“Is There Anybody Out There?”: Communication of Natural Hazard Warnings at Home and Away

Wesley Wehde, Jason M. Pudlo and Scott E. Robinson

Social Science Quarterly, 2019, vol. 100, issue 7, 2607-2624

Abstract: Objective This article examines various determinants of communication behaviors related to natural hazards and how those determinants vary for those at home or those away from home. We use the context of a series of storms that provoked communication to determine differences across media platforms, location during the event, sending versus receiving communication, and certain demographic characteristics. Methods We use a survey of Oklahoma residents fielded in the Spring of 2016 following a series of storms to examine self‐reported communication behaviors. Results Our findings suggest that individuals are more likely to communicate when away from home, across all media for both sending and receiving behaviors. We find that warning reception methods differ importantly across location; those at home rely on authority‐to‐citizen communication, while others rely on citizen‐to‐citizen communication. Demographics and socioeconomic status also influence communication patterns. Conclusion Concerned individuals and emergency managers should use a diverse set of media to communicate, especially under increased risk or hazard, to reach relevant populations across demographics and place‐based locations. These strategies must be sensitive to time of day and the availability of media platforms to affected residents.

Date: 2019
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