Plywood and Coastal Residents

Every time there is a storm approaching any of our coastlines there is a run on plywood at the local stores.  There's a pretty good chance that a destructive storm is going to hit somewhere along a coast every year.  Why don't these people keep plywood in the garage.  Are they thinking "oh, that was the storm to end all storms.  There will never be another"?  Me?  I'd have permanent storm shutters .... simply pull them down, grab my computer, the dogs and hit the road.