'I'm the only one who count"
"only me and myself"
"if I ever need help, gvt -PD- FD etc.. will take care of it, because, hey, it's ME !"

Same thing that the "why should I bother myself to drive and park a few 50 or 100meters away (where there is a free parking place), when I can just park in two lines, bothering everybody else, to go and buy my pack of fags?" attitude ....


In rural areas, people are more isolated and they know, if something bad ever happens, they can only count on themselves and their immediate neighbours. So they are more readily prepared to help themselves or their own neighbours ...

and yes, you got it right !
I'm more than tired with the "why bother myself when I can more easily bother somebody else" attitude I encounter several times, every single day that passes by..... <img src="images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Out here on Long Island, you'd be hard pressed to find one in four who HAVE taken the basic steps in being prepared. People seemed pretty gung-ho after 9-11, and we were uncharacteristically civil, even polite, to each other for awhile. But it seems we've slipped back to the stereotypical New Yorker crassness that we're famous for, as evidenced by our custom of "flipping the bird" to each other on the L.I.E. All that I can do is fight my own apathy.

Joe,
I also live on Long Island (the eastern end) I too am quite surprised by the slow change back to the old ways. It takes a big tragedy to bring people together but it's odd that we can't be polite and civil just for the sake of it.

As for the 1 in 4 number I think that's on the high side. We have 6 people in our office right now and I’m the only one that you could call reasonably prepared. I think people in higher density areas are more prone to relying on the government for assistance.

I’ve had some major changes in my life over the past few years all of which make me feel like I should be better prepared than I was the day before.

Adam

I love it how people always ask me to barrow my knife or flashlight, yet fail to carry their own. Don't they see the usefullness of these items or what? I've come to the conclusion I am giving out photons and leathermans for presents. <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

we must never forget besides if anything you are adding a new arsenal of instincts to your resume its about thinking outside the box i work in a port in florida and i remember that dreadful day i was at work i thought i was in a movie holy cow "new york under attack, wash. dc under attack, no fly zone over the united states plane crashing in penn. never again will i be caught off guard"........

Matt,
I too hang with a bunch of strange NYers - MOST of my friends think 3 days gear is a nice start. Then again, I'm one of those guys who has my ARC shelter worker courses, first aid courses etc under my belt, and help TEACH this stuff to others. I can tell you the names, phone numbers etc of the folks who run disaster services at places like the Red Cross, Satern, etc

I know the guy who sits across the hall from me at work carries a go bag (as do I) - there are one or 2 others on the floor who have a very minimal kit. Oh well. Then again, you and I (and one of my other co-workers who posts here) have mentioned this before. The blackout hit, we shrugged, and got busy helping. Had a training drill last weekend - I have a BIG drill Sunday.

Paul,
They probably DO see the usefulness, but it's easier to ask to borrow yours than to bother carrying their own. Cheaper for them, too.

Adam,
You're right, 1 in 4 is on the high side. My office at work has about 70 people. In the past 6 years, I think I've seen maybe 3 pocketknives/Leatherman tools, and even fewer flashlights. I guess 9-11 and the blackout weren't significant enough to change peoples' thinking. Anyway, I'll try to buck the trend and be more civil, especially when I head out east, and I promise not to flip the bird in eastern Suffolk! <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

One in Four seems way high to me. I can name two other people right now out of the dozens, if not hundreds I know who actaully carry a leatherman or knife (not including family members who had better be carrying the ones I bought for them, wife does and even wanted a new leatherman after all the paint wore off of her micra).
Did anyone in NY change after 9/11 or the balckout. I'm sure a few went out and bought flashlights but I bet they put them away and couldn't tell you where they were a week after.

I caught the tail end of a segment on PBS the other day (so unfortunately, I don't know the details leading up to the segment) where the commentator was going through the contents of a commercially produced emergency kit, just yucking it up as he went along. "Oh look, a little foil bag with water in it. I usually just get mine out of the drinking foutain!" Yuck, yuck, yuck. "Lookie here, waterproof matches. How thoughtful of them!" Yuck, yuck, yuck. "Hmmmm...a mylar blanket. What am I suppose to do with this?" Yuck, yuck, yuck. You get the idea. Frankly, the whole thing made me sort of angry. The implication was that anyone who packed that sort of gear was some kind of survivalist wingnut.