Hurricane Attitudes of Coastal Connecticut Residents: A Segmentation Analysis

The report identifies five segments of coastal Connecticut residents: the First Out, Constrained, Optimists, Reluctant, and Diehards. These groups vary significantly in their perceived risk, actual preparedness, and likelihood of evacuating. While the First Out are the most anxious and likely to leave, the Diehards are the most self-reliant and least likely to evacuate. The analysis highlights that official orders from local police or fire departments are the most effective triggers for evacuation across all groups, though barriers such as pets, health issues, and financial constraints significantly hinder the Constrained and Optimists.

• The study identifies five distinct audience segments based on hurricane attitudes: the First Out (21%), the Reluctant (27%), the Diehards (22%), the Optimists (16%), and the Constrained (14%).
• The 'First Out' segment exhibits the highest levels of anxiety and risk perception, with 58% understanding their home is in an evacuation zone and 55% having evacuated during Superstorm Sandy.
• The 'Diehards' are the least likely to evacuate, believing it is safer to stay home to protect property; only 6% of this group evacuated during Superstorm Sandy.
• The 'Constrained' group understands hurricane risks but faces significant behavioral barriers to evacuation, including poor health, disability, pets, or lack of money.
• The 'Optimists' significantly underestimate the likelihood of future hurricanes, estimating only a 59% chance of a Category 1 hurricane in the next 50 years compared to over 80% for other groups.
• The 'Reluctant' segment is generally less worried about hurricanes but is highly responsive to official evacuation orders, particularly from local police or fire departments.
• Across all segments, official evacuation orders from local officials (police, fire, or government workers) are more effective than announcements from weather broadcasters or TV/radio.
• There is a widespread misunderstanding of hurricane hazards; between two-thirds and three-quarters of all segments believe high winds are the greatest threat, despite storm surge causing the most fatalities.
• Actual preparedness levels are highest among the Diehards and Reluctant, who are more likely to possess a three-day supply of food and water and backup generators.
• The 'Optimists' are the least prepared group, with only 17% reporting they were very or fully prepared for past storms.

APA

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (2015). Hurricane Attitudes of Coastal Connecticut Residents: A Segmentation Analysis. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2015/06/Hurricane-Report-2-2015June27.pdf

Chicago

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Hurricane Attitudes of Coastal Connecticut Residents: A Segmentation Analysis. 2015. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2015/06/Hurricane-Report-2-2015June27.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Yale Program on Climate Change Communication |title=Hurricane Attitudes of Coastal Connecticut Residents: A Segmentation Analysis |date=29 June 2015 |url=https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2015/06/Hurricane-Report-2-2015June27.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{yaleprogramonclimatechangecommunication2015hurricane, author = {{Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}}, title = {{Hurricane Attitudes of Coastal Connecticut Residents: A Segmentation Analysis}}, institution = {Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}, year = {2015}, month = jun, url = {https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2015/06/Hurricane-Report-2-2015June27.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }