Which natural disaster scares Americans the most? Survey reveals the answer
The survey of 2,500 Americans from across the country found that regardless of where they lived, majority of respondents believe the threat of a tornado is more terrifying than a tsunami, earthquake or hurricane.
Why We Cover Hurricanes From The Ground
Why do meteorologists and reporters place themselves in the paths of hurricanes? FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray explains that filming hurricane impacts can inform first responders and elected officials in real time, helping shape their decisions during and after the storms to save lives.
NEW YORK – Tornadoes are officially the scariest natural disasters for Americans, according to a newly published survey.
The survey of 2,500 Americans from across the country found that regardless of where they lived, 46% of respondents believe the threat of a tornado is more terrifying than a tsunami, earthquake or hurricane.
People living in the Northeast who participated in the survey reported with high confidence that they were prepared for a heat wave, drought and even a blizzard, but only 38% reported feeling prepared for a tornado.
While almost two-thirds of Midwesterners said that they felt unfazed by a tornado, but felt uneasy when thinking about a wildfire or mudslide threat.
Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Master Lock, the survey asked participants what it takes to be a "disaster veteran" – a person who is unshakably prepared for the worst or has been through enough disasters to be prepared for anything.
Only 14% of respondents said that they considered themselves to be a "disaster veteran."
"I live in Florida, so hurricanes are a big part of my life," one participant shared during the survey. "We are always prepared in the season with a stock of extra food and emergency needs. We always fill up on gas in case we need to evacuate and board windows up."
When asked about their experiences, some believe that natural disasters are just a given based on where they live, while others said they struggle when they are faced with the unexpected.
"I lived in Seaside Heights, New Jersey during Super Storm Sandy," one participant told the survey, "I did not evacuate when they said to, and I was sorry."
John Lee, 90, is put into a dingy by police to evacuate Breezy Point which suffered severe damage by Hurricane Sandy on Tuesday, October 30, 2012. (Debbie Egan-Chin / Getty Images)
The survey found that the top five aspects of a natural disaster that respondents weren’t prepared for included losing power for an extended period, seeing the destruction, the amount of time it takes to get back to "normal," the need to quickly grab important items and the financial implications of rebuilding.
Regardless of their personal experience, more than half of the respondents noticed that severe weather is becoming more common and 37% believe that severe weather is increasing in strength.
TORNADO CONFIRMED ON REMOTE COLORADO MOUNTAIN THROUGH SATELLITE IMAGES
The average person will face four different natural disaster events in their lifetime. Yet the survey revealed that 30% of Americans don’t have any preparedness plans in place in the event of a natural disaster. Only 28% have planned for a tornado and fewer are ready for a heatwave, hurricane or flash flood.
"You must take proactive steps to help ensure you are ready, which includes reviewing and updating a preparedness plan and having items on-hand such as fireproof safes," JP Benjamins, Sr. Director of Category Management at Master Lock said. "It can make all the difference."