Emergency kits can contain everyday household items, like blankets, non-perishable food and communication devices like radios.
Alan Sylvestre / OPB
We know that a massive earthquake will hit the Pacific Northwest in the future. More specifically, we know there's a 37 percent chance of it happening in the next 50 years. It will be deadly and devastating and fundamentally change the lives of residents here.
Yet we are massively unprepared, both on an institutional level, and, often, on a personal level. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has found that fewer than half of Americans have a survival kit or communication plan ready for a disaster. And when asked specifically about whether they have enough food or water to survive a disaster, the numbers drop further.
In a radio special as part of OPB's "Unprepared" series, Think Out Loud producer Dave Blanchard explores what's going on in our minds when we ignore and put off warnings about a looming disaster.
Click here to learn more about the psychology of preparedness.
