No matter how much they think ahead, state and local governments cannot succeed unless their citizens think ahead, too. Unfortunately, even Katrina did not provide a wake-up call. Most Americans continue to deny the possibility that anything bad will happen in their communities.
More troubling, most Americans continue to report that they do not know what their states or localities want from them, do not have plans for contacting family or friends in the event of a catastrophe, and do not have the time or money to prepare. Bluntly put, most Americans cannot survive three hours after a catastrophe, let alone three days.
Katrina may have actually reinforced the apathy. Nothing went right in New Orleans: The local government left town as the storm approached, the state government was frozen by the crisis, and the federal government was nowhere to be found. Even three days of supplies would not have been enough to survive, especially with most of the supplies underwater and most of the governments running on empty.
If state and local governments believe that Katrina created more urgency, they are mistaken. Interviewed only weeks before Katrina hit, most Americans said they were unprepared for a disaster of any kind, let alone a terrorist attack, such as a suicide bombing or biological attack. Interviewed again just six weeks after Katrina hit, barely a sixth of Americans said they had done anything new to prepare.
Ironically, Katrina seemed to convince Americans that there is nothing much they can do to protect themselves when disaster strikes. Comparing the pre- and post-Katrina surveys, Americans are not saying "show me the plan," but "show me the point."
Katrina proved yet again that scaring the public won't motivate action. Nor will the patchwork of worst-case scenarios that populate the airwaves as federal, state and local governments roll out their local campaigns. Although economists continue to win Nobel Prizes showing that loss is a greater motivator than gain, the potential losses are so great that most Americans simply hunker down or pretend that nothing could happen to them.
Government and its private and nonprofit partners need a different plan. One approach is to feature the gains of preparedness in ordinary life. Having a plan to contact families and friends is not just good for disasters, it is good common sense for the normal accidents of everyday life. Having a few days' supply of water and canned goods is not just important for surviving catastrophes; it is imminently useful for the inevitable closures of grocery stores during lesser events.
A second approach is to let Americans touch their supplies during these occasional disruptions. Instead of telling Americans that the kits have to stay locked on dusty shelves until the world explodes, government and its partners should encourage Americans to use their kits and plans when the power goes out, the local grocery stores close, and they need a can or two of food. After all, getting Americans to use and replenish their kits and test their plans is not only good practice for bigger crises; it is infinitely better than having no supplies or plans at all.
It is also time to be honest with the American people. They cannot prepare for all disasters with the same kit, though having one in the trunk of the car and another in the kitchen closet is essential. Having been told to prepare for everything, too many Americans have prepared for nothing.
Government must acknowledge that all events are not equal. Food, water and personal plans may provide the foundation for catastrophic events, but government has to be more honest about the probabilities and impacts of future events. The Department of Homeland Security has done just that by identifying its high-risk areas for preparedness grants. Being honest is not just good for helping citizens understand what might lay ahead, it may be the best way to restore the trust in government that was lost during Katrina.
By shifting from loss to gain, state and local governments may finally penetrate the resistance to laying the foundation for preparedness. Most Americans can appreciate the ordinary accidents that might occur in daily life. And they can certainly grasp the value of having extra supplies on hand for a late-night crisis.
By giving permission to touch the stuff, Americans might learn that the stuff is handy to have around. It's just common sense. Come to think of it, that might be the catch-phrase for a national campaign.
