A recent survey conducted by AAA revealed that approximately 50% of respondents in Georgia and North Carolina do not make advanced preparations for severe weather or tropical cyclones.
Experts from the AAA have issued a warning as the hurricane season begins, stating that many residents in hurricane-prone areas are ill-prepared for potential disasters
While the results from Florida and South Carolina were more positive, with over three-fourths of the population taking precautionary measures before a storm, the American Automobile Association (AAA) found it concerning that some participants expressed intentions to ignore evacuation warnings in the event of a hurricane.
The survey indicated that more than half of the respondents would only consider leaving their homes if a hurricane reached Category 3 intensity or higher. Shockingly, 24% of Floridians stated that they would completely disregard evacuation warnings, regardless of the storm’s intensity. In previous years, coastal residents cited reasons such as high gas prices and pandemic concerns for their hesitancy to evacuate. However, this year, Floridians expressed a priority to remain close to their property, enabling them to address any storm damage promptly instead of waiting for extended periods.
Various factors were cited as reasons for ignoring evacuation orders, including concerns about pet shelters, mistrust in forecast tracks, lack of knowledge regarding evacuation destinations, fear of post-storm looting, and financial constraints.
Mark Jenkins, a public relations manager for AAA, emphasized that staying in the path of a potentially life-threatening storm is not worth the risk
He advised individuals to develop evacuation plans for their families and pets, while also ensuring adequate insurance coverage for their properties. Despite efforts by emergency managers, such as Public Service Announcements and easily accessible online maps, some residents remain unaware of when they should evacuate, even when residing in high-threat zones.
The most recent major evacuation order in the Southeast occurred during Hurricane Ian in 2022, affecting over 2 million people. The upcoming Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, has already seen the formation of Tropical Depression Two, which developed into Tropical Storm Arlene. Fortunately, the system remained far off the coast in the Gulf of Mexico and did not require any evacuations in the United States.
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