CDC: More households need a disaster evacuation plan
Atlanta – Most households have taken steps to prepare for a disaster, but few have a written evacuation plan, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.
CDC surveyed tens of thousands of households in 14 states between 2006 and 2010 to compile data on disaster preparedness. Among the households surveyed:
- 94.8 percent had a working battery-powered flashlight and 77 percent had a radio.
- 89.7 percent had three-day supplies of medication, 82.9 percent had food and 53.6 percent had water.
- 21.1 percent had a written evacuation plan.
The report's authors said greater effort should be taken to stress the importance of emergency preparedness, particularly a written plan, and the government should increase the availability of preparedness materials to the Hispanic population and to people with resource or language barriers.
The report was published Sept. 14 in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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