EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
California is paradise, but, even aside from the bad government, it's not perfect. Back in Dallas, I have a terrorism emergency kit, complete with duct tape (and now a lifetime's supply of matzah!). It's not cool, but I'm not ashamed to admit it. Sure, the chance we'll need it for emergency purposes is minimal—though some components came in handy when Dallas was iced in for two days. But compared to putting together an earthquake kit, it was easy. I didn't have to worry that the house would collapse on it, blocking access to the supplies.
Some people think Californians are relatively sanguine about terrorism because they live far away from New York and Washington. I think it's because they're used to living with a constant threat of death and destruction that will strike without warning. Every time you drive under an overpass, enter a parking garage, or cross a bridge in L.A. or San Francisco, there is a small but ever-present probability that it will collapse in an earthquake and kill you. Every time you go to bed, there is a larger probability that you'll be jolted awake by the house shaking. It's a relief to be able to arrange furniture, particularly bedroom bookshelves, without worrying about what might happen in an earthquake.
It turns out that residents of San Francisco and Los Angeles are more prepared for disaster than other American urbanites. The LAT's Richard Marosi reports on a Duracell/Harris Interactive study of disaster preparedness:
Forty-eight percent of households in Los Angeles—the highest rank among America's 10 largest cities—said they have a disaster plan.
New Yorkers are the least prepared, though they are the most fearful of terrorist attacks, according to the poll.
The poll also found that even though residents on the earthquake-prone West Coast are more prepared, the majority of households still don't have a family plan for dealing with a disaster.
Only 36% of households nationwide reported having a disaster supply kit in the home. In Los Angeles, 49% said they had kits; in San Francisco, 57%. The kits usually contain food and water supplies, flashlights and a portable radio.
The San Francisco Chronicle story is here. [Posted 3/13.]