FACTS
- Structural Damage: High winds and debris can cause significant damage to homes, posing risks to occupants.
- Flooding: Heavy rainfall can lead to indoor flooding, resulting in water damage and potential drowning hazards.
- Power Outages: Hurricanes often disrupt power supplies, leading to extended periods without electricity.
- Limited Access to Emergency Services: Severe weather conditions may delay emergency responders, increasing vulnerability.
- Communication Disruptions: Hurricanes can impair communication networks, isolating individuals from critical information.
STATS
- The National Weather Service reports that hurricanes are among nature’s most powerful and destructive phenomena, with an average of 14 tropical storms forming over the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, or Gulf of Mexico during the hurricane season each year.
- Less than 35% of American communities have adopted and updated modern building codes, which can significantly reduce storm damage.
- 21% of people surveyed said they would stay in their homes even if a mandatory evacuation order was issued. This figure highlights a significant portion of the population that prefer to stay at home despite official warnings.
- 50% of older adults (a significant demographic) chose to shelter in place during Hurricane Ian in 2022, indicating a higher propensity for staying at home among this age group.
- In fall 2022, 1 in 5 Canadians were extremely or very concerned about the risk of a weather-related emergency or natural disaster affecting their household.
- Nearly 1 in 4 Canadians reported that their household had taken steps to prepare for a weather-related emergency or natural disaster in the previous year.