Natural disasters and severe weather events are scenarios we don’t tend to think about on a normal day. Even when we see these disasters playing out on the national or world news, we often operate under the assumption that these things won’t happen to us. No one wants to live their life in fear, but you also shouldn’t ignore the possibility that you could experience a natural disaster. The best course of action is to make sure you’re informed and prepared. Then, when a disaster hits, you’ll be ready.
Natural disasters can wreak havoc on a home, from compromising a home’s structure and breaking windows to causing water damage. Insured losses due to natural disasters totaled $81 billion in 2020, with the most common damage coming from severe thunderstorms, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, hurricanes and winter storms.
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The natural disasters we will cover in this guide include:
In this post, we’re going to talk about how to prepare for various types of natural disasters and severe weather events, but before we get into those particulars, let’s start with some general tips for how to prepare for any type of emergency.
Many of us rely on our televisions for news updates, and this is a fine way to stay on top of developing conditions. However, in the event of a power outage, you should have other means of staying updated. A crank or battery-powered AM/FM radio, a mobile app or a reliable weather website can all be helpful ways to receive updates.
The most reliable way to make sure you always have access to updates is by getting a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio. NOAA radios will audibly alert you whenever there is severe weather, night or day.
When a natural disaster or severe weather events occur, chances are, one of your first concerns will be knowing your spouse or children are safe. You may be able to give them a call to check in, but you can’t count on this. It’s critical that your family has a plan in place for where you all will meet if it isn’t safe to go home.
You can also prepare by learning what the emergency plan is at your spouse’s workplace and your children’s schools or daycare centers. This way, if a natural disaster or severe storm hits, you’ll know where your family members are. See if your child’s school has an emergency dismissal policy you should also be aware of.
You’ll also need to make a plan for the other important members of your family — your pets. If part of your natural disaster plan involves making use of emergency services, you’ll have to take extra steps to ensure the services you contact will accept pets through their doors.
Finding shelters that accept pets helps ensure you won’t get separated from your beloved furry companions if you experience a natural disaster. It is also a good idea to keep a photo of your pet in your wallet or emergency kit so you’re ready should you lose track of your pet.
One of the most important steps you can take to keep you and your family safe is to put together an emergency kit. This kit should contain enough supplies to sustain you over the course of several days if you are home-bound. Make sure your emergency kit contains the following items:
Having an emergency kit on hand will ensure you’re prepared and help ease your mind in the event of an actual emergency.
Fire, water and other destructive forces can completely destroy the documents in your home. Some documents are important and even irreplaceable. To keep these documents protected during a disaster, keep them in a safe that is both fire- and water-proof. Here are some examples of documents you should store in your safe:
Keeping your important documents safe and secure will ensure you know where they are at all times and can access them whenever you need them. You can also take the extra step to digitize your important documents, which helps you retain copies of them even if they get lost in a natural disaster.
Now that we’ve covered the basics of how to be prepared for any type of emergency, let’s look at a few specific types of disasters and how to be prepared. Some natural disasters are national emergencies that affect many people, while others may be limited to a small town or neighborhood.
We’re focusing specifically on the types of emergencies that are known to affect Missourians, though our list is not exhaustive. These include severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, severe winter weather, flooding, earthquakes, fires and hurricanes. Keep reading to learn how you can be ready for each of these scenarios.
Thunderstorms are dangerous storms that feature lightning. Unlike some of the other types of disasters we’ll discuss in this post, thunderstorms may seem like everyday events and may not raise much concern. It is true that many thunderstorms are harmless, but more severe thunderstorms can put you and your home in danger. Some of the hazards thunderstorms present are high winds and lightning strikes.
Thunderstorms can bring on winds of over 50 miles per hour. Winds this high can cause limbs or entire trees to break and fall, possibly pulling down power lines or crashing into buildings.
Lightning is another major concern. Did you know that lightning strikes the earth 8.6 million times every day? As common as lightning strikes are, it’s uncommon for a person to be hit. But that doesn’t mean it never happens. In fact, data shows that from 1989–2018 in the U.S., a yearly average of 43 people were reportedly killed due to lightning.
