AccuWeather's Leslie Hudson reported from the Orange County Emergency Management offices in Florida, highlighting how different generations are preparing for storms, and what can be done to bridge those gaps before the next one hits.

A survey conducted by Talker Research of approximately 2,000 Americans found that younger generations, specifically Gen Z and millennials, are more likely to have formal disaster plans compared to baby boomers. While about 90% of respondents believe it is critical to be prepared for storms, less than half actually have a plan in place.

The study also noted that younger adults frequently use their phones for live weather updates and communication, which contributes to their preparedness but also increases their anxiety. Despite generational differences, all age groups agree that extreme weather events have become more common in recent years. Emergency officials recommend having a plan in place to help reduce anxiety and improve readiness for natural disasters.

Survey shows age divide in planning for storms

AccuWeather's Leslie Hudson is live in Orange County, Florida, at their emergency management offices with what each generation is doing differently and how to close the gap before the next storm, which may not be too far away. Good morning, Leslie. Hey, good morning to you, Bernie. Yeah, I tell you what, the results from this research was really surprising, and a lot of folks are also surprised that it's not my generation or your generation, it's the – or if – I won't speak for you guys, but the younger generation that is actually better prepared. And as you mentioned, Bernie, we're right outside Orange County's Emergency Services Command Center, so over my shoulder, this is a bevy of activity when there is a storm threatening the state of Florida, and in particular in central Florida. But the results, again, pretty surprising, and being disaster-ready really depends on who you are and how old you are, based on this study that came from a company called Talker Research that actually surveyed about 2,000 people. So the Gen Zers and the millennials tend to have a plan on paper more so than the baby boomer generations, but they also tend to – the baby boomers tend to skip steps, like backup power and printed maps, things you think they would be ready for, they actually don't do. So younger adults check the weather more often. We know that. They live by their phones, and that actually helps them be more disaster-ready. They follow the live feeds. They lean on their phone-based tools like the radar, like the AccuWeather radar app, and share their family – and their shared family text, and that can translate into action. But that fire hose of information can keep their nerves on edge. Millennials and Gen Zs are hardwired to prepare for natural disasters, instant live feed on their phones. They tune in as soon as something is going on. It also creates a higher sense of anxiety. Studies have shown that when people are scrolling on their phones, it wires them to feel a little bit more anxious. So baby boomers may not have this same level of underlying anxiety that Millennials and Gen Z do. So again, the survey was about 2,000 Americans, and about 90% of all of those that were surveyed say it's critical to be prepared, but actually less than half of them have a plan in place. So if we're going to split this by generation, the Gen Zers and the Millennials are, again, a little better prepared. A little more than half of them say they do have a disaster plan. They know what they'll do if a hurricane, tornado, some type of disaster is headed their way. But the baby boomers, less than half of them actually have a plan in place, and that also holds true for the Gen Zers. So the results, again, pretty surprising, you guys. Americans, whether they feel that extreme, they all agree, all generations agree that they feel there is more extreme weather than there was just 10 years ago. They think there's more heat, more storms, more flooding. But all the officials say that, of course, getting that plan in place, getting ready will lower that anxiety, lower that need to get something done if you'll just put something on paper or get something in place before that disaster strikes. But again, really surprising data that came out from this research that the younger folks, including my kids, apparently are more ready for a disaster than me. I don't know if that's true or not, but that's what the research says. Reporting live from Orange County, we'll send it back to you.

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