[vox_mundi]

Annual Survey of American Fears released

Chapman University has initiated a nationwide poll on what strikes fear in Americans. The Chapman University Survey on American Fears included 1,500 participants from across the nation and all walks of life. The research team leading this effort pared the information down into 10 major "domains" of fear, which encapsulates the entirety of the 88 individual fears the survey addressed. On average, Americans' fears lay highest in the domains of man-made disasters, such as terrorist attacks, followed by technology and then the government - such as corruption.



"We found a major disconnect between people's expectations of what would happen in a disaster and the reality of a disaster's aftermath," said Ann Gordon, Ph.D., and lead researcher on the disaster portion of the survey. "The number one excuse given by Americans for not having an emergency kit is that they expect first responders to come to their aid immediately—this is an unrealistic belief in the wake of a natural disaster."

In our survey we asked a random sample of Americans about fears of natural and man-made disasters. We then asked whether they had taken recommended preparedness steps such as assembling an emergency kit.

More than half of all Americans [55 percent] fear they will experience a natural or manmade disaster. And some 28% fear such a disaster will damage their property.

A whopping 86% believe an emergency supply kit, such as a 72-hour kit recommended by FEMA or the Red Cross would improve their chances of surviving a disaster. Nevertheless, 72 percent have made no effort to put together such a kit.

The survey showed that the top excuses Americans gave for lack of disaster preparedness are:



Others reported they could not afford to prepare or purchase an emergency kit.

http://www.chapman.edu/wilkinson/resear ... fears.aspx

Other Worries ...

Corruption - 58.0%
Economic Collapse - 39.2%
War - 35.8%
Pandemic - 34.3%
Nuclear Attack - 33.6%
Meltdown - 32.3%
Civil Unrest - 32.0%
Global Warming - 30.7%
Drought - 29.4%
Overpopulation - 24.0%
Whites no longer majority - 18.2%

[GHung]




Build a Kit

A disaster supplies kit is simply a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.

Try to assemble your kit well in advance of an emergency. You may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you. You will probably not have time to search for the supplies you need or shop for them.

You may need to survive on your own after an emergency. This means having your own food, water and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least 72 hours. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours or it might take days.

Additionally, basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment and telephones may be cut off for days or even a week, or longer. Your supplies kit should contain items to help you manage during these outages.

Basic Disaster Supplies Kit

A basic emergency supply kit could include the following recommended items:

Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
Flashlight and extra batteries
First aid kit
Whistle to signal for help
Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
Manual can opener for food
Local maps
Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger

Additional emergency supplies:

Once you have gathered the supplies for a basic emergency kit, you may want to consider adding the following items:

Prescription medications and glasses
Infant formula and diapers
Pet food and extra water for your pet
Cash or traveler's checks and change
Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container. You can use the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK) (PDF - 977Kb) developed by Operation Hope, FEMA and Citizen Corps to help you organize your information.
Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or free information from this web site.
Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted, nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
Fire extinguisher
Matches in a waterproof container
Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils
Paper and pencil
Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

First aid kit:

In any emergency a family member or you yourself may suffer an injury. If you have these basic first aid supplies you are better prepared to help your loved ones when they are hurt.

Knowing how to treat minor injuries can make a difference in an emergency. You may consider taking a first aid class, but simply having the following things can help you stop bleeding, prevent infection and assist in decontamination.

Two pairs of Latex or other sterile gloves if you are allergic to Latex
Sterile dressings to stop bleeding
Cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes
Antibiotic ointment
Burn ointment
Adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes
Eye wash solution to flush the eyes or as general decontaminant
Thermometer
Prescription medications you take every day such as insulin, heart medicine and asthma inhalers. You should periodically rotate medicines to account for expiration dates.
Prescribed medical supplies such as glucose and blood pressure monitoring equipment and supplies

Non-prescription drugs:

Aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever
Anti-diarrhea medication
Antacid
Laxative

Other first aid supplies:

Scissors
Tweezers
Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant


Federal Emergency Management Agency
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
500 C Street SW, Washington DC 20472
General Operator: (202) 646-5000

http://m.fema.gov/build-a-kit

"Check", on all of the above,, and more.

Boy Scout Motto: BE PREPARED!

[vox_mundi]

Prepare for the Worst. Hope for the Lottery!

Indeed ...





From the folks who brought you ...

and

[vox_mundi]

Many fear the worst for humanity, so how do we avoid surrendering to an apocalyptic fate? h/t to DesdemonaDespair

A new, four-nation study has found people rate the risks of global threats to humanity surprisingly high. These perceptions are likely to be important, socially and politically, in shaping how humanity responds to the threats.

