how people get and use storm risk and emergency information now catherine f. smith, ken wilson,...
TRANSCRIPT
How People Get and Use Storm Risk and Emergency Information Now
COMMUNICATING HURRICANES
Catherine F. Smith, Ken Wilson, Donna Kain
Communication Makes Information Meaningful For Action
Meaningful =• accessible• understandable• relevant/applicable• usable
Action = • any activity or process
Decision
Is severe weather risk and emergency information delivered,
received, understood?
Practical Question for EM
EMs and PIOs need to know how communications are delivered, received, and understood.
You are partners in this research. Let’s discuss the takeaways.
Assumptions
• Limit of communication effectiveness is people.
"The greatest limitation to flood warnings is human behavior.”
Steven Molino, floodplain manager
• Limiting factors:
- Risk awareness, risk perception, location, situation, social networks, communication technology and media, message characteristics.
Problem: People
Communication works best when communicators account for people’s ways of making sense of information.
Mitigation: People
Case study of hurricane risk and emergency communication in eastern NC 2008-2010
We surveyed 20 counties and interviewed 6 counties in-depth.
Research
Surveyed Interviewed
Residents (year-round) 1079 120
Businesses and Organizations 603 120
Local Government Officials (EMs, PIOs, county managers,
county commissioners,)
N/A 24
• Findings from phone surveys in 20 counties
• Insights from interviews/focus groups in 6 counties
• Discussion throughout
Presentation Agenda
“Hurricane Risk Perception and Emergency Communication Effectiveness in Coastal Zones”
Catherine F. Smith, Donna J. Kain, Kenneth Wilson Research Assistants Michelle Covi, Douglas Solomon, and others
Supported by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Sea Grant North Carolina and East Carolina University
Acknowledgements
When Severe Weather Threatens…
Stay Leave Gather more Info0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
33
7
60
Residents
Pe
rce
nt
Most people consult a mix of sources
We asked about nine sources
− TV − Social Networks and Information Networks − Commercial Radio− Internet− Newspapers− NOAA Weather radio− Alert services − Local Officials− State/National Officials
Information Sources
Commercial TV is used by largest percentage of residents and businesses/ organizations
Use of Information Sources
Residents Businesses/organizations0
20
40
60
80
100 95
40
Series1
Pe
rce
nt
Use of Information Sources
Residents Businesses/Organizations0
10
20
30
40
50
60
48
15
Internet/Websites
Series1
Pe
rce
nt
Other sources are used by smaller percentages.
Use of Information Sources
Commercial Radio NoAA Radio Community TV
53
1
79
Residents Businesses/Organizations
Some sources are never used
Use of Information Sources
NOAA Radio Official Sources20
40
60
80
100Percent Never Use...
Residents
Networks20
30
40
50
60
70
80
6770
Use of Networks
ResidentsBusinesses/Organizations
Use of Information Sources
County EM Customers Clients Others10
20
30
40
50
60
45 45
36
29
Business/Organization Networks Cited
Contrasting Use of 4 Sources by Residents and Businesses or
Organizations
TV Commercial radio Networks Internet
95
53
67
4840
7
70
15
Comparison of Sources
Residents Businesses/organizations
Housing Type
Television Service Cable
Satellite (no local alert capability)
Broadcast
Phone Service Landline
Cell phone (possible alert capability)
Influences on Access
Quality of Information from Different Sources
*Rating based on scale 1 to 5, where 5 is best and 1 is worst
Newspapers
State/National Offiicials
Social Networks
Local Officials
Radio
Alert services
Internet
NOAA Weather radio
TV
2.1
2.3
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9
3.0
3.0
3.1
Rating of Information Quality *Residents
The internet lags behind older media.
• Alert services are in the mix.
Businesses/organizations “get” EM.
Residents “get” severe weather but they do not rely on EM information or use public sources.
Peoplenetwork toprocess information.
Takeaways for Discussion
Most businesses (72%) reported they had a plan for dealing with severe weather emergencies.
Over half (55%) of the businesses that have plans have had their plan for 10 years
Over half (54%) have had their emergency plans tested by a severe weather event.
Businesses expect a hurricane to seriously impact the area in the next 10 years.
Business Takes Severe Weather Seriously
Businesses tend to adopt their severe weather plans as a response
to a severe weather event (48%)
to another type of emergency (8%)
Fewer responded to external requirements
16% due to a law or regulation
9% insurance requirements
7% required by the home office
Business Takes Severe Weather Seriously
Preparation for severe weather events (95%)Closing during an emergency (82%)Re-entry and re-opening (80%) Internal communications (76%)Assisting employees to evacuate (67%)Business continuity (64%)Remaining open during an emergency (63%)Back-up power (62%)Dealing with the public (62%)External communications (55%)Long term recovery (53%)Assisting employees to return to the area (52%) Informing the public (51%)
Business Plans Include:
Only one-third (33%) shared their plan with the local emergency managers.
During emergencies, businesses communicate with:
County emergency management group (48%)
City or county government (44%)
Business Takes Severe Weather Seriously
Being in an ocean-front county does not increase the likelihood that a business will have a plan.
Being established longer does not increase the likelihood that a business will have a plan.
Being locally owned and having one location decreases the likelihood that a business will have a plan (65% vs 87%).
More employees increases the likelihood of having a plan Over 100, 92% have a plan11 to 100, 77% have a plan1 to 10, 59% have a plan
Who Does Not Have a Plan?
Many households take the threat seriously
68% reported that they had a disaster preparedness plan
76% know the location of an emergency shelter
91% know the evacuation route from their home
82% know if an evacuation order covers their home
Households Respond to Severe Weather
However:
39% report that an evacuation order makes them “much more likely to evacuate
26% report that an evacuation order has “no effect on my decision”
18% are not sure if an evacuation order covers their home
Households Respond to Severe Weather
14% reported at least one time they did not evacuate when they should have
Why:
did not feel threatened (28%)
did not realize how bad the storm would be (22%)
thought the storm was not severe or close enough (15%).
While people are confident that they will make the right decision, people make mistakes.
Households Respond to Severe Weather
“Once you think your safety may be at risk, what are the most important considerations when deciding whether or not to evacuate?”
Strength of the hurricane (93%)
Direction of the hurricane (78%)
A mandatory evacuation order (67%)
People want to make their own decision but your evacuation orders are part of their decision-making process
Considerations
Things are getting better and families are more willing to plan for an emergency today
In our survey, 68% of respondents had a plan
After Hurricane Floyd, only 56% had a plan
After Hurricane Bonnie, only 49% had a plan
A Socioeconomic Impact Analysis for Hurricanes Bonnie, Dennis and Floyd by John C. Whitehead, Marieke Van Willigen, Bob Edwards, Kenneth Wilson and John Maiolo, the Final Report to North Carolina Division of Emergency Management (HMGP 1240-0012) and North Carolina Sea Grant (NCSU 1998-0617-08), June 2001.
Households Respond to Severe Weather
Most businesses and organizations take severe weather emergencies seriously.
They have plans they adopted because they thought they needed them
Their plans have been tested in real emergencies
Problems are concentrated in smaller, single location businesses
Takeaways for Discussion
Many households take severe weather events seriously but a significant minority does not.
Almost one person in 10 does not know the evacuation route from their home.
People seem to consider your evacuation orders as “an important piece of information” in making their evacuation decision.
People are confident in their decisions but they do make serious mistakes.
Things are getting better.
Takeaways for Discussion
http://www.ecu.edu/riskcomm
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