So, how can you be ready to keep yourself, your family and your home safe when a severe thunderstorm hits? Of course, you want to follow all of the general tips we discussed above, but there are also some special steps you can take in order to be prepared for the hazards of a thunderstorm.
Many people are confused about the differences in the alerts you can hear on the radio or TV. The two terms to be aware of when it comes to thunderstorms are Severe Thunderstorm Watch and Severe Thunderstorm Warning. A watch only means that a severe thunderstorm is possible. A warning means that a severe thunderstorm is currently happening in your area. For a thunderstorm to be considered severe, it must have winds of at least 58 miles per hour and/or hail that is at least one inch across.
When a thunderstorm hits, you want to stay indoors if at all possible and away from windows. If you’re out, make sure you remain in your car or seek shelter in a safe building nearby. If you find yourself outside and unable to get back to a car or building, crouch low, but do not lie flat on the ground. The key is to stay low while minimizing contact with the ground in case of a lightning strike. Avoid contact with concrete structures since lightning can travel through the metal reinforcements in concrete.
Since lightning can move through your electrical system and damage appliances, you should equip your home with surge protectors. Make sure you have battery-powered chargers for your mobile phone since it isn’t safe to use a corded phone during a thunderstorm. Outside, cut down any trees or limbs that are likely to fall down on your home during a severe storm. When a storm is imminent, secure any furniture or other items you have outdoors that may blow away.
Homeowners insurance typically covers weather damages from high winds and hail. Most policies will also help with damage from a tree that falls because of a storm. Some car insurance policies will cover hail damage to your vehicle if that occurs. If your home is struck by lightning, your homeowners insurance may pay to replace appliances that are damaged from the surge. If the lightning strike causes fire and smoke damage, your homeowners insurance policy will probably cover this damage. Make sure you know exactly what your insurance covers in regard to severe storms.
A tornado is a traveling cyclone of rapidly rotating winds that is connected to a storm system. It looks like a funnel-shaped cloud. As a tornado rotates, it can produce winds up to 300 miles per hour. You don’t need to be directly in the path of a tornado to be in danger since the high winds can create a mile-wide path of destruction. Even if a tornado touches down far from your town, you could still be in danger since tornadoes can travel over 50 miles, leaving devastating damage in their wake.
Missouri experiences an average of 32 tornadoes in a year. That figure is a nearly 70-year average — from 1950-2016 — but if you look at averages from more recent years, the number is even higher, with 61 tornadoes in 2021 alone. Every year in the U.S., tornadoes cause an average of 69 fatalities.
Rather than let the facts above scare you whenever you see a cloud in the sky, you should take active steps to prepare so you know what to do if you ever experience a tornado. By understanding what you’re up against, you’re already part way there. Now, let’s talk about some things you should make sure you do to be ready:
A tornado can form suddenly and is not always easy to see. Typically, tornadoes occur when you may think a thunderstorm is ending. The sky may even appear sunny, and the air may feel calm. But then, winds will start to pick up. Historically, Missouri has experienced the most tornadoes during the month of May, with a decent number of tornadoes occurring in April and June, as well, so you should be especially on your guard for tornadoes during these months.
Some areas have tornado sirens to alert people outside to seek shelter when necessary. Find out if your area does, and make sure you know what it sounds like, so you can seek shelter right away if you ever hear it — unless you know for certain it’s a test. When conditions are ripe for a tornado, the Storm Prediction Center will issue a tornado watch. A tornado warning means a weather radar has detected a tornado, or it has actually been sited.
If you work outside the home, make sure you know the proper emergency procedures for your workplace. At home, the safest area is a storm cellar or basement. If your home isn’t equipped with either of these features, then you should go to an interior room that has no windows, such as a bathroom, preferably on the lowest floor in your home.
Insurance companies are no stranger to tornado damage. Insured losses from convective storms average about $17 billion each year. Homeowners insurance generally will cover any damages to your property that result from a tornado, so there’s no need for special tornado insurance. It should also pay for your living expenses if you have to stay in a hotel for a while when your house is uninhabitable. Since every policy is different, make sure you understand exactly what your policy covers so you can be sure you have the level of coverage you want.