The study, of more than 2000 people in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, found:

- 54% of people surveyed rated the risk of our way of life ending within the next 100 years at 50% or greater;

- almost one in four (24%) rated the risk of humans being wiped out within a century at 50% or greater;

- almost three in four (73%) believe there is a 30% or greater risk of our way of life ending (30% said that the risk is 70% or more); and

- almost four in ten (39%) believe there is a 30% or greater danger of humanity being wiped out (10% said the risk is 70% or more - [... heavily biased by PO.com members no doubt]).



It also found:

- a large majority (78%) agreed “we need to transform our worldview and way of life if we are to create a better future for the world” (activism);

- about one in two (48%) agreed that “the world’s future looks grim so we have to focus on looking after ourselves and those we love” (nihilism); and

- more than one in three (36%) said “we are facing a final conflict between good and evil in the world” (fundamentalism).

[Hawkcreek]

"Check", on all of the above,, and more.

I've got all that except for the whistle to signal for help.
If I need help I will fire 500 rounds from my 308, in groups of three. Listen up.

[sidzepp]

Back during the Y2K fiasco, my brother-in-law, a survivalist was discussing the impending disaster. He mentioned he had ten gallons of gasoline on hand to run his generator. I commented that would only run it for a day or two. He looked at me as a prophet for revealing his lack of preparedness. He went out the next day and bought a 100 gallon tank. I told him he would be a beacon in the night to all the people roaming the streets as if auditioning for the Walking Dead.
The point is, is if civilization as we know it ceases to exist because of all the problems confronting us that we seem not to care about, what difference does all the preparedness in the world going to do. The seven billion citizens of this world have abdicated and real desire to discuss rationally the problems and attempt to tackle them.

The Democratic last night on stage in front of millions of people did not offer one solution. Indeed, the stock market is recovering and the one percenters continue to accumulate more wealth.

I will sit back and enjoy the show.

[Ibon]

What about the fear of being so afraid that you allow life to slip right by you?

[ROCKMAN]

And what about the fear of not worrying enough about what bad things might happen to a person? Or even worse: the fear worrying too much about things that are very unlikely to happen.

[Lore]

Back during the Y2K fiasco, my brother-in-law, a survivalist was discussing the impending disaster. He mentioned he had ten gallons of gasoline on hand to run his generator. I commented that would only run it for a day or two. He looked at me as a prophet for revealing his lack of preparedness. He went out the next day and bought a 100 gallon tank. I told him he would be a beacon in the night to all the people roaming the streets as if auditioning for the Walking Dead.
The point is, is if civilization as we know it ceases to exist because of all the problems confronting us that we seem not to care about, what difference does all the preparedness in the world going to do. The seven billion citizens of this world have abdicated and real desire to discuss rationally the problems and attempt to tackle them.

The Democratic last night on stage in front of millions of people did not offer one solution. Indeed, the stock market is recovering and the one percenters continue to accumulate more wealth.

I will sit back and enjoy the show.

That's why I kind of have to laugh at lone wolf preppers.

First of all, in any major event were to happen, the vast majority of people will be walking around like zombies in a daze.

The small but nastier segment of our population will group and try to take some advantage of the easier pickings. Which is the loners with 30,000 rounds of ammo and their closet full of assault rifles. They'll most likely get three shots off before being flushed out and taken down, or if their lucky get it in their sleep. Good way to grab a jackpot of gear.

The only real safety is in small stable communities and the only way to conquer fear is to have a sensible plan and take action on it.

[Hawkcreek]

I've got this nightmare about living in a small stable community where all the people who have had good gardens most of their lives are having to share with do-nothings who moved into the community right before a disaster, and who talk so well they convince the community that they are are the only ones who can save them.
Then I wake up and walk around my hilltop and think about the projects I want to work on for the day.

[GHung]

Lore said: "That's why I kind of have to laugh at lone wolf preppers."

Most so-called 'preppers I know don't fit your stereotype of "lone wolf". Indeed, most are very involved in their communities. The term 'prepper' is used as a broad brush to include those of us who are making many of our own arrangements that don't rely on a highly complex set of circumstances and overall continuing economic growth. Aren't those who believe that growth will continue, and who are conducting their affairs accordingly also 'preppers'? It all depends on what it is one is preparing for. I've known quite a few BAU 'lone wolves'.

Those of us who aren't playing up to the BAU expectations society places on its members really don't give a shit what others think. We're generally too busy making a living doing things for ourselves, and cooperating with like-minded folks who expect that changes are underway that most folks are woefully unprepared for. By-in-large, these "unpreppers" will be the targets that you speak of, simply because they are vastly in the majority. As the survey reveals, their lack of preparations and their fears will likely make them more vulnerable.

