Wisconsin Public Radio & St. Norbert College Survey Center

 

THE WISCONSIN SURVEY – FALL 2005

Natural Disaster Preparedness and Responsibility

 

 

 

FOR RELEASE AFTER:  7AM FRIDAY NOV. 18.

 

 

Survey Information:

Number of Adult Wisconsin Resident Respondents:  400

Interview Period: October 31 – November 11, 2005

Margin of Error: +/- 5% at the 95% confidence level.

 

 

Contact:

Wendy Scattergood

Assistant Professor of Political Science, St. Norbert College Survey Center

DePere, WI 54115

(920) 403-3491

wendy.scattergood@snc.edu

 

 

How well prepared do you think the national (federal) government is to deal with another major natural disaster. Do you think they are very well prepared, well prepared, somewhat prepared, not very well prepared, or not at all prepared?

 

                        Very Well Prepared                              4%

                        Well Prepared                                      16%

                        Somewhat Prepared                             43%

                        Not Very Well Prepared                      26%

                        Not at All Prepared                             11%

                        Not Sure                                                1%

                        Refused                                                 0%

 


Thinking about Hurricane Katrina and the disaster relief effort in New Orleans, how much of the blame for the problems in the relief effort do you think each of the following was responsible for. Let’s start with the Mayor of New Orleans, would you say that he was responsible for…

 

 

A Lot

Some

Not Much

None

Not Sure

Refused

The Mayor of New Orleans

36%

45%

13%

4%

3%

0%

Local Parish Leaders other than the Mayor

24%

48%

16%

7%

5%

0%

The Governor of Louisiana

37%

49%

9%

2%

4%

0%

FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Administration)

38%

40%

12%

6%

3%

0%

President Bush

29%

32%

19%

18%

3%

0%

 

 

Which level of government, local, state, or national, do you think should have the primary responsibility in dealing with natural disasters.

 

            Local                               22%

            State                               32%

            National                         27%

            Combination (vol.)         19%

            Not Sure                          1%

            Refused                           0%


 

 

                     Natural Disaster Preparation

 

 

Very Well

Well

Somewhat

Not Very Well

Not At All

Democrats

1%

10%

41%

30%

18%

Republicans

8%

27%

45%

18%

2%

Independents

4%

5%

44%

33%

13%

Other

0%

17%

48%

17%

14%

 

                    "A Lot" of Blame for Response

 

 

Mayor

Parish

Gov

FEMA

Pres

Democrats

17%

14%

18%

53%

43%

Republicans

57%

39%

52%

22%

7%

Independents

40%

24%

49%

45%

40%

Other

31%

17%

33%

23%

20%

 

               Where Should Primary Responsibility Be?

 

Local

State

National

Combo

Not Sure

Democrats

16%

24%

39%

19%

2%

Republicans

30%

37%

16%

16%

0%

Independents

18%

40%

28%

15%

0%

Other

17%

13%

20%

47%

3%

The tables above should be read across, e.g.,  16% of Republicans think the primary responsibility for natural disaster response should be at the national level.