Apparently, last years hurricane season, one of the most active ever, including Katrina and Rita (I sitll like Ophelia), has not changed peoples minds
One in four people in Southern coastal states said they would ignore government hurricane evacuation orders, according to a Harvard University survey done earlier this month.
The most common reasons respondents gave for not evacuating were confidence that their home is well-built, belief that roads would be too crowded and concern that evacuating would be dangerous.
"Public officials have to realize a substantial group of people are going to remain and be very dependent on rescue efforts after a storm hits," said Robert Blendon, the Harvard health policy professor who directed the survey.
And, of course, any and all issues surrounding a hurricane strike will be blamed on President Bush, rather then people who should take responibility for their own safety. Granted, not everyone can get out, at least not easily, as we saw in New Orleans. But, at that point, it is up to local and state officials to either take care of it, or ask the feds for help.
Interestingly, this survey encompased over 2,000 people, who "were 18 and older and lived in counties within 50 miles of the coastline in the states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina." Compare that to national political surveys who poll less the 1,000 people across the country to make a determination of which way the political winds are blowing.
Me, I live rather far from the coast, but have been through some ugly hurricane weather, including Gloria, Charley, Emily, Bertha, Bonnie, Fran and Floyd. Not alot of fun, and they were only tropical storms, for those that hit Raleigh.
But, I remember going down to Emerald Isle to help a friend board up his parents beach home, since people were not sure where Hurricane Hugo was going to go. We could see the clouds 10 hours before impact, from a couple hundred miles away.
If someone wants to get stuck in that, it is on their own heads.
