Preparedness Takes on New Importance During COVID-19
COVID-19 has shown us that whether we’re ready or not, emergencies both big and small, short and long, will inevitably arise. It’s our job to prepare ourselves as much as possible to ensure that we have the essential items needed to make it through. According to a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. residents, we found that nearly 70% of respondents rarely or never thought about emergency preparedness before the pandemic and nearly half would have to leave their home in case of emergency because they are under-prepared.
Backup Power
- 78% of respondents are thinking more about their level of emergency preparedness since COVID-19 began
- 21% have since purchased backup power products.
- Cell phones are the number one thing respondents wouldn’t give up in an emergency (48%) with their vehicle coming in a distant second (15.7%).
- For those with health issues, 36% would first need to keep medical devices charged above all other appliances and electronics.
Emergency Preparedness
- 47% of those surveyed said they would have to leave their home in case of emergency because they are so under-prepared. Of those a quarter (23%) wouldn’t even know where to go.
- Surprisingly, more than a quarter (28%) don’t even have any emergency water storage.
- For all of those who are so severely under-prepared, 37% don’t feel comfortable asking for help in their neighborhood or complex in an emergency.
Financial Preparedness
- Pre-COVID-19 nearly half (45%) of respondents were saving no money each month for emergencies, with that number dropping significantly to only 18% since the pandemic started.
- A third (33%) were even motivated to learn how to create a budget.
- The pandemic created a major shift in people’s long-term planning as well. Pre-pandemic, 65% would rather contribute to a 401K than to emergency preparedness, however since COVID-19 started, that number has dropped significantly to 49% with more than 50% reporting they would rather spend money on emergency preparedness.
Superheroes and Snacks
- According to the survey, nearly a third (28%) of people have bought more alcohol to consume due to COVID-19 than they would otherwise, and almost half (46%) have eaten through a significant amount of the food they bought for long-term food storage.
- A whopping 58% of respondents even bought more treats than usual. Some of the most popular guilty pleasure snack foods include: Chocolate (21%) Chips (16%) Soda (13%) Alcohol (11%)
- According to respondents, the superheroes they’d most like to have with them during an emergency are: Superman (22%) Iron Man (17%) Wonder Woman (13%) Batman (12%).
Preparedness by Age Group
- Views on preparedness varied widely by age groups. The survey found that 18-29 year-olds feel more prepared for a pandemic than any other group -- especially 30-44 year-olds (44% vs 34%)
- Almost half (47%) of those 60 years-old or over reported they were very willing to help people in an emergency situation versus only 27% of those 18-29 years-old.
Humanity and New Skills
- Trying times often show us both the best and the worst of ourselves. COVID-19 has shown people more bad than good, with 30% of respondents saying the pandemic has made them view humanity more negatively.
- Especially younger generations, who tended to view it even more negatively than older (37% vs 22%).
- During quarantine, many people found themselves with added time on their hands. Many looked for new skills that may help them during a prolonged quarantine period, including: grow a garden (35%), create a budget (33%), bake bread (26%), can/bottle food (21%).
