Red Cross preaches 'be prepared,' but disaster-kits flop

It's a new world -- one of orange alerts, gas masks and chilling warnings from the FBI.

You'd think that would be enough to put people on edge or maybe even cause panic. At the very least it should be enough for people to follow the government's admonition to create disaster kits with three days of food and water, a radio with batteries, a first-aid kit and other supplies.

Instead? Mostly shrugs.

"We really haven't thought about it. I guess we're stupid," said Angie Laforest, a Jackson resident who works at a Scott City preschool.

But she's not in the minority. A recent national poll shows that only a small fraction of people have created disaster kits, pronouncing themselves unprepared for a terrorist attack.

The American Red Cross wants to change that. This month, the Red Cross is urging Southeast Missouri residents to stockpile emergency food and supplies in case of a disaster -- whether it's a terrorist attack or a tornado or earthquake.

If most people are unconcerned, the so-called "orange alert" -- which signifies the high risk of terrorism in the U.S. -- did prompt some calls to the local Red Cross for information on putting together disaster kits.

"When it went orange, our phones started ringing off the hook," said Ron MacCubbin, director of emergency services for the Southeast Missouri Chapter of the Red Cross. "We had people calling up, crying. A lot of people took it seriously."

But MacCubbin acknowledged that most people don't think about disasters until there is one. So the Red Cross repeatedly preaches about preparedness hoping it will sink in.

"There is always the concern that people will tune you out," he said. "If you are prepared, you are prepared for anything. That is the key to survival."

Dave Hitt, Cape County Emergency Preparedness director, agrees.

"Our song and dance is exactly the same," he said.

While having some duct tape and plastic sheeting doesn't hurt anything, Hitt said planning emergency kits is a better idea.

He also recommends planning communication, such as having a relative who doesn't live nearby act as a point of contact.

Long-distance assistance

In emergencies, long-distance phone service comes back faster, so he suggested finding someone outside of the area code to be prepared to field calls from various members of the family.

"For us, it's my sister in St. Louis," he said. "I can call her and my kids can call her. Then she tells us everybody has checked in and is OK."

Hitt agrees that most people probably aren't getting such plans together or preparing emergency kits.

"I don't really have any way of knowing, but I suspect they are not," he said. "People don't see our area as a threat, that's a big reason."

He noted that St. Louis isn't too far away and it would be hard to show the difference on a globe.

"Anything's possible," he said. "People need to take this seriously."

Tom Harold, a Cape Girardeau financial planner, takes it seriously, somewhat. He has fresh water and canned goods at home, but he doesn't have a kit in his car.

He's skeptical about how useful it would be anyway.

"If there was some kind of attack, we'd probably be at work," he said. "This would only work if everyone is at home. I honestly spend very little time thinking about it."

Jim Watkins of Cape Girardeau has had an emergency kit prepared for years.

Watkins, who became an enthusiastic supporter of earthquake preparedness more than a decade ago, is also helping emergency officials teach students that message as well.

He carries a backpack in his car, outfitted with gloves, nutritional bars to eat, a blanket, a battery-powered flashlight, a radio and a change of clothes.

At home, he has a five-gallon bucket of emergency supplies stored in a closet and a 30-gallon trash can in his basement full of emergency water, food, clothes and other supplies.

"If we're not prepared as individuals, how can we be prepared as a community?" he said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123

smoyers@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137