It basically goes back to the "Fear the Doomers" thread I started some time back. Minorities have often come under attack simply because they do things, and think, differently; not because they pose any real threat. Not sure why that is, but I suggest that those who don't share our world-views would be better off minding their own business, making whatever preparations for the futures they see themselves living, rather than focussing on what others are doing. I'm totally as comfortable being ignored as I am sharing whatever knowledge and conclusions I may have acquired over time. And whatever overt and obvious "preparations" I'm involved in aren't much different from what some others around me are doing. The biggest threat I pose to society is that I can't be relied upon to support a consumption/waste-based economy to the best of my ability. People making their livings selling plastic pumpkins for Halloween will have to do so without my participation.

Again, as the survey shows, a big chunk of the population fears what the future holds. Woe be unto those of us who've actually faced those fears by acting to reduce our overall vulnerabilities. I sure as hell don't want to be utterly reliant upon the failing systems of the majority who are taking no action at all; not even small things like the "kit" FEMA recommends. Not the kind of folks I want to be dependent upon.

Maybe we need an "unprepper" thread to explore why more folks aren't working to be more self-reliant, as individuals and as groups. These are the ones that baffle me. I know many simply don't have the capacity or resources, but, considering the level of essentially gratuitous consumption I see, most do, at least on some level. Shoving a few cases of bottled water and a week's worth of Chunky Soup in the back of a closet isn't going to break most peoples' budgets. I guess sticking some old blankets, a flashlight, and some cans of Ensure in the trunk of the car just clutters things up, and only doomer freaks have go-bags.

Wouldn't want to be branded a 'doomsday prepper', eh?

[Hawkcreek]

Yeah, I see the term "Lone Wolf Prepper" used in the same derogatory way fairly often, and it makes me laugh,
I have been a prepper for years, know a lot of other preppers, and don't know ANY lone wolf preppers.
Oh well, I still think anyone who doesn't prepare for some possible hard times is an idiot, but that is their privilege.
If your only plan B is to wait for the government to help, or even your neighbors to help, you are just waiting on Darwin to catch you when you fall.

[Lore]

Yeah, I see the term "Lone Wolf Prepper" used in the same derogatory way fairly often, and it makes me laugh,
I have been a prepper for years, know a lot of other preppers, and don't know ANY lone wolf preppers.
Oh well, I still think anyone who doesn't prepare for some possible hard times is an idiot, but that is their privilege.
If your only plan B is to wait for the government to help, or even your neighbors to help, you are just waiting on Darwin to catch you when you fall.

You are absolutely correct. They are lone wolves in thinking only.

No Man Is an Island
Thomas Merton

[onlooker]

actually I did watch this show a number of times on cable called "Preppers" Some were lone wolf in the sense it was just themselves and their family in total "ride it out" mode with firearms, bunkers etc. You guys certainly are offering all of us good ideas and I think all of us on this site in one way or another are heeding the undeniable facts that times are "changing". I do believe two things above all. First, mental preparation is the most important, just coming to terms with all that is happening in the world. Second as Lore stated be part of some community or group, do not try to do it all alone that is foolish no matter what the future holds.

[Revi]

I think most people fear not being able to drive their monster trucks around lately. They don't have a clue as to what could befall us. And they don't care. Trying to tell them is like trying to explain our situation to a dog. At least the dog listens, in the hope of getting a treat.

[Apneaman]

Afraid of the Dark: Humanity at the Crossroads | Sheldon Solomon



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuJhD5TkX-0

[Apneaman]

"Linking Ernest Becker's Synthesis to Climate Change Denial"

Understanding the violence of Climate Change Denial


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkRdX-JlVn4

[Newfie]

I've got this nightmare about living in a small stable community where all the people who have had good gardens most of their lives are having to share with do-nothings who moved into the community right before a disaster, and who talk so well they convince the community that they are are the only ones who can save them.
Then I wake up and walk around my hilltop and think about the projects I want to work on for the day.

This sounds familiar. Europe and immigrants perhaps?

[Newfie]

I am by nature a loner in many ways. My Wife and I really, we spend a lot of time together, and not much with others outside of work. It's just our constitution.

The thing about prepping is that it should be integrated into your life, it should be something that brings you some joy. What good is it to work a farmstead if you detest farming?

None of us know the short tem future or how doom will unfold. Thus we are all making at best educated guesses, more likely a crap shoot.

Yet there are vast swathes of our population who have no preps what so ever. Anyone who live in an apartment building is at the mercy of electricity to run the elevator not to mention the water delivery pumps. Or at the mercy of the trash man?

at this instant I'm in my hunting cabin, down the road from a dairy farmer who has many, many weapons and ammo to match. But no garden. He provides milk, but is utterly dependent upon the grocery for bread.

Very few of us are truly prepared for any large scale disruption.

Our own preps revolve around the boat. 190 gallons of water, 150 gallons of fuel, stored rice and some other food and a place to go far away where we are welcome. They will likely have their own problems, but having a boat to facilitate trade is a plus.

Is it sufficient? No one knows. But we enjoy our time on the boat, so it is a pleasure to us. We are truly blessed.