According to a Rutgers study of economically disadvantaged New Jerseyans in the areas most severely affected by Super-storm Sandy, governments seeking to assist their most vulnerable citizens prepare for hurricanes and other disasters should develop community-based information campaigns ahead of time.
According to the study, which was published in the journal Disasters, 65 percent of Sandy survivors who were in financial danger aim to take proactive measures to protect their family and themselves before the next big disaster. These actions can involve gathering the required supplies or evacuating early.
The researchers discovered that emergency response organizations can assist by collaborating with churches and other community organizations to learn about particular requirements, like mobility challenges in lower-income regions.
599 participants were questioned by researchers from several Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences schools at federally certified health facilities that serve citizens who are uninsured or underinsured in the counties most severely affected by Hurricane Sandy. The 2019 Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1.
“When governments create disaster response strategies, it is essential that they understand how people in affected communities will actually prepare for and experience these events,” said lead researcher Joanna Burger, a professor of biology at Rutgers-New Brunswick’s School of Arts and Sciences, the Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute and the Rutgers School of Public Health.
“Our study of economically vulnerable individuals affected by Hurricane Sandy yields important tips on how emergency planners can prepare for disaster impacts in underprivileged communities.”
Small grocery stores in some respondents’ neighborhoods allegedly ran out of water and canned goods prior to Sandy’s arrival, which made recovery efforts more challenging.
Some claimed they stayed in shelters that lacked the necessary food supplies for persons with diabetes or that children with asthma were imprisoned in water-damaged homes with worsening mold issues.
Citing the respondents’ experiences before and after Sandy and their concerns about future disasters, the report offers the following recommendations for emergency planners seeking to help economically vulnerable residents:
- Before the next crisis occurs, get in touch with neighborhood organizations and work to organize focus groups to determine local requirements. For instance, a town with few vehicles could create transportation backup plans.
- In addition to the obvious recommendations about storing up on food, water, and batteries, public awareness efforts can offer guidance on how people can care for their loved ones during a crisis, such as selecting a designated meeting spot.
- Awareness campaigns should offer advice on maintaining health and safety in the weeks after a long-term disaster.
- Provide information before, during and after a disaster in languages other than English, and via multiple forms of media.
- Provide more evacuation shelters that are better equipped to meet the needs of people with health-related or other dietary restrictions.
- Provide a method to check on senior citizens and on undocumented residents who may be afraid to seek help.
“Government and non-governmental agencies can consider these insights now that is, before the next hurricane. Many of these ideas could be implemented easily. It was enlightening to learn that the majority of respondents plan to take personal action to reduce their risk, and are prepared to listen to governmental advice on how to protect themselves and their families,” Burger said.
