Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH)® Unveils Enhanced Family Preparedness Tools to Meet Challenge Revealed in 2013 Pre-Hurricane Season Harris Interactive Survey

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Harris Interactive Survey reveals even after hurricane experience, majority of families do not plan to take critical mitigation steps before the next severe storm. New Mitigation 2.0 tools will replace "old school" methods and make hurricane preparedness easier, faster and more convenient.

NEW ORLEANS, March 27, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the 2013 National Hurricane Conference continues this week, the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH)® introduced Mitigation 2.0 --- a new program that offers simpler, faster "upgraded" access to critical information about disaster mitigation, or preventive measures. Mitigation 2.0 comes in response to stark findings from the 2013 FLASH pre-hurricane season Harris Interactive Survey that indicated that while those affected by severe weather events like Superstorm Sandy are more willing to take simpler preventive steps, most still do not plan to take essential steps recommended by experts to protect windows, strengthen roofs or even purchase flood insurance. 

Mitigation 2.0 features high tech solutions like the new FLASH Weather Alerts, a first-ever precision, severe weather alert smartphone app that includes home mitigation and family preparedness information, videos and consumer support in English and Spanish. It also includes expanded mitigation "how to" information with the popular "Protect Your Home in a FLASH" how-to video series and checklists that break steps down into Do-It-Yourself projects that can be completed in one hour, one day or one weekend. 

"Our experience tells us that when families find mitigation activity too overwhelming, they opt out," said FLASH President and CEO Leslie Chapman-Henderson. "Mitigation 2.0 overcomes this challenge by combining common sense and technology to provide the right amount of information at the right time."

The Survey:

An online survey of 2,252 adults 18 and older performed by Harris Interactive for the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes from February 15-19, 2013 asked homeowners about their hurricane- and severe weather-preparedness, as well as their experience with past weather events. 

Even Americans who survived events such as Superstorm Sandy are not planning to make all the preparations they should.

While Americans who experienced an extreme weather event last year are more likely to expect another event in the future, most are not planning to take many of the precautions experts recommend.

Specifically:

• 70% of those affected do not have plans to buy flood insurance
• 80% of those affected do not plan to install hurricane shutters or emergency plywood shutters
• 73% of those affected do not plan to strengthen their roof to withstand hurricanes by installing hurricane straps/clips, a secondary water barrier or high-wind shingles

The numbers were even worse for those who did not experience a severe weather event last year:

• 87% of those who averted severe weather do not have plans to buy flood insurance
• 93% of those who averted severe weather do not plan to install hurricane shutters or emergency plywood shutters
• 93% of those who averted severe weather do not plan to strengthen their roof to withstand hurricanes by installing hurricane straps/clips, a secondary water barrier or high-wind shingles

According to Chapman-Henderson, "Strengthening homes is an essential part of safeguarding families from disaster of all kinds. Mitigation 2.0 provides families with the tools they need to get to the next level of readiness, one project at a time."

For free mitigation information and consumer advice about disasters of all kinds, visit www.flash.org or call (877) 221-SAFE (7233).  FLASH Weather Alerts is now available from the Apple AppStore and Google Play store for a reduced cost of $4.99 through March 29. 

About FLASH

Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH)®, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is the country's leading consumer advocate for strengthening homes and safeguarding families from natural and manmade disasters. FLASH collaborates with more than 100 innovative and diverse partners that share its vision of making America a more disaster-resistant nation including: BASF, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Florida Division of Emergency Management, The Home Depot®, International Code Council, Kohler® Generators, National Weather Service, RenaissanceRe, Simpson Strong-Tie®, State Farm™, USAA® and WeatherPredict Consulting Inc. In 2008, FLASH opened the interactive weather experience StormStruck: A Tale of Two Homes® in Lake Buena Vista, FL. Learn more about FLASH and gain access to its free consumer resources by visiting www.flash.org or calling (877) 221-SAFE (7233). Also, get timely safety tips to ensure that you and your family are always well protected from natural and manmade disasters by subscribing to the FLASH blog – Protect Your Home in a FLASH.

SOURCE Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH)