#18,515
Although most people believe that they are relatively immune to natural disasters, each year millions of Americans find themselves dealing with hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, blizzards, derechos, power blackouts, or other serious interruption in life or essential services.
While nowhere is completely safe, FEMA's National Risk Index For Natural Disasters (see map below) shows the highest risk areas in the country.
While the final tally for 2024 won't be published until next month, during the first 10 months of the year NOAA reported.For the 3rd time in 7 years, I was forced to evacuate to a friend's house (see With Milton, Evacuation Is The Better Part Of Valor). Luckily, unlike so many others, I had a (largely) intact home to return to.
In 2024 (as of November 1), there have been 24 confirmed weather/climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each to affect United States. These events included 17 severe storm events, 4 tropical cyclone events, 1 wildfire event, and 2 winter storm events. Overall, these events resulted in the deaths of 418 people and had significant economic effects on the areas impacted. The 1980–2023 annual average is 8.5 events (CPI-adjusted); the annual average for the most recent 5 years (2019–2023) is 20.4 events (CPI-adjusted).
Of course, it doesn't take a billion-dollar disaster to ruin your whole day. Not counted in all of this are hundreds of smaller events which may still impact thousands of people.
Each year FEMA conducts a nationwide poll on preparedness, and they released their 2023 survey last December. Even though these are self-reported assessments, and `being prepared' means different things to different people, they report some small progress over the past 12 months.
It is a mixed bag, however. More people have assembled supplies, but fewer people report practicing emergency drills or habits. More have learned their evacuation routes, but fewer have made a plan. And while more have tested a family communication plan, fewer report having signed up for alerts or warnings.
So . . . if a disaster struck your region today, and the power went out, stores closed their doors, and water stopped flowing from your kitchen tap for the next 7 to 14 days . . . do you already have:
- A battery operated NWS Emergency Radio to find out what was going on, and to get vital instructions from emergency officials
- A decent first-aid kit, so that you can treat injuries
- Enough non-perishable food and water on hand to feed and hydrate your family (including pets) for the duration
- A way to provide light when the grid is down.
- A way to cook safely without electricity
- A way to purify or filter water
- A way to stay cool (fans) or warm when the power is out.
- A small supply of cash to use in case credit/debit machines are not working
- An emergency plan, including meeting places, emergency out-of-state contact numbers, a disaster buddy, and in case you must evacuate, a bug-out bag
- Spare supply of essential prescription medicines that you or your family may need
- A way to entertain yourself, or your kids, during a prolonged blackout
Disasters often boil down to unscheduled camping - for days, or sometimes weeks - in your home, in a community shelter, or possibly in your backyard. If you think of preparedness that way, it becomes far less daunting.
