Demonstration of a Perception “Gap” in Public Disaster Preparedness

Introduction—Following the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary, academic consortiums and government groups alike have started making recommendations for improving outcomes to violent events. Recently these efforts have gained public and private funding and begun mass media campaigns. In this study we sought to perform the first evaluation of whether this effort is reflected in public awareness.

Methods—This study group comprised a cross-sectional public demographic that completed a 15-question survey. Surveys were completed in an academic environment. Topics included the participant’s understanding of trauma injuries, recommended interventions and subjective evaluation of disaster preparedness. Participants were also asked to identify whether they were licensed medical providers or had prior medical training.

Results—Two hundred-fifty surveys were completed. Of these, 69.2% indicated “calling 9-1-1” would be their “[primary] concern immediately following a disaster or emergency situation.” Approximately 5.2% indicated “treating victims” as their first priority, while 25.6% indicated “fleeing the area” or “ensuring personal safety.” While 64.7% correctly identified trauma as the leading cause of death in the population ages 1–44, only 78.5% of this group correctly identified exsanguination as a “preventable” cause of death in trauma. Also significantly, 100% of respondents stated they had previously attended a “disaster management” training presentation, yet more than 80% indicated that they were “not prepared” or only “somewhat prepared” for disaster events.

Conclusion—This small cross-sectional survey demonstrates a disconnect with the public’s perception of mortality in disasters. Despite 100% of those surveyed indicating having participated in some form of disaster training, 80% indicated they were “not prepared” or only “somewhat prepared” for an emergency. A significant number of participants did not identify trauma as a leading cause of death in either the young adult or pediatric population, and approximately half identified exsanguination as a “preventable” cause of death. Clearly currently available disaster training is inadequate, as a majority of those surveyed listed “calling 9-1-1” as their primary responsibility in an emergency. The results suggest the need for alternative methods—= to improve awareness of the morbidity and mortality associated with manmade and natural disasters.