FedSmith Poll: 85 percent think terror likely to occur in U.S

High percentage of respondents think an act of terror is “definite” or “likely” but most aren’t doing much about it.

Terrorism has been in the headlines every day for months. The Department of Homeland Security, a new name that still sounds strange to most of us, has been issuing guidance to the public about how to prepare for a terrorist attack should there be one.

The persistent warnings and news headlines have created a new mindset in America. While we were shielded from war on our own territory during the 20th century, we are now wondering if we are safe.

What impact has this had on Federal employees? Have they made changes in their lifestyle? Are they moving from high potential targets like Washington, DC to more distant Federal offices in the South or Midwest? Do they believe that terrorism is likely to recur in the United States?

In an unscientific poll taken earlier this week, our readers responded.

The most significant result: about 85% of respondents believe there definitely will be or it is likely there will be an act of terror in the United States. Only 7% think a new act of terror is unlikely or that there definitely will not be a terrorist act within our borders.

Despite this high percentage of people who think a terrorist attack is high, 72 percent have not made any changes to prepare. Of those who have made changes, 18 percent have bought supplies to store and 10 percent have made arrangements with family members in case of an emergency. Virtually no one has decided to change the place of residence or work to accommodate the fear or unease felt among our respondents.

About the Author

Ralph Smith has several decades of experience working with federal human resources issues. He has written extensively on a full range of human resources topics in books and newsletters and is a co-founder of two companies and several newsletters on federal human resources. Follow Ralph on Twitter: @RalphSmith47