Whether facing a severe weather event that is routine to a region or one that community members haven’t experienced before, more survey respondents indicated that they have taken steps to prepare for natural disasters this year than they did last year, including:
Assembled a safety kit with items such as flashlights, clean water, non-perishable food, a battery-powered radio, etc. [Up from 54% in 2022] Signed up for emergency notifications from their local government and/or public safety department [Up from 48% in 2022]
67 %
PUBLIC CONCERNS AND PREPAREDNESS LEVELS
57 % 47 %
Created an evacuation or family plan [Up from 36% in 2022]
Shared information about themselves or their loved ones with public safety and/or 9-1-1 via an online safety profile or access/functional needs registry [Up from 18% in 2022]
Concern about the frequency and severity of natural disasters in recent years is on the rise. Most (89%) respondents have either the same level of concern or are even more concerned about natural disasters, including severe weather events and wildfires, compared to two years ago. Most respondents (86%) are also concerned that the intensity and frequency of natural disasters will continue to increase. Despite these concerns, only 36% of respondents feel very or extremely prepared. Emergency managers in both the public and private sectors have an opportunity to bolster community preparedness by educating the public about emergency preparedness best practices and the ways that emergency management officials are addressing severe weather preparation, communication and response.
35 %
Installed a generator [Up from 22% in 2022]
33 %
Severe weather and natural disasters create significant, negative impacts on members of a community with 66% of respondents saying that they have missed work and 40% saying that they have been unable to get necessities (food, water, gas, etc.).
How would you describe your current level of concern regarding natural disasters, including severe weather events and wildfires, compared to two years ago?
Please select all of the following that you have experienced due to a natural disaster/severe weather event.
66 %
I have missed work because of a natural disaster/severe weather event
11 %
As concerned, if not more, than they were two years ago
I have been unable to get necessities (food, water, gas, etc.) because of a natural disaster/severe weather event
40 %
Less concerned than they were two years ago or not concerned at all
I have had to evacuate my home due to a natural disaster/severe weather event
30 %
I required public assistance (i.e. food, shelter or other basic necessities) for some period of time following the event
20 %
89 %
I or a loved one have experienced severe injury or illness due to a natural disaster/severe weather event
18 %
I have had to call emergency services during a natural disaster/severe weather event to get help
18 %
As concerns about severe weather and natural disasters grow, the public is taking more strides to prepare for such events. Proactive steps to build on this momentum and provide more public education will allow residents to feel even more confident in their own personal level of preparedness. Emergency managers, government agencies, school leaders and private businesses can also change safety outcomes by optimizing preferred communication channels when severe weather is approaching or impacts a community.
In recent years, some regions have experienced severe weather events that were not typical for their locations, such as heavy rains and flooding in California or ice storms in Texas. Nearly one-third (31%) of respondents reported experiencing a new-to-them natural disaster in the past two years. In particular, 35% of respondents feel hardly or not at all prepared to face earthquakes, while conversely 40% feel very or extremely prepared to take on more common weather events such as snow and ice storms. These natural disaster anomalies not only present new preparedness considerations for the public, theyalso present new opportunities for those in emergency management roles to revisit community education and engagement strategies.
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