The whole "I don't trust the government" aspect of public preparedness is interesting, I'm catching some of that right now as I talk to groups about preparing for possible Howard Hansen dam floods this winter, (and the next 3-5 yrs). We are trying to prepare people for flooding in an area that hasn't experienced any in modern memory (since the 50s) - 2-10 feet through a valley with alot of people, critical infrastructure and industrial that wasn't there in the last flood. It's a simple equation, a matter of how much water a dam can hold, a matter of basic hydraulics - if it rains enough the rain will come downstream and flood xx hectares to yy depth. But the response of some (not all) is one of suspicion - that County bureaucrats are using the problems with Howard Hansen for their own ends - for money, for control of the population, but ultimately for a very illogical messing up society in a very significant way. I would consider these people to be raving space loons if it wasn't part of my responsibility to disavow them of their ideas, and get them to prepare themselves and their families for moving out of the way of all that water. Otherwise, they may be coming to the Red Cross, and expecting food and shelter. In the end all I can do is warn them to prepare, and those that listen should have a bed of their own ready for their kids above the floodline, those that won't will have a tougher time. Its difficult to get through to people so mad at their government that they won't act to help themselves.