If you live in Missouri or in many other states in the U.S., you know just how cold winters can get and the damage severe winter weather can cause. Over the course of 2012-2021, an average of 30 people in the U.S. died from winter weather, and 38 people died from cold. Cold is, of course, one of the hazards that winter weather brings, especially if you experience a power outage. Winter weather can also include snow, ice and wind.
Many of the ways to prepare for winter weather are by following our general preparedness tips at the beginning of this post. Because severe winter weather may result in you being snowed in and possibly without power, it’s critical that you have everything you need to stay safe and healthy on hand in your home. Here are some other ways you can prepare for winter weather.
You can weatherproof your home by taking steps to keep the cold out and the heat in. Make sure you have adequate insulation in your walls and attic, and check for any leaks in your roof. To protect water lines from freezing, insulate any lines that run along the outside walls of your home. Insulate windows and doors with caulk and weather-stripping.
In severe winter weather, you should stay off the roads if possible. There are plenty of times, though, when it may be safe to drive but could turn hazardous quickly if your car breaks down. To prepare for this dangerous scenario, assemble an emergency supply kit for your vehicle. Make sure your kit includes basic emergency supplies like water, a flashlight and jumper cables as well as winter-weather-specific supplies like sand for gaining traction on the snow and ice and blankets to stay warm.
Hypothermia and frostbite are both medical risks that come along with exposure to the cold, so it’s important to know the signs and basic treatment methods. With hypothermia, a person’s body temperature becomes too low, and they may become drowsy and confused. Their speech may become slurred. Frostbite victims typically experience pain or redness in an area that has become frostbit. When a person may have hypothermia or frostbite, you want to get them indoors and warm them up gradually. If a person’s temperature ever registers below 95 degrees Fahrenheit, you should seek medical attention immediately.
It’s helpful to make sure you know what your insurance covers when it comes to damage from winter weather. This damage could be a roof cave-in due to the weight of snow, a burst pipe or many other mishaps. Generally, homeowners insurance will cover these weather damages. Just make sure you understand the ins and outs of your policy so you’re prepared to file a claim if necessary. If you or a family member gets hypothermia or frostbite, your health insurance may help cover the medical costs.
Flooding is another serious hazard that Missourians and many others across the country experience on a regular basis. Flooding can occur either gradually or as flash flooding. Flash flooding is especially dangerous since it can catch people off guard. In Missouri, flooding causes more deaths than any other severe weather hazard.
Flooding can occur as the result of heavy rains, a breached levee, a dam failure or melted snow and ice. No matter what the cause, when flooding occurs, you want to be ready. Especially if it’s a flash flood, you will likely not have time to learn the best safety practices at the moment. Take the following steps now to prepare yourself for a potential flood.
Weatherproofing your home can help mitigate the risks associated with flash flooding. You can weatherproof your home with any of the following methods:
Taking these precautions help keep your home and most valuable items safe and limit flood damage.
To prepare for a potential flood, it helps to know how at-risk you are and what water sources near you may contribute to flooding. These water sources may include rivers, streams, drainage channels and more. If you live near a water source that is known to flood, you must stay on your guard since flash floods can occur in these areas without much warning.
There are many different warning alerts that relate to flooding. A few you should make sure you know are Flash Flood Watch, Flash Flood Warning, Flood Watch and Flood Warning. As with other watches and warnings we’ve discussed in the previous sections, a watch indicates that conditions are favorable for either a flash flood or a normal flood, and a warning indicates that a flash flood or normal flood is already occurring. If you live near a river, you may also want to be on guard for a River Flood Watch or Warning.
The best way to stay safe in a flood is to stay off the road. Approximately 75 people die every year in the U.S. from trying to drive through flooded streets. The vast majority of flooding fatalities in Missouri take place in a vehicle. Just six inches of water is enough to cause your car to stall and make you lose control if you’re driving a typical passenger car. Even a four-wheel-drive vehicle is powerless against a foot of moving water. The bottom line is that you should never attempt to drive through flooded roads.
