Are Americans Prepared for Disasters?

Are Americans Prepared for Disasters?



Not only are there serious gaps  in the nation’s readiness to protect Americans from public health disasters, experts  are saying that most “Americans themselves are not prepared to handle emergencies.”  In fact, family emergency preparedness, the first line of defense against threats to public health are woefully lacking according to a recent survey from the American Medical Association.  The startling finding—only 10 percent of households are prepared for emergencies.  And it’s not just a matter of having the physical items in place, most Americans are not mentally tuned into emergency preparedness. 

Highlighted Clip for Thursday, March 17, 2011:

"Disaster Preparedness: Could the U.S. Hold Water?"

Unlike desperate countries like Haiti, many experts agree that so far Japan, a developed country, has fared well overall in disaster preparedness, which is measured by the country's immediate response following an earthquake and tsunami.