Texas is one of the worst states in terms of disaster preparedness, per a study by Smilehub. And where natural disasters occur, so too do negative health outcomes — especially for Blacks and other people of color.
Researchers compared the 50 states based on data on fire and police stations per capita, the provision of an enhanced disaster mitigation plan, and community resilience.
Where does Texas stand?
Texas ranks 42nd out of all the states. Following Texas are Indiana, New Mexico, Kansas, South Carolina, Nevada, Tennessee, Arizona, and Mississippi.
Texas is also among the states with the fewest National Guard members per capita, the lowest community resilience, the most fire/ police stations per capita, and the largest emergency management budget per capita.
The state ranked 49th for the number of climate dangers resulting in more than $1 billion in damage.
It is also one of the most disaster-prone states in the country, with 372 federal disaster declarations since 1953.
Thus, it should come as no surprise that the Black, Brown and economically disadvantaged communities in Texas suffered the worst health outcomes from the state’s many disasters.
The Texas General Land Office has resources for protecting one’s home and documents, stocking up on emergency supplies, and planning an evacuation route. The organization also reminds Texans to review or opt for flood and wind insurance policies.
Per FEMA, Hurricane Harvey in 2017 was one of the worst natural disasters Texas has ever experienced. During the storm, Houston saw more than four feet of rain that led to historic levels of flooding, cost 88 lives, and tallied up $125 billion in damages.
The state of natural disasters
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 28 U.S. weather disasters caused damages totaling at least $1 billion in 2023. Only 45% of adults feel the need to prepare for a natural disaster, while 42% plan on preparing but have not taken any action yet, despite the need for preparation.
And natural disasters have both direct and indirect impacts on individuals and communities.
Impact on communities of color
Columbia University’s National Center for Disaster Preparedness says often, disasters disproportionately impactBlack, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), who are also less likely to receive adequate assistance post-disasters.
Moreover, BIPOC communities experience longer and more frequent outages. They are also less prepared and less likely to evacuate in the event of disasters and power outages.
A joint study from Columbia University and Stanford University said Black or African Americans are 1.7 times more likely to experience an outage for at least 24 consecutive hours compared to White or Caucasian households.
