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You’re on Your Own: Community Vulnerability and the Need for Awareness and Education for Predicatable Natural Disasters
Author(s) -
King David
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of contingencies and crisis management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.007
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1468-5973
pISSN - 0966-0879
DOI - 10.1111/1468-5973.00143
Subject(s) - hazard , preparedness , vulnerability (computing) , natural disaster , harm , intervention (counseling) , natural hazard , environmental planning , service (business) , emergency management , business , environmental health , computer security , geography , psychology , economic growth , political science , medicine , nursing , marketing , social psychology , computer science , chemistry , organic chemistry , meteorology , economics , law
During a hazard event, individuals and communities are often isolated from the support and intervention of emergency service providers. Household and school‐based studies have shown inadequate levels of awareness and preparedness for predictable and regularly occurring hazards like floods and tropical cyclones. Post‐disaster studies have demonstrated both a lack of preparedness and the extent to which people are surprised by the ferocity or extent of the hazard. These research findings underscore the importance of providing specific and targeted education to enhance community capability to withstand a natural hazard with minimal harm and loss of property. At the same time, efforts must be enhanced to mitigate against disaster through better planning of urban development.