More than 6 million Australians unaware of local extreme weather risks

New research from NRMA Insurance has found nearly 1 in 3 Australians (32%) do not have a good understanding of extreme weather risks in their local area and nearly half (48%) do not know what steps they need to take to prepare for an extreme weather emergency. 

The perception that “it will not happen to me” is the number one barrier to being better prepared for extreme weather events. This is despite more than a third of Aussies (35%) saying they have been impacted by an extreme weather event, with damage to homes being the number one impact (51%), and 17% of those affected even having to evacuate their home. 

With extreme weather becoming more frequent and severe, NRMA Insurance and Australian Red Cross are partnering to expand the delivery of Australian Red Cross EmergencyRedi™ Workshops, delivering more than 2,000 free workshops over the next three years. This is intended to help tens of thousands of Australians get prepared for all types of emergencies, including extreme weather events. 

The workshop expansion forms part of “Help Nation”, an initiative created by NRMA Insurance to unite people, communities and organisations across Australia to get prepared and know their local risks. 

NRMA Insurance CEO Julie Batch said, “Over the past few years Australians have faced some of the most devasting natural disasters in decades. That’s why we’ve launched Help Nation - to help people understand their local weather risks and what they can do to be better prepared. 

“Our research shows only half of Australians have taken steps to prepare for extreme weather over the past year and most don’t feel prepared to respond to one. Taking steps before an event happens goes a long way in protecting yourself, your loved ones, your community and the things you care about.” 

The NRMA Insurance research revealed that only 26% of Australians have an emergency plan to help them respond to an extreme weather event. 

During Australian Red Cross EmergencyRedi™ Workshops, participants learn about preparing for emergencies and the steps they need to take to build their individual and household resilience. 

Australian Red Cross NSW State Director Kate Miranda said, “We know the better prepared you are, the better your capacity to respond and recover from any emergency. Having an emergency preparedness plan is one of the best things you can do to assist with both practical and psychological preparations.” 

Through its “Help Nation” initiative, NRMA Insurance is also joining with Lifeline Australia to build a disaster resilience toolkit, to provide information and resources for people impacted by natural disasters.