Attitudes and Trust in Leveraging Integrated Sociotechnical Systems for Enhancing Community Adaptive Capacity – Phase IV
Historically, disaster preparedness efforts have focused on hardening physical infrastructure and encouraging stockpiling of resources within individual households. More recently, community social infrastructure – shared spaces and local organizations that support community life – and strong social networks have been recognized for their importance in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. However, despite this potential, community organizations and other forms of social infrastructure are not necessarily involved in disaster preparedness efforts, nor is the building of community social networks addressed in standard, top-down approaches to preparedness. Social capital, mobilized via social ties, and social infrastructure can serve as a kind of “backup” for physical infrastructure when it fails. As managers, shapers and regulators of public space, planners have an important role to play in strengthening the state of community social infrastructure. This study is situated in a dialogue that draws from literature in three areas: 1) the role of social ties and social capital in disaster preparedness and response; 2) the potential role of social infrastructure in disaster scenarios; and 3) the integration of urban planning and hazard mitigation planning. The primary research question explores the potential for resource matching at the local level – how can social ties and social infrastructure help to meet community members’ essential needs in a disaster scenario? To answer this question, the research team investigates patterns related to resource needs and anticipated resource-seeking behavior across three communities. Situated in Washington State, this study is focused on a potential earthquake scenario such as a magnitude 9.0 Cascadia Subduction Zone event, which would cause significant disruption to conventional modes of resource access and leave communities dependent upon local resources. The team approaches community disaster preparedness planning from a resource-matching perspective, by understanding what resources people might need and how they expect to access them in the case of a disaster. Using data gathered from a sample survey conducted in three Washington State communities, the team explores respondents’ expectations regarding where they might turn to meet essential needs in a disaster. The team finds that while preparedness with specific resources varies between communities, common trends in resource seeking can be identified, with a strong anticipated reliance on social ties and stores.
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Completed
- Funding: $330000
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Contract Numbers:
69A3551747116
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Sponsor Organizations:
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
University Transportation Centers Program
Department of Transportation
Washington, DC United States 20590 -
Managing Organizations:
Center for Teaching Old Models New Tricks (TOMNET)
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ United States 85287 -
Project Managers:
Pendyala, Ram
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Performing Organizations:
University of Washington, Seattle
1107 NE 45th Street, Suite 535
Seattle, WA United States 98105 -
Principal Investigators:
Chen, Cynthia
- Start Date: 20200601
- Expected Completion Date: 20210531
- Actual Completion Date: 0
- USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Attitudes; City planning; Disaster preparedness; Social factors
- Geographic Terms: Washington (State)
- Subject Areas: Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Society; Transportation (General);
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01849087
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: Center for Teaching Old Models New Tricks (TOMNET)
- Contract Numbers: 69A3551747116
- Files: UTC, RIP
- Created Date: Jun 22 2022 9:46AM