Fantasy Objects: The Perception of Safety of Emergency Shelter in Place Kits

Using interview data (n = 30) of residents in Calhoun County, Alabama, we examine the meaning respondents give to the objects (shelter-in-place kits) disseminated to residents in order to manage risk of accidents from Anniston Army Depot’s Chemical Weapons storage and incinerator activities. Our research builds on previous research examining how organizations engage in ‘fantasy planning,’ where they create plans that objectively do not increase safety but do create the perception of safety within the organization and especially the public.