Friends And Family Vs. Government: Who Does The Public Rely On More To Prepare For Natural Disasters?

Keywords

Disaster preparedness; Federal Emergency Management Agency; friends and family; government; reliance

Abstract

This paper examines what organizations and groups individuals rely on to help prepare for natural disasters and how reliance differs vis-à-vis demographic characteristics. Using data gathered from 2,008 individuals employed in the United States, the results revealed that individuals are significantly more likely to rely on friends and family than government organizations at the local, state, and federal level. The findings also suggest that this reliance varies across demographic groups. For example, data from the present study suggest that women and minority groups as well as individuals who are older and less educated are significantly more likely to rely on organizations to help prepare for natural disasters. This study contributes to the disaster management and risk communication literatures by offering key insights into the organizations and groups the American public in general, and certain demographic groups in particular, rely on when it comes to preparing for natural disasters. Knowledge about the organizations and groups that individuals rely on to help prepare for natural disasters can help policymakers and practitioners target those organizations as conduits to deliver critical preparedness information, as well as other information related to disaster mitigation, response, and recovery.

Publication Date

5-27-2018

Publication Title

Environmental Hazards

Volume

17

Issue

3

Number of Pages

234-250

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1080/17477891.2018.1425204

Socpus ID

85041015134 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85041015134

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