Over Six Million Aussies Unaware Of Local Extreme Weather Risks

New research from NRMA Insurance has found 6.37 Australians, nearly one in three, do not have a good understanding of extreme weather risks in their local area and nearly half don’t know what steps they need to take to prepare for an extreme weather emergency.

As extreme weather conditions continue throughout the country, NRMA Insurance together with the Australian Red Cross will host a series of EmergencyRedi Workshops, including one at North Richmond Community Centre on Wednesday, December 13 from 5:30 pm to 7 pm.

Free registration via Eventbrite is strongly recommended as spaces are limited to 25 per workshop.

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 say they have been impacted by an extreme weather event, with damage to homes being the number one impact and 17 per cent of those affected even having to evacuate their home. According to NRMA Insurance claims data, around 60 per cent of all home claims are due to extreme weather.

With extreme weather becoming more frequent and severe, NRMA Insurance and the Australian Red Cross have partnered to expand the delivery of Australian Red Cross EmergencyRedi Workshops, delivering more than 2,000 free workshops over the next three years.

This will 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 Australians had faced some of the most devastating natural disasters in decades over the past few years.

“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,” Ms Batch said.

“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 per cent of Australians had 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 the better prepared you were, 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,” Ms Miranda said.

“With the help of NRMA Insurance, we will significantly expand the number of Australian Red Cross EmergencyRedi Workshops in communities across New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia, delivering thousands of workshops over the next three years.”

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.

To see the upcoming schedule of Australian Red Cross EmergencyRedi Workshops and learn how to get prepared for extreme weather, visit www.nrma.com.au/helpnation.

• Topics:

• Emergency Services
• Natural Disasters
• Workshops