FEMA - How to Help Individuals Help Themselves

I noticed this article about FEMA's attempts to get individuals to prepare themselves for potential disasters and terrorist incidents. If the public is better informed and prepared, it could save lives in those future emergencies. But there are challenges.

Results from the national survey have important implications for the development of more effective communication and outreach strategies to achieve greater levels of preparedness and participation, the agency says. For example, the results indicate that 30 percent of Americans have not prepared because they think that emergency responders will help them and that more than 60 percent expect to rely on emergency responders in the first 72 hours following a disaster. While government will execute its functions, communications to the public should convey a more realistic understanding of emergency response capacity and emphasize the importance of self-reliance. FEMA concludes that messaging should thus speak to a shared responsibility and stress that everyone has a role to play in preparedness and response.
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The survey results indicate that individuals’ perceived utility of preparing and their confidence in their ability to respond varies significantly by disaster type. Only 7 percent of individuals felt that nothing they did would help them handle a natural disaster, whereas 35 percent felt nothing they did would help them in an act of terrorism, such as a biological, chemical, radiological, or explosive attack. All-hazards terminology may mask important nuances relative to conveying personal preparedness guidance for specific hazards. The report thus says it is important to emphasize the survivability of manmade disasters and the relevant protective measures for these hazards.

I've always worried more about whether the states and local communities are truly prepared, or if they are instead just assuming FEMA and DOD will bail them out. It certainly is cheaper to assume the latter, and as long as there aren't any catastrophes, the strategy wins out. I would suggest also that less dramatic rhetoric about the certainty of a future bioterrorist incident and drama about 10-kt nuclear bombs in major cities would go a long way to allowing individuals to think that they could in fact take steps to prepare themselves for potential catastrophes. Just a thought.

Comments

[campbell]

Actually, MORE dramatic information needs to be CONSTANTLY drummed into the public consciousness:

"Citizens of (your city here). We have (x) number of first responders. In an emergency, each single first responder will take (x) number of minutes to take care of one victim. During the first 72 hours of a (insert disaster/emergency here), this means that our citys' first responders can only address a very small percentage(x%) of the citys' total population. That is math, and it cannot be altered.

Now, will you be part of that small percentage? Or will you take steps now to TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF during those first 72 hours?

Then, teach them simple steps to do what, and as much as they can with the means they have at hand, NOW. It's just insurance.