Besides being responsible for their own safety, 11 percent of residents surveyed are responsible for an elderly or disabled person. However, more than one third of them say they have no plan for that person in the event of a hurricane.
“All residents, especially those who care for the well-being of friends, family members and pets, must have a disaster plan,” said Craig Fugate, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. “Now is the time to get a plan before a storm looms – not when a hurricane warning is issued.”
Residents of hurricane-vulnerable states still have significant gaps in their knowledge of hurricanes and storm preparedness. One of the biggest gaps involved storm surge. Seventy-eight percent of people didn’t know storm surge represents the greatest potential for a large loss of life from a hurricane, yet the rising waters can account for deaths as far inland as 20 miles. More than half of residents also mistakenly believe tornadoes occur within three miles of the eye of the storm. In fact, tornadoes can result hundreds of miles from the eye of the storm, affecting residents far from the coast.
Citizens carry several misconceptions about storm preparation. Nearly 79 percent do not know storm intensity is the least reliable forecasting projection; residents may not realize that a category 1 or 2 storm can become a category 4 or 5 at landfall. While attempting to protect their homes, the vast majority of people – 96 percent – didn’t know garage doors are the part of a home most likely to fail during a hurricane, yet garage doors can be easily strengthened at a modest cost with a reinforcement kit.
Too many residents of coastal states also believe candles belong in survival kits. To the contrary, candles and kerosene lamps pose a fire hazard, and so emergency experts recommend flashlights instead. Furthermore, almost half of respondents believed masking tape would keep windows from shattering; masking tape actually offers no protection at all.
"It is imperative to reinforce and protect your home. It only takes one gust of wind to break a window allowing storm winds and water to roll right into your house,” said Rob Fee, president of Plylox. “Board up those windows, secure your garage doors, make sure you pick up all your lawn furniture, put your barbeque grill in the garage – just be pro-active and plan ahead."
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