WILLEMSTAD – Only a small portion of Curaçao’s population has basic supplies at home to deal with an emergency situation, according to the results of a recent survey conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
The findings show that just four percent of respondents reported having non-perishable food stored at home as part of preparations for a possible crisis.
The results stand out against the backdrop of the government’s preparedness campaign “Ami ta Prepará,” which aims to encourage residents to better prepare for emergencies such as natural disasters or prolonged power outages.
According to the survey, relatively few households have built up food reserves. Non-perishable items such as canned goods or dry food are typically considered essential components of an emergency supply kit.
A somewhat larger share of respondents indicated they do have drinking water and a flashlight available. About one-third of those surveyed said they keep these basic supplies at home.
The government recommends storing two to three liters of drinking water per person per day for at least three days as part of emergency preparedness.
Other common preparations mentioned by respondents include candles and matches for use during power outages, with nearly one-third saying they keep these items on hand.
Almost three in ten respondents also reported keeping cash available as an emergency reserve, for example in case electronic payment systems become temporarily unavailable.
Meanwhile, about a quarter of respondents said they have a first aid kit or a battery-powered radio prepared for emergency situations. Around two percent reported other forms of preparation, while approximately three percent indicated they had made no preparations at all.
The limited level of preparation is consistent with how residents assess their own readiness. According to the same CBS survey, only about one in five respondents feels well or very well prepared for a potential crisis, while more than seven in ten said they feel only somewhat prepared or not prepared at all.
The survey also found differences between men and women. About a quarter of men said they feel well prepared for emergencies, compared with around 15 percent of women. At the same time, nearly four in ten women reported feeling completely unprepared, compared with about a quarter of men.