I was reading a national survey addressing personal preparedness in America the other day.  The survey was taken for the purpose of evaluating the nation’s progress on personal preparedness and to measure the public’s knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors relative to preparing for a multitude of disasters.

What was found was, well shocking and eye-opening to say the least. To put it blatantly, we are living next door to a bunch of  … well idiots!

78% of the respondents to the survey actually believe that preparation, planning, and emergency supplies will help them in a natural disaster, but at least 4 out of 10 felt preparations would not make any difference, and at least 27% stated they were not planning to do anything about preparing!!  Nothing???

Almost 40% of respondents reported that one of the main reasons for not preparing was that they believe emergency responders will help them.  Have they forgotten about FEMA and Hurricane Katrina?  

How about this one - 37% of those surveyed thought a natural disaster would never affect their community.  Where do they live that would exclude them from any disaster?  I want to live there too!  I didn’t know there was a place in this world let alone in our country that one would be immune from any kind of disaster??? Where is this place, do tell?? 

This one really got me.  Less than 1 in 5 believes there is any threat of an act of terrorism to their communities.  What part of terrorist do they not understand???  Terrorists are just that – ones who create terror, who live inside and out of this country).  Again, have they forgotten Oklahoma City? 

These responses are absolutely scary and well … confirm a little more about the ones we share a community, state and country with.

There are too few of us who even consider that a disastrous event could be in our future.  How can that be?  Are the others so stuck in “reality TV” world that they aren’t paying attention to events around them?  People, bad things do happen in this country.

The sad truth is that a single natural disaster will almost surely overwhelm every community’s ability to respond within the first few hours of the event.  As a nation and as communities we are known for underestimating potential threats. 

Policemen, fire-fighters, EMTs, etc. are people like you and I.  They aren’t super heroes and will only be able to do what they can.  If there is gridlock on the roads due to panicked drivers, emergency responders will NOT be able to get to you and your community due to impassible roads.  It happened in Texas with Hurricane Rita.

Disasters bring on the same scenario -chaos, panic and confusion for everyone. 

Let’s learn to respond not react - ladies, it’s time to come up for air.  

- Survivor Jane

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