I interviewed Dr. Redlener in February for a
Vox article about the rising popularity of curated preparedness products, which I’d seen popping up on top influencers’ Instagrams. These kits, often sold in aesthetically-pleasing backpacks or crates, are typically filled with emergency medical supplies, high-protein food, water, blankets, flashlights, and other basics with the goal of sustaining someone in the days following a devastating event. When I published my
article in early March, I pointed to both those celebrity endorsements and the growing global market around these sorts of products as a turning point away from our traditionally unprepared culture, in which just about half of Americans – if that – had any sort of disaster provisions.