9 Out Of 10 Americans Live In A Moderate-to-high Risk Disaster Area, Yet We Still Fail To Prepare

According to a recent estimate by the Hazards and Vulnerability Research Institute at the University of South Carolina, "91% of Americans live in places at a moderate-to-high risk of earthquakes, volcanoes, tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, high-wind damage, or terrorism."

The question we should be asking ourselves is not IF it will happen but WHEN.

Post Katrina researchers discovered that the reason so many were not adequately prepared for the catastrophe, was not as previously believed due to a lack of funds or resources, but caused by an attitude of complacency, even though residents were warned about the severity of the situation days before the event.

This brings us to the first of six myths and misconceptions that keep people from preparing in advance.

Maybe, you are also telling yourself...


"It won't happen to me!"

Complacency is historically human nature and it is unfortunate that it usually takes a crisis to wake people from it.

Why put you and your family at risk by waiting until then? Prevention is always easier than the cure. (Not to mention CHEAPER!)


"If it happens to me it won't be that bad!"

If this second myth sounds familiar maybe you should take a look at the link to the table of FEMA's list of major disasters for 2011. This list includes nearly every state and every type of disaster. There were 99 Major disaster declarations for 2011.


"If it happens and it's bad there is nothing I can do about it anyways!"

This is simply not true! There is so much you can do for you and your family to prepare. The attitude of helplessness only creates self imposed victims that become a burden on society and it's resources. It is an irresponsible approach that could turn you from proactive citizen to a statistic.

According to both the Red Cross and FEMA there are three important steps to consider when preparing your family for disaster.

1. BE INFORMED - familiarize yourself with local disaster notification methods, shelters, plans and evacuation routes. It is just as important to remain vigilant while you are traveling outside familiar territory where you may not be aware of risk types and factors. Educate yourself of how you would respond differently to each type of disaster.

2. MAKE A PLAN - Plan how you will communicate and assemble if there is an emergency. Where will you meet? How will you communicate if traditional communication methods become unavailable? What specific actions will you take for each type of disaster? What is your evacuation plan? What steps will you take if you become separated from one another? These are only a few of the considerations that should be included in your emergency plan.

3. GET A KIT/BUILD A KIT - While buying a disaster kit is certainly the most convenient route, you can also build or add to an existing kit using household items. Make sure you familiarize yourself with the tools contained within your kit so that you are aware what is available to you during times of emergency, and ensure that you can confidently use these tools if necessary. Ensure you have supplies that are portable and ready to go if an emergency evacuation becomes necessary. Basic services may become unavailable during these periods, and it is important that you are able to sustain yourself with enough food, water, and supplies to last a minimum of 72 hours. In lieu of current events it is often recommended that citizens are able to maintain self sufficiency for a period of up tp three weeks. While emergency crew teams may be available, there is always a chance that your area could become inaccessible to rescue efforts. Emergency Kits should contain items such as food, water, methods for communication, light, warmth, and shelter, first aid supplies, hygiene items, necessary medications, and copies of all important documentation. The American Red Cross and FEMA webpages both contain detailed instructions including printable step-by-step emergency plans customizable for you and your family, as well as detailed lists of what should be contained within your disaster kit.


"The Government Will Save Me!"

(Sigh.) I am sure there are still a few of you out there clinging to this belief. In case you haven't been following the news, I have two words for you: 1. Katrina 2. Budget

As a former post-Katrina resident I had the experience of witnessing the municipal government and the remaining residents struggle to reassemble their lives in the shell of a city. To this day you will find entire abandoned neighborhoods, city blocks of shopping mall, and schools, overgrown and virtually untouched since the aftermath. I have been the astounded audience of countless Katrina survival stories retold by residents of their experiences of being stranded without basic necessities, the atrocities of the living conditions people endured in the Superdome, and the senseless looting, crime wave and anarchist activities that followed the disaster. Two contributing factors turned this foreseen weather phenomenon into an epidemic: the general attitude of complacency; and the government's response time and disorganized efforts.

It wasn't until conducting research for this article that I learned, not only did FEMA fail to respond in a timely manner, they actually impeded the relief efforts of other response teams and available assistance nearby. This government agency turned away three water trucks sent by Walmart, one thousand gallons of diesel fuel from a nearby coast guard vessel, and cut emergency communications to local authorities until Sheriffs were forced to post an armed guard to stop them. One thousand trained firefighters were sent to the area to aid relief efforts, but were instead instructed to hand out phone numbers. Coastguard helicopters conducting emergency search and rescue ops were all grounded, for the President to tour the area. Trained and expedited emergency teams were given primary assignment to stand alongside Bush as he viewed the damage. And finally SEVEN DAYS after the hurricane, almost as an afterthought, the levee breach was repaired. Worst of all, these activities took place only one year after FEMA had rehearsed a drill known as Hurricane Pam in the area, simulating almost identical conditions to Hurricane Katrina.

