American Red Cross Poll Shows Public Needs To Be More Prepared For Disasters

American Red Cross
Thursday, 4 September 2003

Poll examined preparedness confidence, knowledge and action

One week before the second anniversary of one of the most devastating disasters on American soil, the American Red Cross released findings about the preparedness of Americans. Poll results raise three key issues: people are less confident about being prepared at work than at home; there is a greater need for Americans to translate confidence and awareness into action; and certain regions of the country are better prepared than others.

"Being prepared for disaster is no longer an option; it is a must," said Marsha J. Evans, President and CEO of the American Red Cross. "The Red Cross is a resource that anyone can utilize to help create an overall culture of preparedness in our homes, schools, businesses and communities."

As the nation has come to the realization of a greater need to be prepared on all levels, the Red Cross launched Together We Prepare in February 2003 to help Americans prepare for emerging threats and disasters before they happen. The program challenges Americans to take five proactive steps: (1) make a plan; (2) build a kit; (3) get trained; (4) volunteer; and (5) give blood to help make their families and neighborhoods safer.

Key findings from the disaster and emergency preparedness poll include:

Evans added, "This statistic, coupled with the recent blackout catching many people off guard, demonstrate that, as a country, we have to do more to transfer the comfort of preparedness at home to the workplace and even to the commute."

"Disaster can strike anyone, anywhere at anytime," said Evans. "Making a plan and building a kit are the keys to preparedness. They lessen the consequences families face in the aftermath of an emergency. Additionally, parents of school-aged children should actively participate in the development or updating of school preparedness activities."

"We attribute these findings more than likely to the fact that floods, the threat of earthquakes, and other natural disasters affect these regions more frequently than other parts of the country," said Evans. More than two-thirds of respondents in the Northeast do not have a disaster kit or a plan in the event of a disaster, and are also least likely to have been given emergency preparedness information in their place of work.

The omnibus survey was conducted by ORC International between August 22-24, 2003 with a sample of 1,000 respondents, representative of the adult U.S. population.

The American Red Cross disaster and emergency preparedness poll can be viewed and/or downloaded at www.redcross.org/press/disaster/ds_pr/0903poll.pdf. More information on Together We Prepare is available at local Red Cross chapters or at www.redcross.org.

Governed by volunteers and supported by community donations, the American Red Cross is a nationwide network of nearly 1,000 chapters and Blood Services regions dedicated to saving lives and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Led by 1.2 million volunteers and 30,000 employees, the Red Cross annually mobilizes relief to families affected by more than 67,000 disasters, trains almost 12 million people in lifesaving skills and exchanges more than a million emergency messages for U.S. military service personnel and their families. The Red Cross is the largest supplier of blood and blood products to more than 3,000 hospitals across the nation and also assists victims of international disasters and conflicts at locations worldwide.

For more information, or to contact American Red Cross, see their website at: www.redcross.org