What We Should Be Fearing
President Franklin Roosevelt
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.
Why Do We Fear Terrorists?
"Psychologists have learned that we rank fatal events by roughly squaring the death toll per event. An automobile accident with one fatality is seen as one fatality. One hundred accidents with one fatality apiece are still seen as 100 deaths. But a single event with ten fatalities has the same psychological impact as 100 individual fatalities, and an event with 100 deaths has the impact of 10,000 deaths. This is why we pay more attention to increasingly rare airline crashes, which usually involve many fatalities, than we do to the much larger national death toll from automobile accidents. The terrorist attack on 9/11, with nearly 3,000 dead, had the psychological impact of millions dying."
- Five Years After 9/11
- Marking the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, this cover story warns that we in America have succumbed too easily to fear and, as a consequence, that we risk forsaking the very things for which we are fighting.
Book: Unconquerable Nation: Knowing Our Enemy, Strengthening Ourselves.
Unconquerable Nation: Knowing Our Enemy, Strengthening Ourselves
Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $19.95
Brian Jenkins, one of the world's leading experts on terrorism and counterterrorism strategies, presents a concise and compelling overview of where we are today in the struggle against terrorism. He offers personal reflections on how some of our recent approaches to counterterrorism have been counterproductive. He presents an overview of the jihadists, particularly al Qaeda, and their operational code. He proposes strategies to counteract this adversary and to avoid reinforcing it further. Finally, he clarifies the American and Western values that we must strive to uphold, as well as ways that we might do so today and in the future.
Your Chances Of Dying In A Terrorist Attack
"...let us assume that each week one commercial aircraft were hijacked and crashed. What are the odds that a person who goes on one trip per month would be in that plane? There are currently about 18,000 commercial flights a day, and if that person's trip has four flights associated with it, the odds against that person's being on a crashed plane are about 135,000 to 1. If there were only one hijacked plane per month, the odds would be about 540,000 to 1."
Another source, www.SixWise.com, says "Historically speaking, it's a one in 9.3 million chance."
- Terrorism and You -- The Real Odds.
- AEI-Brookings Joint Center Policy Matters 01-31
Terrorism and You -- The Real Odds. by Michael L. Rothschild. November 2001. - The Six Most Feared but Least Likely Causes of Death
- The Six Most Feared but Least Likely Causes of Death
by www.SixWise.com
Books On Terrorism
Because They Hate: A Survivor of Islamic Terror Warns America
Amazon Price: (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $23.95
Understanding and Addressing Suicide Attacks: The Faith and Politics of Martyrdom Operations
Amazon Price: $44.95 (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $44.95
Al Qaeda Now: Understanding Today's Terrorists
Amazon Price: $25.99 (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $25.99
Odds Of Dying: What We Should Be Fearing
Your chances of dying from causes other then terroristism
Medical
Per lifetime odds:Complications of medical and surgical care 1 in 1,313.
Hospital infections 1 in 38
Heart Disease 1 in 5
Cancer 1 in 7
Stroke 1 in 23
Intentional Self-harm (suicide) 1 in 121
Flu 1 in 63
Accidental poisoning 1 in 193
MRSA (resistant bacteria) 1 in 197
Dying from anthrax 1 in 500 million
Nosocomial Infections
What are the chances of dying in a terrorist attack compared to dying from a Nosocomial infection? With approximately 36 million hospital visits annually, on the average a person has a 6% chance of getting a Nosocomial infection and a 1 in 360 chance of dying from a Nosocomial infection."
