Author(s)

G. Perez-Fuentes, H. Joffe

Abstract

Levels of natural hazard preparedness continue to be low across cultures. Studies on natural hazard preparedness have consistently found that simply providing people with information about risk is not sufficient to change preparedness behaviours. Research in the field of social representations and emergency preparedness indicate that it is a combination of cognitive, emotional, and cultural factors that affect preparedness behaviours. Therefore, understanding how personal, social, and cultural dynamics influence people’s interpretations of risk is essential if one is to intervene effectively in hazard preparedness. The existing natural hazard preparedness literature contains two major shortcomings. Firstly, studies of community emergency preparedness interventions are scarce. Secondly, the majority of these studies are imprecisely described; many lack detailed information regarding the study’s procedures and the content of the interventions. Such work hinders development of the field of natural hazard preparedness: replication of interventions is difficult and publics are subjected to interventions with little empirical support. In order to develop the field of hazard preparedness, a multidisciplinary team of researchers aims to design, conduct and evaluate a rigorous cross-cultural intervention for fire and earthquake preparedness. The present study will explore the different cognitive, emotional, and cultural factors that play a role in emergency preparedness with the goal of improving earthquake and fire emergency preparedness behaviours among lay people.

Keywords

preparedness, natural hazards, intervention, earthquake, fire, community resilience, behaviour change