Survey: Only Half Americans Feel Safer Today, 10 Years After 9/11

  • Aug 30, 2011

Federal Signal Corp., a designer and manufacturer of public safety communications equipment and systems, today announced the results of its 2011 survey regarding Americans’ public safety concerns ten years after 9/11.  Conducted by Zogby International, and involving 2,153 adults across the United States, Federal Signal’s 2011 Public Safety Survey revealed that half of Americans feel they are less safe today than they were prior to the 9/11 tragedy.  The research also discovered that 90 percent of Americans believe that community public emergency awareness and/or communication requires some form of minor to major improvement.

Other key findings included:
- One third (34 percent) of Americans feel that public safety is a not a priority in their community. 
- Almost 4 out of 10 consider their city or town slightly to completely unprepared in the event of an emergency, including unexpected emergency risks such as natural disasters, terrorism and health pandemics.

“This survey speaks volumes to perceptions about the current state of public safety awareness and emergency preparedness and reminds us solutions must come from year-round, community-wide engagement and action,” noted Joe Wilson, president of Federal Signal’s Safety and Security Systems Group. “While two-thirds of Americans feel public safety is a priority in their communities, we can’t be satisfied until we have the entire population positively expressing this sentiment.”
 
Americans Feel Safest at Home, Not Work
Federal Signal’s research further unveiled that more than 4 in 10 Americans feel that public safety planning is not a priority to their employers.  When asked where they felt safest, only 4 percent of respondents said at work. However, respondents who live in a smaller city feel that their employers prioritize safety much higher (73 percent) than those who live in a rural area (48 percent).
 
Paying Attention to Disasters can Help Americans Prepare for Them
When citing recent natural disasters, for example the earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods that occurred in 2011, 52 percent of Americans indicated that attention to emergency preparedness has not increased. Of those respondents, an overwhelming 90 percent between the ages of 18 and 24 believe attention to emergency preparedness has not increased, and those who live in a city believe that attention has increased more than those who live in suburban or rural areas.
 
“Whether you’re considering 9/11 or the devastating natural disasters that occurred in 2011, the danger should never be completely removed from Americans’ minds,” said Wilson. “We need to collectively consider and actively discuss how we should prepare, respond and communicate in the event of an emergency scenario.”

Public Safety Requires a Proactive Approach
According to the survey, public safety awareness has not improved for almost half of Americans, with 46 percent reporting they maintain the same or a lesser level of awareness as compared to a year ago. Twenty-two percent claimed that nothing will make an effective impact to increasing public safety awareness.
 
“We need to remind Americans what individuals and families can and should do on their own,” Wilson added. “Federal Signal is committed to helping ensure that Americans are not only prepared for an emergency situation, but that they’re aware of what is being done to keep them safe in a disaster.”
 
Americans Make Use of Communication Channels
The study also examined how Americans choose to communicate during an emergency scenario, finding 57 percent of survey respondents would use multiple forms of communication, including text messaging, social media and email if no landline or cell phone voice communications were available in the event of an emergency.

“Threats of terrorist attack and natural disasters were deemed Americans’ greatest public safety concerns in our annual survey last December. This year’s research not only reaffirms these concerns, but reveals a greater need for more visible public safety awareness and emergency planning education,” Wilson said. “Federal Signal invites everyone to sign up for local community mass notification services and to take advantage of  other available online resources such as information about what to include in an emergency kit, how to practice evacuation drills, and remembering the importance of texting first and talking second for non-emergency communications during a disaster.”

For more information, visit http://www.alertnotification.com/

Zogby International was commissioned by Federal Signal to conduct an online nationwide survey of 2,153 adults. All surveys were completed July 29 through August 1, 2011. A sampling of Zogby International's online panel, which is representative of the adult population of the U.S., was invited to participate.  

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services

  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

  • Report: Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Leaders Say Cyberattacks Have Impacted Patient Care

    Omega Systems, a provider of managed IT and security services, today released new research that reveals the growing impact of cybersecurity challenges on leading healthcare organizations and patient safety. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report, 19% of healthcare leaders say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care, and more than half (52%) believe a fatal cyber-related incident is inevitable within the next five years. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.