- Bearcom Building Services
- PRESS RELEASE: BearCom Fights Nosocomial and Other Infections with Better Cleaning & Communication
Books: Protect Yourself From Medical Mistakes
The Empowered Patient: Hundreds of Life-Saving Facts, Action Steps and Strategies You Need to Know
Amazon Price: $23.35 (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $25.95
The Consumer's Guide to Medical Mistakes: Information You Need Before Becoming a Patient
Amazon Price: $8.95 (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $8.95
Motor-Vehicle Accidents
Per lifetime odds:Motor-vehicle accidents over-all 1 in 87
Pedestrian 1 in 625
Motorcycle rider 1 in 866
Car occupant 1 in 260
Occupant of pick-up truck or van 1 in 1,000
Occupant of heavy transport vehicle 1 in 8,441
Bus occupant 1 in 64,380
Animal rider or occupant of animal-drawn vehicle 1 in 31,653
Occupant of railway train or railway vehicle 1 in 115,103
Occupant of special industrial vehicle 1 in 199,916
Occupant of special agricultural vehicle 1 in 24,665
Occupant of special construction vehicle 1 in 115,103
Occupant of all-terrain or other off-road motor vehicle 1 in 3,652
Air and space transport accidents 1 in 6,438
Roller coaster accident 1 in 300 million
Natural Forces
Per lifetime odds:Exposure to forces of nature 1 in 1,743
Exposure to excessive natural heat 1 in 8,151
Exposure to excessive natural cold 1 in 5,426
Earthquake and other earth movements 1 in 102,660
Cataclysmic storm 1 in 4,346
Flood 1 in 316,534
Exposure to other and unspecified forces of nature 1 in 90,438
Tsunami 1 in 500,000
Asteroid Impact 1 in 200,000 (Perhaps as high as 1 in 500,000)
Books: Survival Guides
The Complete Book of Survival: How to Protect Yourself Against revolution,Riots, Hurricains, Famines and Other natural And Man-Made Disasters
Amazon Price: (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $25.00
When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need To Survive When Disaster Strikes
Amazon Price: $13.59 (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $19.99
The Ultimate Storm Survival Handbook
Amazon Price: $11.69 (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $12.99
Your Survival: Protect Yourself from Tornadoes, Earthquakes, Flu Pandemics, and other Disasters
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $24.95
Fire & Heat
Per lifetime odds:Uncontrolled fire in building or structure 1 in 1,451
Uncontrolled fire not in building or structure 1 in 73,046
Controlled fire in building or structure 1 in 135,657
Controlled fire not in building or structure 1 in 115,103
Ignition of highly flammable material 1 in 60,292
Ignition or melting of nightwear 1 in 633,068
Ignition or melting of other clothing and apparel 1 in 39,159
Contact with hot tap-water 1 in 88,335
Struck By Lightning
Odds of being struck by lightning in a given year (reported deaths and injuries) 1 in 700,000
Odds of being struck by lightning in a given year (estimated total deaths and injuries) 1 in 400,000
Odds of being struck in your lifetime (Est. 80 years) 1 in 5000
Only about 10% of people who are struck by lightning are killed, leaving 90% with various degrees of disability.
- NWS Lightning Safety Medical Information
- www.nws.noaa.gov: Medical Aspects of Lightning. How Big A Problem Is This? Statistics
Being Killed By An Animal
Per lifetime odds:Attacked (injured) by a shark in the coastal United States 1 in 8 million (Being killed by shark: Zero in 264.1 million).
Bitten or struck by dog 1 in 115,103
Bitten or struck by other mammals 1 in 47,480
Bitten or stung by nonvenomous insect and other arthropods 1 in 422,045
Contact with venomous animals and plants 1 in 36,175
Contact with venomous snakes and lizards 1 in 542,630
Contact with venomous spiders 1 in 379,841
Contact with hornets, wasps and bees 1 in 46,322
Contact with other and unspecified venomous animal or plant 1 in 633,068
Drowning
Per lifetime odds:Water transport accidents 1 in 263
Drowning 1 in 9,641
Accidental drowning and submersion 1 in 1,060
Drowning and submersion while in or falling into bath-tub 1 in 11,042
Drowning and submersion while in or falling into swimming-pool 1 in 6,258
Drowning and submersion while in or falling into natural water 1 in 2,370
Water Safety
Water Safety (Living Well, Safety)
Amazon Price: $19.77 (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $27.07
Dr. Beach's Survival Guide: What You Need to Know about Sharks, Rip Currents, and More Before Going in the Water
Amazon Price: $23.00 (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $23.00
Heavy Weather Boating Emergencies: What to Do When Everything Goes Wrong
Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $19.95
Watersports Safety and Emergency First Aid: A Handbook for Boaters, Anglers, Kayakers, River Runners, and Surfriders
Amazon Price: (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $6.95
Falls
Per lifetime odds:Falls 1 in 193
Fall on same level from slipping, tripping, and stumbling 1 in 5,442
