Is your household prepared for a disaster such as fire, flood, earthquake, blackout, or a terrorist attack in your community?

• Published in: Annals of emergency medicine 2004-10, Vol.44 (4), p.S107-S107
• Main Authors: Barata, I.A., Llovera, I., Ward, M., Miele, D., Sama, A., Falitz, S., Rapaport, A., Ayan, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0196-0644; 1097-6760
• DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2004.07.348

Study objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine the level of individual household preparedness for a disaster. Methods: This was a prospective survey of a convenience sample of English-speaking adults in the emergency department waiting area (includes patients and visitors) during a 3-month period in 2004. The survey asked for the following information: demographics: whether the individual had a specific disaster plan in effect for their family, knowledge of disaster plans at their place of work or their children's school or daycare center; whether they had essential supplies, medications, batteries, battery-powered radios, smoke detectors, or carbon monoxide detectors at home; and whether they had a communication plan in effect. These are current recommendations by the Department of Homeland Security and the American Red Cross. Results: A total of 414 surveys were completed, with these results: 78% of participants were between 30 to 69 years of age, 56% were women, 70% white, 64% married, 87% with high school or greater level of education, 50% with children in the household, and 30% with household income greater than $100,000 per year. We obtained the following results: 59% reported having done no specific disaster planning for the family, 45% have no knowledge of disaster plans at work, 38% of participants with children in the household are not aware of their school or daycare disaster plans, and 65% of participants have no portable easy-to-carry container with essential supplies. However, after the extensive blackout in the Northeast in 2003, 49% reported changing their degree of preparedness. At home, 88% reported having a battery- powered radio, and 93% reported having a flashlight. Fifty-five percent of participants reported having “special needs” items such as formula and medications in the house in case of an emergency. We found that 88% of households have smoke detectors, but only 43% have carbon monoxide detectors. We obtained the following results about communication plans in case of an emergency: 60% do not have a designated place to meet outside the neighborhood, and 60% do not have a designated out-of-state family member or friend as a contact. Of those people surveyed who have a designated contact, only 49% of the time does every household member know the telephone number of the contact, and only 39% of the time does every household member know the e-mail address of that contact. Conclusion: Although there have been significant g