The poor neighborhoods of many major cities across the U.S. receive much funding from the government and various non-profit organizations as part of the collective effort to improve the standard of living of, and provide housing for, the less fortunate, those who barely make enough money to feed their families. However, upon the occurrence of a natural disaster, a blackout, or even a common snowstorm, when immediate government aid is needed most, the poorer neighborhoods appear to be neglected. Why do the more expensive neighborhoods, which tend to house members of a higher socioeconomic class, get priority? Why aren’t the available resources spread out evenly across a city when a disaster occurs?
The first Chicago heat wave that Klinenberg talks about took the lives of way too many people. Part of the blame for this certainly falls on the citizens of Chicago, who failed to do what they were supposed to in order to stay safe, similar to how many New York City families who lived in a Zone A evacuation zone refused to leave their homes during Hurricane Sandy. However, the media was just as much at fault for blowing lesser occurrences out of proportion, leading people to believe that the effects of every impending disaster will be far less serious than expected. When a devastating disaster actually does come, many dismiss it as being “just another Hurricane Irene” or “just another small storm”. This mistake comes out to be costly for many, many Americans every year.
And now we get to the government. The response to the first Chicago heat wave was a disorganized effort that, as previously mentioned, kept the “bad” neighborhoods of Chicago waiting far too long for help to arrive. The location of such neighborhoods, combined with their reputations, made it more difficult for help to be sent. Fear of the violence in these neighborhoods drove emergency services to neglect the needs of the people there. Richard Daley, who was mayor of Chicago when the heat wave happened, deflected the blame, claiming that the victims of the heat wave should have taken better care of themselves. However, the administration’s fear of being held responsible for the adverse happenings led to better preparedness for the second heat wave, which took only two lives. Therefore, the response to the first heat wave really could have been better planned and made more effective, since the local government was capable of doing it right the second time around.
Why do city and state governments make the same mistake that members of the general population make in believing that an upcoming natural disaster is being blown out of proportion? Why isn’t the level of preparation based solely on the facts with which the administration is presented? When a disaster is impending, the government should prepare for the worst case scenario.
