New Survey Emphasizes Need for Emergency Weather Preparedness

Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) wants everyone to be better prepared for weather emergencies, as we begin National Preparedness Month. Cummins recently conducted a nationwide survey to understand the financial and emotional toll these devastating storms can have on local communities, which further validated the need for families to be prepared.

One thousand Americans who have experienced hurricanes and power outages were surveyed, and 75 percent wished they had been more prepared, with 67 percent wishing they had back-up power for their home. Cummins is a global leader in power solutions, including stand-by power generators, and has a portfolio of dependable range of generators from smaller residential generators that are made to power homes and small businesses to large generators that power critical infrastructure like data centers, hospital and banks. 

“After conducting this survey, it validated our belief that people who have experienced outages really wish they were more prepared with necessities such as food, water and back-up power,” said Jennifer Hodson, Director of Cummins Power Systems Business segment, Consumer segment.  “So as we kick off National Preparedness Month, it’s a good time to remind people how Cummins can help them to be better prepared for severe weather and natural disasters.”

In fact, 52 percent of those who felt ill-prepared wanted more food and water and 48 percent desired flashlights, batteries and phone chargers. In addition, 69 percent of respondents missed the basics like air conditioning (41 percent) and lights, washer/dryer and hot water (28 percent).

While hurricanes Maria, Irma and Harvey left millions of people without power in 2017, including 80 percent of Puerto Rico, it takes just one weather event to devastate a community. Regardless of the forecast, it’s important to prepare for severe and sometimes unexpected weather. Having a plan for extended power outages is one of many considerations for homeowners.  

In addition to causing uncomfortable, even dangerous living conditions, hurricanes and power outages can be disruptive to everyday life. The Cummins survey revealed the average employed respondent had to take six days off from work due to the disaster. Of the respondents with school-aged children, 79 percent missed an average of seven days of school. Three in four (75 percent) stated their social lives were impacted, from not going out or seeing family and friends to even skipping vacations.

Survey respondents also experienced significant inconveniences and financial setbacks. Half (51 percent) said they had to leave their home to stay at hotels or with family or friends. Of those that stayed in hotels, 72 percent had to stay up to a week at an average cost of $528. Not surprisingly, 45 percent of homeowners suffered property damage, with an average cost of $3,743.

The survey also highlighted the emotional toll of hurricanes and power outages. More than half of respondents (58 percent) were more stressed, and 30 percent were more tired due to the disasters. While 21 percent said they were sad, nearly 48 percent said going through a hurricane made them appreciate things more.

“As Tropical Storm Gordon wreaks havoc on homes and lives on the Alabama-Mississippi border, and as Hurricanes Olivia, Norman and Florence pose a menacing threat to communities on both sides of the country; we are reminded once again about the importance of emergency weather preparedness. I cannot over-stress the importance of being prepared for disasters, and this survey shows people are still not prepared enough,” said meteorologist Cheryl Nelson, Weather and Preparedness Advisor for Cummins and FEMA-certified preparedness expert. “That’s why I teamed up with Cummins to bring homeowners and their families tips to prepare for all types of extreme weather. For National Preparedness Month, I encourage everyone to download a copy of my tips and familiarize themselves with them in the event disaster strikes." 

***This random double-opt in survey was conducted by OnePoll, a market research company and corporate member of ESOMAR and adheres to the MRS code of conduct.