HomeServe Survey: Get Ready for the Season Ahead - Wildfires, Hurricanes and Flooding … Oh My!

Think you’re prepared for a major weather event? If you said yes, you’re probably wrong. In a recent HomeServe survey, respondents expressed a high degree of confidence in their preparedness for extreme weather events, including summer storms, yet most came up short when asked about specific preparations.

Americans think they’re ready for storm season, but most are unprepared.

The first finding of the HomeServe survey is that Americans generally believe they are well-prepared for storm season, with an average preparedness self-assessment score of four out of five. Yet when probed about actual actions taken, most came up woefully short even though more than 90% said they’ve lived through an extreme weather event before.

On the positive side, 72% of respondents said they receive local emergency alerts, a good start. However, less than half of respondents said they had key components that should be included in any emergency preparedness kit like bottled water or nonperishable food and almost 15% reported having no emergency supplies on hand at all. Less than half (49%) said they know where their local emergency shelter is and only 42% said they have a fully informed emergency evacuation plan.

Summer is predicted to be filled with extreme weather.

The findings in HomeServe’s emergency preparedness survey are especially concerning as experts predict an extra stormy summer season ahead. An above-average number of named storms is expected; wildfire risk is even higher than usual due to hotter than average temperatures; drought is predicted for much of the Great Plains and parts of the West; and increased thunderstorms and tropical activity, with the potential for derechos, and even monsoons in the West are predicted.

Prepare now to keep your home and family safe.

HomeServe offers these helpful tips to prepare your home and family for extreme weather events this summer and beyond.

• Create an Emergency Plan: Identify safe shelter areas, establish communication plans, back up important documents, learn utility shutoffs, and plan evacuation routes.
• Assemble an Emergency Kit: Gather essential supplies for people and pets, including water, food, medications, flashlights, and backup power sources.
• Review Insurance Coverage: Document belongings and ensure your policy covers rebuilding costs and weather-related damages like floods or wildfires.
• Secure Your Home: Trim trees, secure outdoor items, inspect roofs and gutters, and have tools ready for emergency repairs.
• Stay Informed: Monitor trusted weather updates, invest in a NOAA radio, and sign up for local emergency alerts.
• Prepare for Power Outages: Stock portable chargers, consider a generator, and keep refrigerators closed to preserve food.
• Immediately Before a Weather Event: Charge devices, test emergency equipment, fill bathtubs with water, and refuel vehicles and generators.

By taking these important steps, homeowners can be truly confident they are prepared to keep themselves and their families safe and reduce property damage risks in the face of the challenges and uncertainties that come from extreme weather events this summer and beyond.

To learn more, visit these helpful links from HomeServe:

• How to Prepare for a Storm Hurricane
• How to Protect Your Coastal Home
• Stormproof Your HVAC System
• Do I Need to Unplug Appliances During a Storm?
• How to Survey Your Home For Storm Damage
• Gimme Shelter: Here's What You Need to Know About Building a Home Storm Shelter
• Got Roof Damage? Don't Let Storm Chasers Catch You Off Guard!
• Pools and Hurricanes: What to Do Before During and After

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