Indicating a trend toward greater financial preparedness, a report released Tuesday by the University of Maryland found that a growing number of Americans are setting aside money in case of a public relations emergency. Over the past decade, more and more citizens across the country have begun saving a portion of their paychecks to cover the costs of damage control should a controversial remark of theirs or a criminal allegation against them come to light, said lead researcher Amanda Keaton, who added that Americans were increasingly coming to grips with the reality that hiring a team of seasoned crisis managers to spin a favorable narrative in the media can cost tens of thousands of dollars nowadays. Indeed, we found that Americans are not simply putting away the funds needed to get out in front of a developing public firestormmany are also allocating a little extra cash to ensure theyre able to bring in a top-tier communications strategist to coach them on what can and cannot be said before booking them on a morning talk show. The report added that millions of citizens were also opting to establish a secondary savings plan necessary for funding a long-term rebranding effort to salvage their public image. 