When it Comes to Severe Weather, Don't be Caught Unprepared
The 2017 hurricane season was one of the most active with three category 4 hurricanes making landfall, leaving millions of people without power and causing $265 billion in damage (NOAA). Winter brought little relief from inclement weather: snow pummeled the U.S. from October through April with a record four Nor’easters hitting in March.
Despite the preparedness hype at the start of each hurricane season, a recent survey by Cummins* found most people (75%) still wished they had been more prepared for the storm. 52% wanted more food and water; 47% desired flashlights, batteries and phone chargers; and 66% wished they had back-up power for their home.
Survey respondents endured significant inconveniences and financial setbacks as a result of weather-related power outages. More than 50% had to leave their homes, and those that stayed at a hotel -- for up to a week -- spent an average cost of $528. Additionally, 44.8% of homeowners suffered property damage, with an average cost of $3,743.
So what can you do to stay ahead of the storm?
Minimize the impact to you and your family by making a plan for severe weather. Cummins has partnered with meteorologist and FEMA-disaster preparedness expert Cheryl Nelson to help prepare you, your family and your home for severe weather.
Here are three simple steps to prepare for severe weather:
- Find out if you’re in a flood zone. If so, take immediate steps to get flood insurance, as policies typically take 30 days to go into effect.
- Prepare a disaster kit for each member of your household, including children and pets. Adults should keep a separate kit in their car and children should have an extra kit for school. At a minimum, your kit should include bottled water, non-perishable food items, a flashlight and medication.
- Weather is the leading cause of power outages in the U.S. (Eaton Blackout Tracker U.S. Annual Report 2017). Have a plan for backup power to ensure vital medical equipment and appliances like sump pumps stay on during a power outage. Unlike a portable generator, a home standby generator like Cummins QuietConnect Series turns on automatically the moment an outage occurs.
*Cummins surveyed 1,000 Americans that suffered through a hurricane and subsequent power outage in 2017
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