Which States Are Least Prepared for Natural Disasters?
The majority of Americans are unprepared or underprepared for a natural disaster, according to a recent poll from MSN.
The poll found that only three in 10 Americans say they have an emergency preparedness kid, 42% say they are not at all prepared for a disaster, and 46% say they’re only prepared a little.
Not all regions have the same preparedness levels, however. In 16 states, 25% or fewer residents say they have an emergency preparedness kit, Business Insider reports. In those same states, almost half the population says they are not at all prepared for a disaster, while more than 50% say they’re a little prepared.
States prone to disasters tend to pay more attention; South Carolina, frequently at risk from hurricanes, was one of the most prepared states.
So which 16 states are least prepared? Check out the chart below.
| State | % of Residents with an Emergency Kit | % Who Say They’re “Not at All” Prepared for a Natural Disaster |
| Connecticut | 25% | 46% |
| Washington, DC | 23% | 50% |
| Delaware | 24% | 49% |
| Illinois | 24% | 48% |
| Indiana | 25% | 47% |
| Massachusetts | 25% | 47% |
| Maryland | 24% | 49% |
| Maine | 25% | 46% |
| Michigan | 25% | 47% |
| New Jersey | 24% | 49% |
| New York | 24% | 49% |
| Ohio | 24% | 47% |
| Pennsylvania | 24% | 48% |
| Rhode Island | 24% | 48% |
| Vermont | 25% | 47% |
| Wisconsin | 25% | 46% |
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