Ignorance – After September 11, Hurricane Katrina, and even the Bastrop County wildfires, it is hard to believe that people can still be ignorant about disaster preparedness; but it does still happen.
It usually stems from the thought that we will all be taken care of by the government. Preparedness has begun to become more of a standard lifestyle thanks to FEMA and the boom of 72 hour kits available. Unfortunately most people will only have a maximum of 7 days’ worth of supplies and others don’t even know how much they actually need to store in order to have a 7 day supply of food and water. Many people have a single case of water and think that it will see them through any disaster. Unfortunately Hurricane Katrina was not enough to prove to these people that the government may not come in like the cavalry precisely three days after an emergency.
Many of my friends and family were left for over a week in the wake of Hurricane Rita without fresh water food and power. It was only in the aftermath of Katrina, less than a month before, that they were shaken out of their ignorance and had stocked a pallet of emergency food and a couple hundred gallons of water in the storm cellar.
Unfortunately in most cases, ignorance can only be overcome by someone who has survived a disaster firsthand. The best way to break an ignorant lifestyle is to educate yourself and your family. Stay abreast of all natural disasters and look at the localized history of disasters in your area so that you are not preparing for a hurricane when odds are an earthquake is more likely to strike near you.
Check out these related articles from our site:
The Psychology of Survival – Why Your Mind Matters Most
Psychology of Survival: Arrogance
Psychology of Survival: Fear and Despair
