In Times Of Severe Weather, Is New Englanders' Self-Reliance Virtue Or Vice?

Sharon Burke was quoted in WBUR News on the Weather Eye report findings in New England:

"Sharon Burke, a senior adviser at the think tank, traveled to Essex County to interview people in the emergency management world.

'We definitely heard that narrative: that people in the Boston area, in Massachusetts, are very self-reliant and can take care of themselves,' Burke said. 'That was a theme people felt was important to the local identity.' 

Burke said self-reliant people can help emergency efforts by contributing more than they take. But their stubbornness could backfire when it's really time to get out of Dodge. 

'What we saw in Essex was there are some concerns about if there were a severe hurricane ... would they [evacuate]?' she said."