Disaster preparedness will not stop the next storm from happening, but it can strengthen the region’s resiliency and improve its ability to recover. To better understand Houston and Harris County residents’ experiences with and attitudes toward disaster preparedness, over 5,000 were surveyed in the spring of 2024 and in the weeks following Hurricane Beryl.
Key findings
- Although the majority or residents (68%) reported feeling prepared for Hurricane Beryl, many households did little to enhance their readiness. Of nine hurricane-related preparedness actions, only two — filled vehicle fuel tank and charged portable power banks — were reported by a majority.
- About two-thirds of residents did not feel that state or local government officials were adequately prepared. Standard measures were taken, such as staffing emergency call centers, reinforcing personnel and issuing travel advisories; however, the city and county were not equipped to face a prolonged power outage.
- Almost 9 in 10 residents were particularly critical of local electric utility companies. CenterPoint Energy, which services much of the Houston area, conducted an after-action review that identified key areas for improvement, including enhancing its damage-prediction model, better maintenance of vegetation near powerlines and updating and hardening the local power grid.
