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. 2019 Jul;43(3):658-685.
doi: 10.1111/disa.12350. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Concerns and future preparedness plans of a vulnerable population in New Jersey following Hurricane Sandy

Joanna Burger  1 , Michael Gochfeld  2 , Clifton Lacy  3
Affiliations

Concerns and future preparedness plans of a vulnerable population in New Jersey following Hurricane Sandy

Joanna Burger et al. Disasters. 2019 Jul.

Abstract

Knowing how people prepare for disasters is essential to developing resiliency strategies. This study examined recalled concerns, evacuation experiences, and the future preparedness plans of a vulnerable population in New Jersey, United States, following Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Understanding the responses of minority communities is key to protecting them during forthcoming disasters. Overall, 35 per cent of respondents were not going to prepare for an event. Intended future preparedness actions were unrelated to respondents' ratings of personal impact. More Blacks and Hispanics planned on preparing than Whites (68 versus 55 per cent), and more Hispanics planned on evacuating than did others who were interviewed. A higher percentage of respondents who had trouble getting to health centres were going to prepare than others. Respondents' concerns were connected to safety and survival, protecting family and friends, and having enough food and medicine, whereas future actions included evacuating earlier and buying sufficient supplies to shelter in place.

Keywords: Hurricane Sandy; disaster preparedness; environmental justice; evacuation; personal disaster impact.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Map showing the locations of the seven health centres where interviews were conducted Source: authors.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Concerns voiced by respondents before, during, and immediately after Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey Notes: respondents were interviewed about three years after the hurricane, but were asked what their concerns were during and following Sandy. ‘Immediate’ refers to the days during and up to a week after Sandy, whereas ‘intermediate’ refers to weeks and ‘long term’ refers to months or even years. Source: authors.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Preparedness plans of respondents interviewed two to three years after Sandy Note: respondents were asked ‘what they would do next time they learned that a hurricane landfall was imminent?’. Source: authors.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Percentage of respondents recalling certain concerns during Sandy as compared with the percentage mentioning each item in preparation plans if another severe hurricane were approaching Source: authors.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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