Personal Preparedness In America PDF Download

In 2012, the Nation experienced wildfires in Colorado, tropical storms affecting Florida and the Gulf Coast, earthquakes in California and Alaska, and Hurricane Sandy devastating the East Coast. These disasters highlight the risks facing all Americans and underscore the importance of emergency preparedness for all citizens, regardless of geographic location or sociodemographic status. It is important that citizens recognize their risks and understand the proper actions to take during a disaster. Citizens must also understand that taking advance actions can improve their ability to successfully navigate the immediate disaster and lessen many of the personal impacts left in the wake of disasters. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other organizations have sponsored disaster preparedness campaigns to provide the American public with the information they need to get prepared. The need for such campaigns was underscored in Presidential Policy Directive 8: National Preparedness (PPD-8). Signed by President Barack Obama on March 30, 2011, PPD-8 authorizes the Federal Government, and specifically directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to “coordinate a comprehensive campaign to build and sustain national preparedness, including public outreach and community-based and private-sector programs to enhance national resilience.” “Personal Preparedness in America: Findings from the 2012 FEMA National Survey” provides information on the status of the public's knowledge of, attitudes about, and behaviors related to preparing for a range of hazards. The data can be used to improve collaborative planning, outreach, education, and training to engage all Americans so that they become active participants in creating communities and a Nation resilient to disasters. The 2012 FEMA National Survey was conducted to: Provide a snapshot of current personal preparedness behaviors and perceptions regarding the likelihood of a natural disaster occurring in an individual's community; Gauge participation in preparedness drills and exercises as well as familiarity with community emergency response plans; Compare trends in current personal preparedness behaviors to national surveys conducted in 2007, 2009, and 2011; Measure understanding of the protective actions to take during two specific types of disasters—earthquakes and tornadoes; and Measure awareness of preparedness information and the relationship between respondents recalling that they had received preparedness information and taking preparedness actions.