Granted FEMA has worked hard to save face and prove their effectiveness following the previous atrocities there still lies the issue of BUDGET. As recently as late September 2011, FEMA struggled to stretch available funds to complete the fiscal year. Following Congress' battles regarding where to cut expenses to fund FEMA's request for financial assistance, the disaster aid accounts were still described as "dangerously low." The agency was able to pull together enough to get by but it was unclear how long the remaining resources would last and predicted they would close out the fiscal year with a "cash-flow balance of less than one day of operating expenses remaining." This strain of resources comes after recent claims were made for Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. FEMA has been forced to freeze funds for less immediate projects.

The National Hurricane Climatic Data Center reminds us that "2011 has seen more billion dollar disasters than any other year on record." There were 99 major disaster declarations in the U.S. for 2011 alone. When a disaster declaration takes place, FEMA becomes responsible for 75% of the recovery costs. They then allocate disaster funds to victims, and to local governments to clear debris and restore services. To date there have been 239 disasters in the first three years of Obama's presidency alone. Experts believe that along with contributing climate conditions, many people are moving to high-risk areas increasing the demographic of Americans at risk. Maybe this explains why during my mandatory volunteer-training with the Red Cross we were advised to prepare to be self sufficient during disaster for up to three weeks, in contrast to FEMAs recommended 72 hours. Still confident "The government will save you?"


"I Don't Have Time!"

Most people fail to recognize or at least fail to admit that in the time it takes to drink a cup of coffee or check your facebook page, you can purchase your survival kit online from one of several stores and have it shipped directly to your house. If you are not sure what you need, many of these retailers would be happy to recommend s kit or list of supplies that would suit your particular needs.


"It's too Expensive"

A two person survival kit containing basic emergency necessities such as an emergency radio, food and water rations, flashlight, survival blankets, first aid kit, and more...costs less than $50. This is a small investment to make for personal safety and peace of mind.

In this day age with the uncertainty and potential risk of natural or man-made disaster no excuse or afterthought will protect you from these unforseen events. We have been warned by our own government agencies, and seen first the consequences of being unprepared in both our own country and by witnessing recent international events. Making a small investment of time and money now could potentially save the lives of you and your family and protect you from harm in the future, which is ultimately priceless. While I am not trying to put the fear of God in you (or rather the fear of nature), I do want to stress the ease and importance of taking preparedness seriously and as a Red Cross volunteer I have have seen firsthand the difference preparation can make!

If you would like more information on how to prepare, please refer to the page below for a list of external links. I have included everything from FEMA and Red Cross websites, to the SBA recommendations on how to get business back on track after a disaster. There are also several pet related links to assist pet owners is preparing their animals for evacuation. http://www.emergency-supply-store.com/Resources-and-Links_ep_40.html

For FEMA's list of 2011 disaster declarations - http://www.fema.gov/news/disasters.fema?year=2011

TIME Magazine (2006) Why we don't prepare for disaster, available at:www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1229102-1,00.html (accessed 26 October 2011).

Binham, Amy. (Oct 28 2011) Obama Has Declared Record Breaking 89 Disasters So Far In 2011, available at:www.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/10/obama-has-declared-record-breaking-89-disasters-so-far-in-2011/ (accessed 13 Nov 2011).

Bosman, R. The Natural Disaster Assumption: It Won't Happen to Me, Risk and Insurance Management Society.

Bosner, Leo. (Aug 3 2011) Part One: FEMA And Disaster - A Look At What Worked And What Didn't From A FEMA Insider, available at:truth-out.org/fema-and-disaster-look-what-didnt-fema-insider/1312379185 (accessed 13 November 2011).

Espo, David. (Sept 26 2011) Shutdown Averted? FEMA Has Enough Disaster Money, available online at www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/d9q0epjg0.htm ( accessed 11 November 2011).

Frank, T. (2011) Disasters Strain FEMA Resources, available at:www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2011-10-23/disasters-strain-fema-funds/50886370/1 (accessed 26 October 2011).

Korte, Gregory. (Sept 28 2011) FEMA Tweaks Figures to Avert Crisis. USA Today.

Unknown (Sept 7 2005) A Timeline of Government Response To Hurricane Katrina available at:www.ojr.org/ojr/wiki/katrina_timeline/ (accessed 13 November 2011).