Extreme weather? Many Americans lack a disaster plan

This story version has been formatted as an on-air script for broadcast outlets. See the original research story here.

SEPTEMBER IS NATURAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS MONTH.

NINE IN 10 AMERICANS BELIEVE IT’S IMPORTANT TO BE PREPARED FOR THE WORST IN THE EVENT OF A NATURAL DISASTER BUT LESS THAN HALF ACTUALLY HAVE A PREPAREDNESS PLAN IN PLACE.

HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO NEW RESEARCH FROM 4-PATRIOTS, YOUNGER AMERICANS SEEM TO SENSE THE DANGER OF EXTREME WEATHER MORE ACUTELY THAN OLDER AMERICANS.

MORE GEN Z AND MILLENNIALS (BOTH 55%) HAVE A NATURAL DISASTER PLAN OF ACTION THAN GEN X (51%) AND BABY BOOMERS (39%), ACCORDING TO THE STUDY, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED BY TALKER RESEARCH.

AND EVEN THOUGH MORE THAN FOUR IN 10 RESPONDENTS (43%) HAVE EXPERIENCED A NATURAL DISASTER IN THEIR LIFETIME, MORE THAN HALF (53%) STILL FEEL THEY’RE LESS LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED BY EXTREME WEATHER THAN OTHER PEOPLE. 

SO WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! HOW PREPARED ARE YOU? LET US KNOW!

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans; the survey was commissioned by 4Patriots and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between June 20 and June 26, 2025.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:

• Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
• Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:

• Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
• Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
• Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
• Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once

It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.