ticka1
06-06-2005, 06:16 PM
April 2005 Hurricane Awareness Poll Results -- 1,100 adults in Atlantic and Gulf coastal states interviewed by telephone April 20-26, 2005 by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, Inc. of Washington, D.C. The margin for error is +/-3%.
1. Have you ever experienced any of the following?
- A Tropical Storm? Yes - 62% | No - 38%
- A Minimal/Category 1 hurricane? Yes - 53% | No - 47%
- A Category 2 hurricane? Yes - 37% | No - 63%
- A Major/Category 3 or higher hurricane? Yes - 32% | No - 68%
2. How vulnerable do you feel to damage from a hurricane or related tornado or flooding hazards? Do you feel:
Extremely Vulnerable 12%
Somewhat Vulnerable 31%
Not Too Vulnerable 32%
Not At All Vulnerable 24%
Not Sure 1%
3. Do you have a plan for what you would do if a serious hurricane threatened your home, or not?
Yes 53%
No 47%
4. When would you begin to prepare your home for a hurricane?
19% - When a hurricane watch is issued
32% - When a hurricane warning is issued
22% - Your home is already prepared and could be secured within a few hours
26% - You won’t make any special preparations to your home
1% - Not Sure
5. When would you evacuate?
7% - If a hurricane watch was issued for your area
10% - If a hurricane warning was issued for your area
21% - If a Category 3 hurricane or stronger was going to hit your home within 24 hours
42% - If emergency management officials ordered you to evacuate
19% - Probably never
1% - Not Sure
6. If you needed to evacuate, where would you go?
33% - To a local shelter
19% - To the house of a nearby friend
27% - As far as possible - trying to outsmart the path of the storm
14% - You would not leave under any circumstances
7% - Not Sure
The following questions are a short quiz that was used to determine how much the respondents knew about hurricanes and hurricane safety.
7. The biggest potential threat to human life from a land-falling hurricane is:
A - Wind 32%
B - Tornadoes 24%
C - Storm Surge 20%
D - Inland flooding 24%
8. The structural component that most often fails during hurricane force winds is:
A - Garage door 4%
B - A windward-facing wall 1%
C - Roof 49%
D - Windows 46%
9. During an approaching major hurricane, low-lying escape routes are usually cut off:
A - At landfall 9%
B - Near the eye of the storm 6%
C - 30 minutes to one hour before landfall 24%
D - At least three hours before landfall and much earlier than that in vulnerable areas 61%
10. For those ordered to evacuate, the best option is to:
A - Travel as far inland as possible as fast as possible 24%
B - Choose a route at right angles to the projected path of the storm 12%
C - Drive immediately to the nearest designated shelter 30%
D - Arrange in advance to stay with a nearby friend whose home is outside the evacuation zone 34%
11. Preparations to prevent serious property damage during a hurricane can be accomplished:
A - Within the time provided by a Hurricane Watch 37%
B - Within the time provided by a Hurricane Warning 23%
C - In most cases, only with weeks of planning, inspection and retrofitting 40%
12. One item your Disaster Preparation Kit should not contain is:
A - Cash 19%
B - Candles 22%
C - Keys 26%
D - Important documents 33%
13. Hurricane forecasting experts generally agree that:
A - The active 2004 Hurricane Season was a fluke that will not be repeated anytime soon 8%
B - We have entered an era of declining hurricane activity 1%
C - Hurricane activity has remained fairly consistent for more than a century 23%
D - We have entered an era of increasing hurricane activity 68%
14. Geographically, the majority of hurricane fatalities from drowning in the past 33 years have occurred:
A - On the open water 7%
B - Within two miles of the coast 19%
C - In inland counties 15%
D - In coastal counties 59%
15. Of the 10 most costly catastrophes in the United States, how of them many were Hurricanes or Tropical Storms?
A - One 1%
B - Three 25%
C - Five 39%
D - Eight 35%
16. If you are not ordered to evacuate, the safest place in a home to ride out a hurricane is:
A - Inside your car in the garage 0
B - The exterior room farthest away from the direction of the strongest wind 8%
C - The most interior room of the house 42%
D - The basement 50%
17. What type of hazard during a hurricane does standard homeowners insurance not cover?
A - Lightning 17%
B - Flooding 60%
C - Wind 8%
D - Falling trees 15%
18. Most tornadoes associated with land-falling hurricanes are spawned:
A - In rain bands that can occur hundreds of miles from the eye of the storm 29%
B - In the eye wall 12%
C - Within 1 mile of the eye of the storm 22%
D - Within 3 miles of the eye of the storm 37%
19. Although forecasting has improved greatly in recent years, the projection you can rely least on is:
A - Direction of the storm 39%
B - Intensity at landfall 18%
C - Duration of the storm 22%
D - Forward speed 21%
20. A hurricane watch means:
A - Hurricane season has begun 5%
B - A hurricane has formed over open water 16%
C - A hurricane may strike somewhere in the United States within a few days 11%
D - Hurricane conditions are possible in your area within 36 hours 68%
21. A hurricane warning means:
A - A hurricane has formed over open water 8%
B - A hurricane may strike somewhere in the United States within a few days 7%
C - A hurricane may strike your area within 36 hours 23%
D - Hurricane conditions are expected in your area within 24 hours 62%
22. Where should you take your pets if you must evacuate?
A - To a safe location that has agreed or been designated to accept pets during a storm 36%
B - To the shelter where you’ll be staying 35%
C - To the local animal shelter 7%
D - To your veterinarian’s office 7%
E - Leave them in your home with a 3-day supply of food and water. 15%
23. True or False? Masking tape will help prevent windows from shattering.
True 54%
False 46%
24. True or False? Some insurance companies offer significant discounts on home insurance for hurricane proofing your home.
True 69%
False 31%
25. True or False? Candles are a good source of light in the event of a power failure.
True 56%
False 44%
26. True or False? Opening a window on the sheltered side of house lessens the potential for wind damage.
True 38%
False 62%
Source: The National Hurricane Survival Initiative (http://www.hurricanesafety.org/) - to get a complete copy of the survey results file (PDF), click here. (http://www.hurricanesafety.org/mediakit/masonDixon_poll.pdf) Correct answers to the Hurricane Survey. Questions 1 though 6 were survey questions. Answers to the quiz begin with question 7.
7. C - Storm Surge, 8. A - Garage Door, 9. D. At least three hours before landfall, 10. D - Arrange in advance to stay with a nearby friend, 11. C- In most cases only with weeks of planning, 12. B - Candles, 13. D - We have entered an era of increasing hurricane activity, 14. C- In inland counties, 15. D - Eight, 16. C - The most interior room of the house, 17. B - Flooding, 18. A - In rain bands that can occur hundreds of miles from the eye of the storm, 19. B - Intensity at landfall, 20. C - Hurricane conditions are possible in your area within 36 hours, 21. D - Hurricane conditions are expected in your area within 24 hours, 22. A - To a safe location that has agreed or been designated to accept pets during a storm, 23. False, 24. True, 25. False, 26. False
1. Have you ever experienced any of the following?
- A Tropical Storm? Yes - 62% | No - 38%
- A Minimal/Category 1 hurricane? Yes - 53% | No - 47%
- A Category 2 hurricane? Yes - 37% | No - 63%
- A Major/Category 3 or higher hurricane? Yes - 32% | No - 68%
2. How vulnerable do you feel to damage from a hurricane or related tornado or flooding hazards? Do you feel:
Extremely Vulnerable 12%
Somewhat Vulnerable 31%
Not Too Vulnerable 32%
Not At All Vulnerable 24%
Not Sure 1%
3. Do you have a plan for what you would do if a serious hurricane threatened your home, or not?
Yes 53%
No 47%
4. When would you begin to prepare your home for a hurricane?
19% - When a hurricane watch is issued
32% - When a hurricane warning is issued
22% - Your home is already prepared and could be secured within a few hours
26% - You won’t make any special preparations to your home
1% - Not Sure
5. When would you evacuate?
7% - If a hurricane watch was issued for your area
10% - If a hurricane warning was issued for your area
21% - If a Category 3 hurricane or stronger was going to hit your home within 24 hours
42% - If emergency management officials ordered you to evacuate
19% - Probably never
1% - Not Sure
6. If you needed to evacuate, where would you go?
33% - To a local shelter
19% - To the house of a nearby friend
27% - As far as possible - trying to outsmart the path of the storm
14% - You would not leave under any circumstances
7% - Not Sure
The following questions are a short quiz that was used to determine how much the respondents knew about hurricanes and hurricane safety.
7. The biggest potential threat to human life from a land-falling hurricane is:
A - Wind 32%
B - Tornadoes 24%
C - Storm Surge 20%
D - Inland flooding 24%
8. The structural component that most often fails during hurricane force winds is:
A - Garage door 4%
B - A windward-facing wall 1%
C - Roof 49%
D - Windows 46%
9. During an approaching major hurricane, low-lying escape routes are usually cut off:
A - At landfall 9%
B - Near the eye of the storm 6%
C - 30 minutes to one hour before landfall 24%
D - At least three hours before landfall and much earlier than that in vulnerable areas 61%
10. For those ordered to evacuate, the best option is to:
A - Travel as far inland as possible as fast as possible 24%
B - Choose a route at right angles to the projected path of the storm 12%
C - Drive immediately to the nearest designated shelter 30%
D - Arrange in advance to stay with a nearby friend whose home is outside the evacuation zone 34%
11. Preparations to prevent serious property damage during a hurricane can be accomplished:
A - Within the time provided by a Hurricane Watch 37%
B - Within the time provided by a Hurricane Warning 23%
C - In most cases, only with weeks of planning, inspection and retrofitting 40%
12. One item your Disaster Preparation Kit should not contain is:
A - Cash 19%
B - Candles 22%
C - Keys 26%
D - Important documents 33%
13. Hurricane forecasting experts generally agree that:
A - The active 2004 Hurricane Season was a fluke that will not be repeated anytime soon 8%
B - We have entered an era of declining hurricane activity 1%
C - Hurricane activity has remained fairly consistent for more than a century 23%
D - We have entered an era of increasing hurricane activity 68%
14. Geographically, the majority of hurricane fatalities from drowning in the past 33 years have occurred:
A - On the open water 7%
B - Within two miles of the coast 19%
C - In inland counties 15%
D - In coastal counties 59%
15. Of the 10 most costly catastrophes in the United States, how of them many were Hurricanes or Tropical Storms?
A - One 1%
B - Three 25%
C - Five 39%
D - Eight 35%
16. If you are not ordered to evacuate, the safest place in a home to ride out a hurricane is:
A - Inside your car in the garage 0
B - The exterior room farthest away from the direction of the strongest wind 8%
C - The most interior room of the house 42%
D - The basement 50%
17. What type of hazard during a hurricane does standard homeowners insurance not cover?
A - Lightning 17%
B - Flooding 60%
C - Wind 8%
D - Falling trees 15%
18. Most tornadoes associated with land-falling hurricanes are spawned:
A - In rain bands that can occur hundreds of miles from the eye of the storm 29%
B - In the eye wall 12%
C - Within 1 mile of the eye of the storm 22%
D - Within 3 miles of the eye of the storm 37%
19. Although forecasting has improved greatly in recent years, the projection you can rely least on is:
A - Direction of the storm 39%
B - Intensity at landfall 18%
C - Duration of the storm 22%
D - Forward speed 21%
20. A hurricane watch means:
A - Hurricane season has begun 5%
B - A hurricane has formed over open water 16%
C - A hurricane may strike somewhere in the United States within a few days 11%
D - Hurricane conditions are possible in your area within 36 hours 68%
21. A hurricane warning means:
A - A hurricane has formed over open water 8%
B - A hurricane may strike somewhere in the United States within a few days 7%
C - A hurricane may strike your area within 36 hours 23%
D - Hurricane conditions are expected in your area within 24 hours 62%
22. Where should you take your pets if you must evacuate?
A - To a safe location that has agreed or been designated to accept pets during a storm 36%
B - To the shelter where you’ll be staying 35%
C - To the local animal shelter 7%
D - To your veterinarian’s office 7%
E - Leave them in your home with a 3-day supply of food and water. 15%
23. True or False? Masking tape will help prevent windows from shattering.
True 54%
False 46%
24. True or False? Some insurance companies offer significant discounts on home insurance for hurricane proofing your home.
True 69%
False 31%
25. True or False? Candles are a good source of light in the event of a power failure.
True 56%
False 44%
26. True or False? Opening a window on the sheltered side of house lessens the potential for wind damage.
True 38%
False 62%
Source: The National Hurricane Survival Initiative (http://www.hurricanesafety.org/) - to get a complete copy of the survey results file (PDF), click here. (http://www.hurricanesafety.org/mediakit/masonDixon_poll.pdf) Correct answers to the Hurricane Survey. Questions 1 though 6 were survey questions. Answers to the quiz begin with question 7.
7. C - Storm Surge, 8. A - Garage Door, 9. D. At least three hours before landfall, 10. D - Arrange in advance to stay with a nearby friend, 11. C- In most cases only with weeks of planning, 12. B - Candles, 13. D - We have entered an era of increasing hurricane activity, 14. C- In inland counties, 15. D - Eight, 16. C - The most interior room of the house, 17. B - Flooding, 18. A - In rain bands that can occur hundreds of miles from the eye of the storm, 19. B - Intensity at landfall, 20. C - Hurricane conditions are possible in your area within 36 hours, 21. D - Hurricane conditions are expected in your area within 24 hours, 22. A - To a safe location that has agreed or been designated to accept pets during a storm, 23. False, 24. True, 25. False, 26. False