When it comes to flooding, it’s important to understand that a homeowners insurance policy most likely won’t help you. Generally, homeowners insurance does not cover damage from flooding due to weather incidents. If you live in an area where flooding is an ever-present danger, you should strongly consider purchasing a flood insurance policy.
Earthquakes can be inconsequential or can be devastating. An earthquake occurs when two tectonic plates beneath the earth’s surface run into each other and overlap. The boundaries between these plates are made up of a series of faults. These faults are where earthquakes are likely to occur. Even minor tremors can do some damage, but a serious earthquake can destroy entire buildings and towns.
Especially if you live in an area where serious earthquakes are known to occur, you should make sure you’re prepared. Unlike some other natural disasters, there are no warning signs to alert you that an earthquake is coming. That’s why it’s critical that you take these proactive steps now to be ready.
Some areas are far more prone to experience earthquakes than others, so it helps to research your area to see if you’re at risk. If you live in Missouri, the fault to be aware of is the New Madrid Seismic Zone, also called the New Madrid Fault Line. This area, which is primarily located in southeast Missouri and parts of adjacent states, experiences about 200 small earthquakes a year. At some point, a much more serious earthquake could strike.
To prepare your home to withstand the vibrations from an earthquake, first, make sure your home is securely anchored to the foundation. Then, focus on fastening things like water heaters, gas appliances and shelves to the wall so they won’t fall. You can also install flexible lines to your appliances. You should also make sure overhead lighting fixtures are securely anchored. Finally, be strategic with your storage. Heavier items should be placed on low shelves so they are less likely to fall and hit someone during an earthquake.
When an earthquake hits, the three things to remember are drop, cover and hold on. Get on your hands and knees and stay low so you’re not in danger of falling. Then, use one arm to cover your head and neck. If you have a table close by, go under it. If not, stay up against an inside wall. “Hold on” means you should stay where you are until the shaking stops. If your source of shelter shifts, move with it to stay protected.
If you’re concerned you may be at risk of experiencing an earthquake, then you should consider purchasing earthquake insurance. This is because homeowners and renters insurance policies don’t cover earthquake damage. If an earthquake causes a fire, however, which can happen, the fire damages will likely be covered by your standard policy. If you want earthquake coverage, look for a separate policy or an endorsement from your insurance company.
We’ve provided an informational sheet covering your earthquake insurance coverage. The deductible for this coverage is much lower than other companies. Something to note is the cost of getting a cracked foundation repaired. While most homeowners will have to pay upwards of $4,000 for general foundational repair issues, once you need to involve hydraulic repairs which are most earthquake-damaged foundations, you are looking at a minimum of $10,000. Our depicted coverage makes sure you won’t be paying the full cost of a cracked foundation from a large deductible.
See also our additional information sheet on this coverage at the end of this article.
Wildfires are typically associated with states like California, but they have been known to occur in 38 U.S. states. Missouri is not at a high risk of experiencing wildfires, but they have happened before. During times of drought, vegetation becomes dry, and even the smallest spark can create a fierce blaze that spreads rapidly. In 2012, when the conditions were right, Missouri experienced wildfires that affected more than 10,000 acres. Fires can completely destroy entire buildings and, at the least, cause smoke damage.
Even if you don’t suspect wildfires are a natural disaster you need to worry about, the same damaging effects can occur as the result of a structure fire. A fire in your home can start for many different reasons. No matter where or how a fire originates, you want to know how you can protect yourself and your home. Here are some critical steps to take.
To protect your home from wildfires, upgrade to a Class A fire-rated roof and noncombustible siding. Inside, make sure your home is equipped with smoke alarms. Test and clean your alarms every month to make sure they’re still working. You also need to have at least one fire extinguisher accessible in your home.
You may also want to install a sprinkler system. Another important safety measure to prevent a house fire is making make sure the electrical wiring in your home is in good working order and doesn’t present any fire hazards.
You can also make changes to the outside of your home and yard to prepare for a fire. Fire-retardant plants, trees and shrubs can help contain fires rather than fuel them. You should move items that can catch fire very easily a distance away from your home if you’re at risk of experiencing a wildfire.
