Really interesting article!

I've had some success with converting friends to a preparedness mindset when I explain how some very modest steps would make a big difference in their comfort level if a power outage happens -- for whatever reason. Some have been convinced, usually in winter, when I retrieve chemical hand warmers or extra fleece and instantly improve their comfort.


"When warnings are too negative, "people actually feel helpless or feel it's something beyond their control," he says, whereas when people are told they can take specific steps to reduce their losses from a worst-case scenario to a less-terrible scenario, they're more inclined to feel empowered.

"In general, he says, when people feel like, "'yes, actually, we can actually do something to reduce the risk…' then they will react to this [information] positively."