Nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) Identifies Tornado Safety Knowledge Gaps and Launches 2024 #TornadoStrong Educational Campaign

New Survey Findings Reveal Crucial Tornado Safety Insights

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As the spring tornado season approaches, the latest survey conducted by the nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) sheds light on persistent challenges in tornado safety awareness among Americans residing in high-risk locations. The annual research effort, Is America #TornadoStrong?, engaged 500 residents across 12 tornado-prone states to gauge their understanding of protective measures, home strengthening, and increasingly affordable safe rooms and storm shelters.

While many believe that tornadoes are solely concentrated in the so-called "Tornado Alley," recent data from the National Weather Service highlights that nearly 95% of U.S. counties have experienced tornado watches within the last five years.

"This year's survey indicates steady improvement in many aspects of public awareness of safety and home protection, such as improved understanding of the difference between a tornado watch and warning," said FLASH President and CEO Leslie Chapman-Henderson. "However, we have yet to reach our goal of making tornado safety second nature for all in harm's way."

A notable survey result underscores that 68% of respondents remain unaware of the pivotal role an intact garage door can play in maintaining a home's structural integrity during extreme winds. For example, analysis by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) stemming from the aftermath of the 2011 Joplin, MO tornado outbreak indicates that homes observed with intact garage doors are more likely to retain their roofs and walls adjacent to the garage, even in windspeeds up to EF-2 (135 mph) intensity.

Furthermore, the survey identifies a significant gap in awareness regarding the life-saving potential of safe rooms. 61% of participants are unaware of their near-absolute protection during tornadoes, while 72% overestimate the associated costs.

The 2024 Is America #TornadoStrong? topline consumer survey findings report is online at Tornado-Strong.org. Additional free resources include the new Strong Homes, Safe Families! podcast and fact sheets such as Tornado Watch vs. Warning: Know the Difference and What to Do and Choosing the Right Safe Room for You, which outlines six types of safe rooms and includes short videos. Educators and meteorologists can also find shareable social media graphics and FAQs to help promote tornado safety awareness.

About FLASH

The nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) is the country's leading consumer advocate for strengthening homes and safeguarding families from disasters. The FLASH partnership includes more than 100 innovative and diverse organizations that share a vision of making America a more disaster-resilient nation, including FEMA, Florida Division of Emergency Management, Huber Engineered Woods, International Code Council, ISO - Verisk Analytics, MyRadar, National Weather Service, Renew Financial, Simpson Strong-Tie, State Farm, and USAA. In 2008, FLASH and Disney opened the interactive weather experience StormStruck: A Tale of Two Homes in Lake Buena Vista, FL. FLASH's signature program No Code. No Confidence. - Inspect2Protect.org provides consumers with a one-of-a-kind building code transparency tool to easily identify their community's building code. Learn more about FLASH and access free consumer resources by visiting www.flash.org and www.Inspect2Protect.org, calling toll-free (877) 221- SAFE (7233), following @federalalliance on Twitter, and Facebook.com/federalalliance.

SOURCE Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH)