Nearly half of West Virginia not prepared for natural disasters, survey finds

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — Are you prepared for a natural disaster in the Mountian State? A new study shows that only half of the West Virginia population is.

While natural disasters such as earthquakes and tornadoes are rare in West Virginia, severe flooding is common, especially in the spring and summer. A national survey completed by ServiceMaster Restore found that 47% of West Virginia households take little to no steps to prepare for potentially severe weather events.

On a national scale, the survey also revealed that less than half of the participants fully understood the risks that weather events could have in their area, 35% said they suffer from anxiety due to the possibility of severe weather occurrences, and only 1 in 5 participants stated they have a plan in case of a disaster.

ServiceMaster Restoration founder Diana Rodriguez-Zaba hopes that seeing the results of the survey will serve as a “wake-up call” and encourage Americans to prepare.

“It’s alarming to see that so many households are not taking any proactive measures to prepare for natural disasters, despite the increasing frequency and severity of these events,” Rodriguez said. “Diligent property maintenance can mean the difference between preservation and loss – in fact, preparedness should not be considered a choice, but a necessity.”

The study was completed via an online panel survey of 3,000 adults based on age, gender, geography and population data.

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