Other fall on same level 1 in 727
Fall involving bed, chair, other furniture 1 in 4,225
Fall on and from stairs and steps 1 in 2,248
Fall on and from ladder or scaffolding 1 in 7,963
Fall from out of or through building or structure 1 in 7,126
Other fall from one level to another 1 in 5,473
Falling, jumping, or pushed from a high place 1 in 55,049
Other Causes Of Death
Per lifetime odds:Assault by Firearm 1 in 308
Electrocution 1 in 5,000
Fireworks Discharge 1 in 615,488
Assault by sharp object 1 in 1,811
Poisoning 1 in 1,172
Firearm discharge 1 in 17,187
Legal intervention involving firearm discharge 1 in 11,510
Legal execution 1 in 70,341
Operations of war and sequelae 1 in 140,682
15 Leading Causes Of Death
Diseases of heart (heart disease)
Malignant neoplasms (cancer)
Cerebrovascular diseases (stroke)
Chronic lower respiratory diseases
Accidents (unintentional injuries)
Diabetes mellitus (diabetes)
Alzheimer's disease
Influenza and pneumonia
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis (kidney disease)
Septicemia
Intentional self-harm (suicide)
Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis
Essential (primary) hypertension and hypertensive renal disease (hypertension)
Parkinson's disease
Assault (homicide)
10 Most Dangerous Jobs
Deaths per 100,000 employed:
Fishers and Related Fishing Workers 141.7
Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers 87.8
Logging Workers 82.1
Structural Iron and Steel Workers 61.0
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors 41.8
Farmers and Ranchers 37.1
Electrical Power-line Installers and Repairers 34.9
Roofers 33.9
Driver/Sales Workers and Truck Drivers 27.1
Misc. Agricultural Workers 21.7
Industries with highest fatality rates over-all in 2006:
Agricultural/forestry/fishing/hunting: 29.6
Mining: 27.8
Transportation/warehousing: 16.3
Construction: 10.8
Age Groups with Highest Fatality Rates:
65 and older: 10.8
55 to 64: 4.9
45 to 54: 4.0
35 to 44: 3.6
Common Causes of Fatalities
Transportation incidents: 42 percent
Falls: 14 percent
Assaults and violent acts: 13 percent
Contact with object/equipment: 17 percent
Exposure to harmful substances: 9 percent
Fires and explosions: 4 percent
Ninety-two percent of occupational fatalities nationally occurred to men, while men made up 54 percent of the workforce in 2006.
- Deadliest Jobs
- Deadliest Jobs
- Facing the Unthinkable: Fatality Prevention in the Workplace
- Facing the Unthinkable: Fatality Prevention in the Workplace : How workplace culture, organizational systems and leadership affect the risk of fatalities, and what safety professionals can do to prevent deaths.
Links And Sources
- National Center for Health Statistics
- Mortality Data from the National Vital Statistics System
- Emergency Medicine Doc : Busting Some Myths About Dying
- The National Safety Council put out the odds of dying from injury based on 2003 data. I recently reviewed this very interesting data and thought it was time to break some myths.
- Shark Attack: What Are the Odds?
- In the wake of annual news stories about shark attacks, it's difficult not to hear that telltale theme song in your head as you head to the beach. But shark attacks are actually quite rare.
- Shark Attack Facts: Are Shark's Man Eaters?
- Shark Attack Facts: Are Shark's Man Eaters?
- How Scared Should We Be? - Well - Tara Parker-Pope - Health - New York Times Blog
- Shark attacks, raging fires and deadly bacteria all sound scary. But how do you know which calamities to worry about and which to ignore?
- The Relative Risk of Shark Attacks to Humans
- The Relative Risk of Shark Attacks to Humans Compared to Other Risks
- Odds of Dying in a Terrorist Attack
- How do the odds of dying in a terrorist attack stack up against the odds of dying in other unfortunate situations? Well, let's take a look.
- Your Death Forecast
- Estimate using scientific data obtained from dozens of health studies.
Leave A Note
Tell me what you think of this lens. Thanks!
Kathy Page wrote
This is a very helpful and interesting article. Thank you for sharing your research. I came to this sight because my mother wrote me today that she decided not to stop taking her morning walks on a trail where a mountain lion has been sighted. The interesting thing about my mom has been a vegan for 36 years. Her chances of living longer than the average person are higher by about 7 years according to the Adventist Health Study. It followed a group of people who traditionally do not eat meat, smoke, or drink. But by taking a walk on that trail where a lion has been sighted, she is taking a calculated risk. The chance of being attacked by an animal, according to your site, is 1 in 47,480. But her chance is many times higher than the national average, because she is daily putting herself in lion territory. However, hiking that trial is the best part of her day. For her, it's a spiritual experience. So she makes that choice--not to fear fear itself.
Posted June 20, 2009
