Making Strides in Preparedness

When we began to develop the Ready Campaign with the Department of Homeland Security shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11th, our research showed that there was a distinct lack of knowledge among the public about what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. However, the country was shaken with the realization that such a tragedy could happen on American soil.

Our campaign sought to reduce fears and address the information gap by educating individuals about specific actions they could take to protect themselves, their families and their communities in the wake of another attack. Since then, the campaign has evolved to an all-hazards approach. All types of disasters – natural and manmade – require several basic preparedness steps, including becoming informed, developing an emergency kit and making a family communications plan.

We knew when we started that fostering a culture of preparedness in our country would not happen overnight and would require consistent and ongoing messaging. Generating significant attitudinal and behavioral change takes time. Ad Council campaigns are testament to that fact. For example, it took more than two decades to encourage 82% of the population to buckle up (from 14% in 1985). And 25 years for "Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk" to encourage 68% of Americans to stop a friend from driving after consuming alcohol.

In just the first five years of the Ready campaign, we're already making significant progress in sparking behavioral change. Our most recent tracking survey (July 2008) found that nearly 6 in 10 Americans (58%) say they have done something to prepare for emergencies. This percentage has been rising steadily since 2005 when only 45% of respondents said they had taken any steps.

Even more significant, more Americans are taking the simple steps promoted in our advertising. The number of Americans that have developed an emergency preparedness kit increased from 44% to 53% during the last 4 years, and those that created a family emergency plan increased from 32% to 40%. Furthermore, www.ready.gov has received more than 2 billion visits, more than 350,000 people have called our campaign's toll-free number and over 27 million Americans have downloaded the informational brochure.

This progress can be attributed to the extraordinary support from the media over the years, totaling more than $756 million in donated advertising time and space, as well as the participation of our wonderful national and local partners, including National Preparedness Month coalition members. This is a very integrated and comprehensive effort that extends far beyond advertising.

Together, we have been able to achieve noteworthy awareness and change. But we have much more to do to create a culture of preparedness and a PSA campaign can't accomplish this alone. Our research shows that the farther we get from a major disaster, such as Katrina, the more difficult the challenge. Complacency is on the rise and our latest data found that 52% of Americans don’t feel they will be personally affected by an emergency so they are not motivated to act. Unfortunately, this means that today we have an even greater barrier to change than we did when we started.

National Preparedness Month is essential. We need to mobilize communities and organizations throughout the country in communicating the need to prepare to all Americans.

Change will take time. But we're headed in the right direction and continuing to increase our nation's level of preparedness.

Peggy Conlon, President & CEO, The Advertising Council