PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A new national study has ranked Florida 28th among all U.S. states for overall disaster preparedness, according to research from tech nonprofit SmileHub released this week. The ranking comes as Florida residents prepare for the 2026 hurricane season, which officially begins June 1.
WATCH BELOW: 'I think they’ve done a marvelous job of preparing us, warning us,' Mike Magowski tells WPTV's Joel Lopez
Palm Beach County Residents Express Surprise at Rankings
The findings surprised many Palm Beach County residents interviewed by WPTV reporter Joel Lopez throughout the area.
"I would think Florida has to rank in the top 10 percent," said Mike Magowski, a Wellington resident who has lived through multiple hurricane seasons.
Cleone Brownhill of West Palm Beach estimated Florida would rank "around 15th," while Marsha Serlin, who lives on a boat, believed "Florida would be right at the top."
After learning about the actual 28th-place ranking, Serlin laughed and said, "Oh no, oh no, we gotta get better at that."
Florida Scores Low on Emergency Infrastructure
The SmileHub study evaluated states across multiple categories, revealing significant gaps in Florida's emergency response capabilities. Florida ranked 48th for Resilience Infrastructure and Support Capacity, including a 44th-place ranking for fire and police stations per capita and National Guard members per capita.
The state also placed 47th for Disaster Risk and Lasting Damage, reflecting Florida's high exposure to hurricanes, floods and tropical storms that regularly impact the region.
"There's always room for improvement — you can never be too careful," Brownhill said when discussing the study's findings.
Florida Leads Nation in Disaster Prevention Planning
Despite lower rankings in infrastructure and risk categories, Florida earned the top spot nationally for Disaster Prevention Planning and Funding. The state's investment in evacuation routes, statewide alert systems and preventive measures contributed to this first-place ranking.
"You feel as a Floridian you're prepared for what to do in a storm?" Lopez asked Serlin.
"Oh I do, yes, for sure," she replied confidently.
Magowski praised the state's preparation efforts, saying, "If you're going to live in Florida you have to understand disasters and storms are part of our ecology here and we just gotta be ready. I think they've done a marvelous job of preparing us, warning us. So I'm very satisfied."
Over the past decade, natural disasters have caused roughly $1.5 trillion in damages across the U.S. Despite the need for preparation, the latest data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency shows that only 57% of adults have taken three or more preparedness actions, even though 77% believe they are likely to be impacted by disasters.
Why This Matters Now
With hurricane season approaching and climate patterns showing increased storm intensity, understanding both personal and statewide preparedness becomes crucial for Florida residents. The SmileHub study highlights that effective disaster response requires both individual readiness and robust state-level infrastructure and support systems.
The study ranked Vermont first for overall disaster preparedness, while Mississippi placed 50th. Florida's mixed performance — leading in planning but lagging in infrastructure — reflects the complex challenges facing hurricane-prone states.
Florida Emergency Management officials have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the study's findings.
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