Disaster Preparedness Trend Stalling?

by
posted on April 30, 2023
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
Disaster Preparedness

Results of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) annual National Household Survey on Disaster Preparedness were issued last November, and despite social unrest, COVID-19, financial rumblings and Mother Nature’s current temperament, it found, “Nearly half of the country intends to prepare sometime in the future but has not yet started.” Fifty-five percent of the 7,000 families contacted have completed at least three of the dozen steps recommended by FEMA. Making that list is not a huge accomplishment, though. Saving something for a rainy day, documenting and insuring property, getting involved with the community, safeguarding documents, signing up for alerts and making a plan comprise half of it.

Self-defense questions were not included in FEMA’s study, although they were in results of a Finder.com survey of more than 4,000 people released earlier this month. Its results indicate a third of the nation spent a cumulative $11 billion on disaster preparations in the last 12 months, and 6 percent of that money was invested in self-defense firearms, ammo, gear or related classes. The bulk of funds earmarked for “prepping” across the nation was the addition of $1,057 to savings accounts—emergency funds supplemented by an increase of cash in hand by 9 percent ($468 on average).

Those investing in self-defense equipment and knowledge were primarily Gen Y and Gen Z, according to the Finder report, and male by nearly a 5:1 margin. Average investment per household in that line item came in at $150.

Less than 30 percent of those people contacted by the company are doing any disaster preparation at all. By region, 32 percent in the west do so, but in the northeast the figure plummets to 24 percent. 

FEMA’s report endorses the “lack of preparation” observation, despite its lower standards. “People are taking fewer preparedness actions since the COVID-19 pandemic started,” it stated. The number of families that have been prepared for disaster for more than a year increased from 20 percent to 27 percent from 2021 to 2022, but those that have been doing so for six months or are about to begin assembling supplies and strategies offset that gain with significant declines.

Earlier this year, American Rifleman reported on the big business of survival food and huge demand experienced by retailers, a seeming dichotomy explained by the Finder survey. The company estimates there are 74 million people getting ready to survive a disaster. Last year, 21 percent of them added food and water to their supplies, spending an average of $146 each—estimates that put total sales figure at more than $2 billion.

Latest

Gotw Rra Lar 22 Tactical Carbine Web
Gotw Rra Lar 22 Tactical Carbine Web

Gun Of The Week: Rock River Arms LAR-22 Tactical Carbine

This week, we're on the range with the Rock River Arms LAR-22 Tactical Carbine, a rimfire variant of the AR-15 that's designed for reliability and gives enthusiasts a way to shoot affordably.

The Armed Citizen® July 11, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Japanese Last-Ditch Small Arms Of World War II

The crude assortment of fighting tools used by the Japanese during World War II give clues of an unprepared and unmatched last-ditch fight that ultimately lead to Allied victory.

Federal Ammunition Awards 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships

Federal Ammunition recently awarded the 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships to two 4-H shooting sports teen ambassadors.

2025 Optic Of The Year: Burris Eliminator 6

Even as new generation after new generation of Burris Eliminator continued to add more advanced technology and functionality, it remained odd-looking—until the launch of this year’s sixth-generation product, which is the first in the line that can mount atop a rifle using standard 34 mm scope rings.

I Have This Old Gun: Star Model B

Of the many Spanish-made firearms to emerge throughout the 19th and 20th century, one of the most recognizable is the Star Model B, largely due to its similarity to the Colt Model 1911.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.