Survey finds many in La. reject evacuation option for hurricane
Print
Email
Save
Reprints
Twitter
Share
Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Reddit
- Page 1 of 3
- SINGLE PAGE VIEW
Despite the devastation hurricanes Katrina and Rita wrought on Louisiana in 2005, a large number of coastal residents still say they would refuse to evacuate if another hurricane zeroes in on the state, a Harvard University survey shows.
“Even though the percentages of people not prepared or who wouldn’t evacuate are small, those numbers add up to the thousands in a metropolitan area like New Orleans,” said Tami Buhr of Harvard’s School of Public Health and one of the survey’s researchers. “That’s a lot of people still at risk.”
The survey was conducted between May 27 and June 23 when researchers called 5,055 people who live in a county or parish within 20 miles of the coast in eight states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas.
This is the third year Harvard has conducted the survey.
“I think what we find most surprising is the results haven’t changed much in the three years we’ve been doing this,” Buhr said. “That tells me that the behaviors and attitudes are pretty ingrained.”
The survey shows that in most areas, Louisiana residents are better prepared than the residents of the other seven states.
At the same time, the survey shows that Louisiana’s residents are also more worried than the respondents in the other seven states about problems they might have during and after another hurricane.
Those problems include: not enough gasoline, food, water, medical care, cash on hand as well as the threat of injuries, violence, and heat exhaustion.
“There is no doubt that these worries are the result of Hurricane Katrina and the personal experiences they’ve had,” Buhr said. “Their worries are based on reality.”
In Louisiana, 17 percent of the respondents said they would not evacuate if the government said they had to because another major hurricane was headed toward the state.
And 15 percent said they believe they would be safer if they stayed in their homes rather than evacuate.
“This is the No. 1 reason people give for not evacuating,” Buhr said of people believing their homes are safe. “If Hurricane Katrina didn’t change that view, it’s pretty discouraging.”
Another 19 percent said if they had to evacuate, they would need help, but 41 percent of those said they had not yet lined up anyone to help them.
- NEXT PAGE »
- 1
- 2
- 3
-
You would have thought after Katrina and Rita people would have learned. This is America, they can do what they want, but if they make a bonehead decision or are just too lazy to do anything, the taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for it.
-
Yep, you're statements are dead on, except one minor detail: swap out the word "if" for the word "when." It's not a matter of IF they make a bonehead decision, that's a given. After all, you're talking about the same people who elect the likes of Kathleen "Babbling" Blank-0 and Bobby Jindal. Let the good times roll.
-
O yes, let's trust the government. Then we can all be herded into shelters to be assaulted by thugs, while our homes are burglarised by other thugs -- some of them in the employ of the government. Then, after it is all over, we can deal with more government thugs who will not let us back to our homes until their buddies have completely looted them. Indeed, the key is personal responsibility. Some people did learn from Katrina and Rita/ Do not trust anyone from the government.
-
...and it is the government's fault if they have to sit on their roof several days waiting to be evacuated?????? (geeez, give me a break, it should be personal responsibility first)
-
Allow me to shed some light on this news. Most New Orleans area people have said even if a category 2 storm approaches they are leaving, as well they should. However, there are 18 hurricane states in the nation and most of those people said to themselves "New Orleans devastation came from levee breaches, we dont have those problems here". I guess thats true depending on where you live, I mean New York is a hurricane state but the odds of any New York city being destroyed in a hurricane is slim but you still need to take precausion because Im sure Midwest residents looked at Mississippi and La. victims threee years ago and said "Yeah that wil never happen here" but guess what, it happened. Be vigiliant about disasters. Just because you dont think it can happen to your hometown, trust me it can. At least in other states, it's signature city being knocked out wont throw the rest of the state into chaos. Ever since Katrina, La. has struggled since New Orleans has been down. Lafayette, Baton Rouge and every other place saw temporary gains in almost everything but the state continued to struggle because it's signature, market city was down and out. Hopefully that wont be a problem in other states. The disaster itself may be ugly but the response of katrina is what is turning Katrina into a historical event. Had those people not been in the Superdome or stuck on roofs and everybody been gone, Katrina would have been ugly but the human factor would have been taken out. It's about smart state government something La. doesnt have.
-
"It's about smart state government something La. doesnt have. " If people took personal responsibility, it wouldn't matter how smart the government is.
-
At a certain point, as cruel as it sounds, you must let the Darwin effect work. If living through the devastation of Katrina didn't impress them, spending more time, effort, and FEMA money won't help Hopefully the next generation will be smarter
-
Save this article, show the national news media this when they come down here with their cameras. And you know they will want to blame everyone in site, for the stupidity of these people.
-
Exactly right, CB. There's a big problem with relying on the almighty government to solve all of our problems and keep us safe: the goverment I'SNT almighty.
-
It's not that we don't want to evacuate and itsn't the fact that Hwy 1 and 182 are both a bonafied traffic mess even when it is sunny and being caught up in traffic makes us don't want to even try to flee in the event of a story, it is the fact that most of us feel obligated to stick around--even in perilsome conditions--to make sure that Bush and Cheney's refineries and drilling platforms are safe and secure.....
-
Tell me Sharon, did Bush and Cheney also create the hurricane?
-
All the poeple that depend on the government to help them out durning a hurricane need there head check out. If you were here durning Katrina and Rita they should know better. Its a real shame the people in this state would depend on Louisiana Government and Federal Government to help them out. OPEN YOUR EYES People.
-
Let the hurricanes kill all that stay and ley GOD sort em out. The population's overall IQ would double overnight.
-
If you reread the story, it is everyone's personal responsibility to preapre their family and pets for at least three days without assistance. The state and federal governments serve SOLELY as a response function to an event. And the response phase does not begin until 72 hours after impact. Secondly, you should only evacuate if you NEED to evacuate. If you live within an evacuation zone, you have a responsibility to evacuate. Take responsibility. If you do not, then make sure your home is secure and you are prepared for three days without outside provisions. If you evacuate, do not wait until a mandatory evac is called. Leave two days or so before, and make sure you know where you are going before you leave. If you live inside a mobile home, you must evacuate if your home is within the hurricane wind zone. It does not matter what steps are taken to secure the home, you take your life into your own hands if you ride out a storm in a mobile home. Lastly, the Harvard Study has to be taken with a grain of salt. There are some people who do not have to evacuate, thus they will answer negative to evacuating if they are ordered to do so since it is not necessary. You have to read the entire study to understand the true data because it can be misleading. Have a plan because it is your responsibility.
Click "Report Abuse" to notify our moderators that a comment may contain objectionable content.
Your comment appears to contain objectionable content and must be reviewed by a site moderator. If your comment is deemed objectionable, it will not appear on the site.
 | ||||
| Most Popular | Most Emailed | Hot Topics | ||
