Like their neighbors across the state, Californians believe they should do a better job of preparing for natural disasters. Their worries can vary dramatically depending on where they live, however, according to a new poll.

While residents of the Bay Area and the Los Angeles region feel they are best prepared for earthquakes (44 and 47 percent respectively), people in the Sacramento region believe they are best able to withstand regional flooding (44 percent). San Diego area residents, meanwhile, generally believe they can handle a wildfire (49 percent).

Despite the San Diego region’s relative confidence with wildfire, other regions expressed doubt about their ability to face fires. Roughly half of the respondents in Los Angeles, Bay Area, Sacramento and Central Valley regions described themselves as “not prepared at all” for wildfires.
Few of the 800 people surveyed feel they know what to do should a tsunami strike the California coast, with residents of the Los Angeles and Bay Area regions expressing the least confidence. Only 18 and 19 percent of respondents from the regions, respectively, believed that they were ready for a tsunami threat.

Californians are in agreement on one peril, however. In each region, between 60 and 69 percent of respondents said that they are not prepared for the threat of a mudslide at their home or place of business.

IINC and Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company partnered to sponsor the poll in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, which nearly leveled the city.

Conducted by the polling firm of Public Opinion Strategies, the survey has a plus/minus margin of error of 3.46 percent.

IINC is non-profit, non-lobbying insurance communications association dedicated to helping the public understand insurance and risk management issues. For more information on this and other related subjects, visit www.iinc.org.

Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company is a premier property and casualty insurance company providing personal, commercial and specialty insurance products nationwide. Based in Novato, Calif., Fireman’s Fund is a member of the Allianz Group (NYSE: AZ), one of the world’s largest providers of property and casualty insurance and other financial services. For additional information, visit www.firemansfund.com.