Originally Posted By: Lono
Originally Posted By: PC2K

Actual preparedness education has very little effect. This makes it very hard for any organisation to change human behavior. So i agree with the guy on what the ideal world would be. But how?


This isn't a very developed thought - but the preparedness on this site didn't spring from no where. Most of us had an Aha! moment after a storm, fire or accident. Some of us picked it up in the military, or in training for specialized jobs (EMT, firefighter, oil field worker) where from the first day we got it. Granted a fair number of us were raised in a preparedness environment, which if everyone still came from such a place the situation might be different. Many folks though have their scariest preparedness moments behind the wheel along I-405 every morning - where's my coffee, calling the office on my cell phone, better turn up the heat or AC some more. All while driving along at 45 mph 20 feet behind the next Chevy Tahoe, no concept of the everyday proximity of death and danger outside their moving door. You want to foster the Aha! moment in people who otherwise won't get it - because if they don't have a moment of clarity, when disaster strikes they will be waiting for the chow line to form on the street corner, or to pillage their neighbor's supplies.

So start with something small, and immediate - hurricane season, tornado alley for some, winter storms and floods in the North. The weather, as bad as it can get. Most people get that. If its a regular event, more people will get ready, or at least readier than they were.


Well it was mine conclusion after doing a literature review of over 15 international scientific research papers. (very boring to read...) Getting people in that "aha" moment is the hard part. Once people "get it", than it becomes much easier.

Campaigns to educate citizens can actually be counterproductive. Many people will trust the government and its message less, when they think the government exaggerate the danger (they think of secret agendas, etc). Some people will not prepare because they think the government is doing enough, because of the campaigns. But obviously no education won't work either. It's a much harder issue than most people think. Many studies (british, swedisch, dutch) have show very little or a reduction of prepardness due to due to goverment prepardness campaigns. (Does not have to mean it applies to other countries) So what would a effective meassure? I haven't found any really effective onces. (bad) Personal experians with disasters seems to be the most effective, but should rescue personal stand on the side during a emergency to "teach citizens a lesson"? Not a likely scenario...

I have worked with the emergency communication department of the Dutch ministry of internal affairs and also the emergency communication people for a "safety region". Plenty of people giving the emergency preparedness information, are them self not prepared. The percentage is lower than the public, though. This is also reflected by many emergency workers (fire, medical, law enforcement) in mine country.


Edited by PC2K (09/08/09 08:07 PM)
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