Flame-retardant plants you can purchase for your property include:
Maple and cherry trees are also good options for wildlife that do not burn as easily as other tree varieties.
When your home is on fire, you need a ready-made plan so you can jump into action. Make sure every member of your household knows where they should go in the event of a fire. Figure out the best escape routes in every room of your home, and keep these routes clear. To allow for a safe exit, make sure your windows in each room can easily be opened from the inside. Identify a location outside where your family will meet.
To prevent wildfires, exercise caution by keeping fires well-contained and never leaving them unattended. You should also avoid starting a fire on a windy day. The Missouri Fire Marshall recommends you maintain a distance of 75 feet from any buildings when you build a fire outdoors. For house fires, there are many ways you can exercise caution. For example, only smoke outside, and keep a screen in front of your fireplace.
Most standard homeowners insurance policies cover fire and smoke damage, either from a structure fire or a wildfire. In the most extreme cases, your policy should pay for your house to be rebuilt from the ground up. Your homeowners insurance should also cover your cost of living while you’re forced to stay elsewhere while your home is being repaired or rebuilt. As always, check with your insurance company to make sure you know what your policy covers.
You may associate hurricanes with coastal areas, and rightly so. These massive storm systems initially form over the ocean and affect coastal states more than landlocked states. However, hurricanes do not stop at the coast. They can affect areas that are 100 miles inland or more. Hurricanes tend to be most active in September, during what is known as hurricane season. The Atlantic season begins in June, and the Pacific season begins in mid-May. Both seasons conclude at the end of November.
Because hurricanes are severe storms, they can include high winds, heavy rainfall, flooding, tornadoes, landslides and more. All of these hazards can cause damage to your property. Years where catastrophic hurricanes occur result in billions of dollars in insured losses due to the damage.
So, how can you prepare for a hurricane? First, refer to the Severe Thunderstorms section above as many of those same measures apply here. In addition, follow these steps.
You can prepare your home for a hurricane now by cleaning out your drains and gutters and by equipping your plumbing with check valves to prevent backups. You can also install storm shutters, which offer the best protection for your windows in a hurricane, or you can cut pieces of 5/8-inch exterior-grade plywood to fit on all your windows. When you know a hurricane is headed your way, either shut your storm shutters or board up your windows with the plywood pieces you made.
If you hear or see on the news that they’ve issued a Hurricane Watch, it means a tropical cyclone with winds of 74 miles per hour or more may affect your area within the next 48 hours or so. A Hurricane Warning is a more severe alert since it means this type of cyclone is not just possible but expected to hit your area in 36 hours or less. Hurricanes are categorized on a scale from one to five based on their severity, so it’s also helpful to understand what each of these categories indicates.
If a more mild hurricane is on its way to your area, then follow the same rules as you would for a thunderstorm or tornado. This means you should seek shelter in a storm cellar, basement or windowless interior room on the lowest level of your home. In the case of more severe hurricanes, you may be evacuated. You can be prepared now by taking time to review your evacuation zone and route as well as nearby shelters.
Finally, you want to make sure you know what types of damage your homeowners insurance policy will cover. When it comes to hurricanes, the answer depends on where you live and your specific policy. One thing is fairly certain: Your standard home insurance policy won’t cover flood damage. It may, however, cover damage from high winds. That said, if you live in a state where hurricanes are more frequent, your homeowners insurance may have a higher deductible that applies to hurricane damage.
If you are a Missourian who wants to make sure you have all the coverage you need in case of a natural disaster, consider partnering with David Pope Insurance. As a well-established insurance agency, we have the expertise to help you find the insurance policies you need to perfectly fit your needs. We have offices in St. Clair, Union and Washington. Since we’re firmly rooted in Missouri communities, we understand the unique needs of Missourians, including how to ensure you’re covered in case of natural disasters.
To learn more about how we can help you be prepared for a disaster or for everyday mishaps, contact us online for a free quote or call us at 636-583-0800. We’re here to help you feel ready for anything.
Additional Earthquake coverage information:
