This is just plain sad <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> -- Craig

After Katrina, Americans still feel unprepared
Poll shows most not ready for disaster, have less confidence in government
The Associated Press
Updated: 7:35 p.m. ET Nov. 17, 2005

WASHINGTON - A majority of Americans say they are no better prepared for a disaster than they were before Hurricane Katrina and have less confidence in their government to protect them.

Yet most people will keep relying on state and local officials in the immediate aftermath of a terrorist attack or natural disaster, according to two polls and an accompanying analysis by New York University?s Center for Catastrophe Preparedness and Response.

The research was obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.

?Americans right now are not prepared to last three hours on their own, let alone three days,? said NYU professor Paul C. Light, the report?s author. ?They are still as dependent on government, but have less confidence.

?You put the complacency with the potential confusion and what you end up with is a recipe for chaos,? Light said in an interview.

The report drew its conclusions from two polls, taken before and after Katrina, that were conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates.

Among the findings:
# Fifty-seven percent of people said they were at about the same level of preparedness after Katrina as before, while 21 percent said they were somewhat more prepared; 12 percent much more prepared.
# Forty-three percent said the federal government is only somewhat prepared to respond to terrorist bombings and flu epidemics. Also, 46 percent believe Washington is not fully ready for another hurricane or floods.
# After Katrina hit, 15 percent of people with a high school education or less said they were now better prepared for a disaster; the rate for those who attended college was 7 percent.

Light said people with a college education and higher incomes are traditionally more ready for a catastrophe, meaning that Katrina ?closed the gap,? he said.

A lesson not learned
The Homeland Security Department has struggled with how to persuade people to prepare themselves after a disaster.

Many Florida residents failed to evacuate or stock up on food, water and other essentials before Hurricane Wilma slammed into the state?s southern tip last month, even though they had a week?s notice of the storm?s arrival and the memory of Katrina?s devastation.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff two weeks ago said that individual preparedness was a ?civic virtue? ? one that frees up government resources to assist the elderly, poor or sick.

Light planned to release the report Friday with Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., who heads a special House committee investigating the government?s preparations and responses to Katrina.

Davis said he agreed with the report?s conclusions for sharpening the Homeland Security Department?s focus on preparedness. The department is awaiting congressional approval of a new office specifically assigned to preparedness missions.

?It?s no surprise that Americans have lost confidence in government,? Davis said in a statement. ?The question is, what are we going to do about it??

?Maybe enactment of some of these recommendations could serve as Katrina?s silver lining,? he said.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10088752/from/RS.5/

This is, IMHO, the product of the "Stand aside and let the professionsal handle this..." the government (ands some of the "professionals") have been pushing since the1970's . And we've become "confortable" with that. No offense necessarily intended.

It is also a sad fact that the youth organizations that taught self-confidence, self-respect and self-reliance are (or have been) marginalized or co-opted by those with particular political agendas..

While I don't have a "BOB" per se, I do have enough water, food and other stuff around the house (and my middle) so that I could manage 3-7 days without normal services. It might not be fun or comfortable, but I could manage.

Stay Safe,

Jim

A little more soapbox time...

Did you _really_ read the title of the article. The writer or editor used the word "feels". This is the part of the PC newspeak that aggravates me to no end. You see it when people are asked if the "feel safer" after the TSA began to pat down 90 year-old grand parents and 12 year-old girls.

The facts are that Americans _ARE_ still, as a whole, woefully unprepared and, IMHO, we _ARE NOT_ much safer flying.

Soapbox reliquenshed, Stay Safe,

Jim

Just a culmination of the eroding of personal responsibility, and the lack of appreciation by people in general.

Help some guy out at an accident scene and get sued (but you win anyway), why bother doing that again?

Help a police officer out handcuffing a violent suspect, and get yelled at, why bother?

Telling someone that what they're letting their child do is dangerous, harmful and inconsiderate to others, you get yelled at for "interfering" and "mind your own business", why bother?

Own a bunch of firearms, and being prepared for 1 - 3 month survival on your own, labeled a psycho, why bother?

Having yourself interviewed on the news on why you didn't help the unprepared family next door with food and water for their starving kids (*DING DING* FOR THE CHILDREN CARD NOW IN PLAY), when you had enough food for 1 month, and now 2 days later you're "saved" by the government?

Criminals are provided more rights than an innocent person.

The PATRIOT Act

Your single involvement with local politics is ineffective because of the rest of the sheep in your neighborhood.

The need for individuals here to feel "safe", and do not want to be personally harmed or injured in the pursuit and defense of true freedom. And, we aren't talking "glorified" freedom, we're talking about principles.

The list goes on...

Although ... the way the 1st question was phrased, I myself would have been part of the 57% saying that I'm now "at about the same level of preparedness after Katrina as before" -- because my big trigger event was 9/11/01 and not Hurricane Katrina. (I didn't really change my PSK or BOB as a result of seeing the aftermath of this season's hurricanes ... though I did double-check expiration dates & so forth about 4 months ahead of schedule, just to reassure myself.)

So some of the folks in that alarmingly high 57% figure might actually be pretty prepared for emergencies & whatnot -- they simply might have started preparing for "what if" earlier than this summer.

Okay, so I'm an optimist -- well, as far as one can be an optimist and still "prepare for the worst".

On one of your middle points, ("Own a bunch of Firearms...."), -Here you've got to bother. (I'm speaking of Preparedness in general, -which may or may not include firearms, ammo etc, -as the individual case and preference may be.).

In this vein, -I'd add, -"Noah building his Ark, -only to be Laffed at by everyone?!" Why Bother?! Here he'd Bettered Bother! Nevertheless All the Same Bother!

Moreover, -in the End, -it was he who got the Last Laugh there! Much as we Preparedness types finally get from others, -when a Real Emergency and Need comes along!

This said and being so, -I still Follow, Understand, and somewhat Agree with the Spirit and Gist, -of your other Points.

To put it simplest, -perhaps a basic Map of the U.S. should be made available, -with say "Earthquake", "Forest/Brush Fires", "Mudslides", etc, -over say California, "Hurricanes" over say Florida, "Hailstones" and "Tornados" over say the Midwest, "Volcanoes" over Washington State and Hawaii, "Avalanches" over Colorado and the Rockies, etc etc etc. Then people would have right in front of them, -a "No Excuses" Starting Point, -from which to work from.

Of course people of any given locality, -generally already know these things, -if often only somewhere in the Back of their Minds! And All Too Often many still don't even minimally Prepare from there. But such a Readily Available Map, -may serve as at least some sort of Reminder!

And to the extent that X amount of People have gotten somewhat "So So" about even 9 - 11, -only several years after, -how are they gonna Keep Up the Inspiration and Gumption, -and Follow On Familiarization and Preparedness, -from say our recent Tsunami, Floods, Hurricanes, Quakes, and Twisters?!

A certain "Why Bother?!" Dissapointment begins to enter my mind there too, -but as with Noah and Everyday Awareness and Preparedness, -we had Bettered and Best!, -nevertheless Bother!

Paraphrasing Admiral Farragut now,-

"Dang the Lookdown Laugh!, -Full Preparedness Speed Ahead!" Preparedness is certainly a case of that! [color:"black"] [/color] [email]ki4buc[/email]

Older maps and charts had large white spaces marked 'unexplored' in recent times or 'here lie Dragons' more distant. The portugese sailors exploring Africa simply erected large crosses visible from offshore. A crew would sail so far seeing crosses and then be goaded by the captain 'lets sail just a few miles further.' Of course then they had to go ashore and erect another lousy cross before turning for home. Getting people prepared is like those crosses. If you can get a flashlight on a keychain a SAK and bic lighter in purse or pocket and water in the car trunk may follow.

I think that is a brilliant idea, but I dont think it has enough batteries to be a good seller <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Perhaps a modified version of somethings like this: GPS Road Safety with the extra area warnings you suggest would be a better seller <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
This is the Australian model, I'm not sure of what is available over there.

In this same vein, -I like something from my old "Think and Do" book, back in elementary school. (Reading class), -On a page showing the Oregon and other Trails going out West, -a certain shortcut was just labeled "Dry and Dangerous"!

I've heard of your "Here be Dragons", and/or something very similar.

Reminds me now of some Favorite, Inspiring Lines from "The Impossible Dream". (Which can just as well be titled "To Reach the Unreachable Star!"). "To Fight the Unbeatable Foe!", -and "To RUN where (even) the Brave Dare Not Go!"

But Back to the West! A Place I Like Best!

"Go West Young Man!', -and "There's a Feeling I Get!, -When I Look to the West!" [color:"black"] [/color] [email]Chris Kavanaugh[/email]

<<On a page showing the Oregon and other Trails going out West, -a certain shortcut was just labeled "Dry and Dangerous"!>>

That reminds me of something from the excellent Ric Burns documentary about the Donner Party. Afterwards, one of the little Reed girls, a survivor, wrote to a friend back east with some general advice on coming west. She closed with: "Don't ever take no shortcuts, and hurry along as fast as you can."

That can still be sound advice. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Regards, Vince