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Emergency Management and Disaster Perceptions: Revisiting Attitudes and Behaviors in an Era of New Hazard Agents and Profiles

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Hazards and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2025) | Viewed by 18905

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ashley D. Ross

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Guest Editor

Marine & Coastal Environmental Sciences, Texas A&M University, Galveston, TX, USA
Interests: community disaster resilience; emergency management; disaster policy and governance; coastal hazard resilience; socioeconomic vulnerability; climate justice; social identities; public attitudes and perceptions about disaster policy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Laura K. Siebeneck

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Guest Editor

Department of Emergency Management and Disaster Science, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA
Interests: hazards; evacuation and return-entry processes; disaster displacement; risk perception and risk communication, emergency management; natural hazards; recovery; geographic information science (GIS) / spatial analysis

Dr. Haoche Wu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Emergency Management and Disaster Science, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA
Interests: risk perception; hazard adjustment; disaster response behavior; risk communication; messaging; protective action decision making; geographic information science (GIS)/spatial analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The last two decades of hazards and disasters scholarship have made considerable advances in our understanding of risk perceptions, attitudes, and resulting behavior [1,2,3]. The application and refinement of foundational decision-making and warning models and frameworks [4]—in addition to the emergence of newer ones [5]—have enriched knowledge and understanding of behavior and decision making in response to natural and human-induced hazards and risks. However, the unprecedented changes to social dynamics, the disaster landscape, and challenges presented to emergency management over the past several years necessitate a fresh investigation into risk perception theories and the implications of behavioral models/theories on emergency management and disaster science.

New types of hazard agents have stressed need to improve the capacity of emergency management in dealing with traditional natural hazards. For example, managing hurricane evacuation was particularly challenging without the option of mass shelters during the height of the COVID pandemic, and public compliance with guidance on disaster preparedness and mitigation has been made more complicated due to techna hazards (e.g., human-induced earthquakes). New hazard agents have also fundamentally shifted the scope of risk perceptions, public trust in authorities, and patterns of risk communication. Communication preferences, critical for emergency management, have changed considerably with the rise of social media as a preferred source of information for many adults [6]. In this information environment, siloed information seeking and misinformation abounds, creating further challenges for emergency management risk communication. These changes have unfolded against the backdrop of transforming natural hazard profiles, with more frequent, intense, and compounding disasters threatening coastal and inland communities. All of this prompts us to revisit public perceptions of hazard risk, protective action choices, and emergency management practices.

We invite you to contribute your research on this to the upcoming Special Issue of Sustainability. We welcome articles on a diversity of topics which take fresh looks at risk perceptions, protective action decision making, and emergency management. Manuscripts may consider decision making from the perspective of households, as well as public officials or other organizational representatives. Additionally, we welcome research articles which utilize a variety of data and methodologies, including quantitative, qualitative, and mix-method approaches.

References

Huang, S.K.; Lindell, M.K.; Prater, C.S.; Wu, H.C.; Siebeneck, L.K. Household evacuation decision making in response to Hurricane Ike. Nat. Hazards Rev. 2012, 13, 283–296.
Kang, J.E.; Lindell; M. K.; Prater, C.S. Hurricane evacuation expectations and actual behavior in Hurricane Lili 1. J. Appl. Soc. Psychol. 2007, 37, 887–903.
Wu, H.C.; Lindell, M.K.; Prater, C.S.; Samuelson, C.D. Effects of track and threat information on judgments of hurricane strike probability. Risk Anal. 2014, 34, 1025–1039.
Lindell, M.K.; Perry, R.W. The protective action decision model: Theoretical modifications and additional evidence. Risk Anal. Int. J. 2012, 32, 616–632.
Siebeneck, L.K.; Cova, T.J. The disaster return-entry process: A discussion of issues, strategies and future research. Disaster Prev. Manag. Int. J. 2021, 30, 369–383.
Pew Research Center. How Americans Navigated the News in 2020: A Tumultuous Year in Review. 2021. Available online: https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2021/02/22/how-americans-navigated-the-news-in-2020-a-tumultuous-year-in-review/ (accessed on 15 January 2023).

Dr. Ashley D. Ross
Dr. Laura K. Siebeneck
Dr. Haoche Wu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

emergency management
risk perceptions
public attitudes
disaster policy
evacuation
re-entry processes
protective action decision making
risk communication

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

29 pages, 5323 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sentiment Evolution of Online Public Opinion of Emergency Situations in Railway Stations: A Case Study of Wuhan Railway Stations

by Yifan Wu, Fan Zhang, Albert P. C. Chan and Dezhi Li

Sustainability 2025, 17(2), 613; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17020613 - 14 Jan 2025

Viewed by 769

Abstract

Preventing secondary crises resulting from emergency incidents in engineering projects is a crucial and complex task for project operation management. Public opinion and its underlying sentiment can act as reliable indicators, reflecting the progression of emergency incidents, and warrant serious consideration. With the advent of Web 2.0, the management of online public opinion (OPO) through social platforms has advanced significantly. However, previous research has overlooked the diverse categories of participants contributing to OPO evolution. This article proposes an optimised bounded confidence model (BCM) for sentiment OPO evolution under emergency situations at railway stations, incorporating multiple participant categories. A conceptual model based on eleven assumptions is developed, involving four key participants (netizens, media, opinion leaders, and government) structured into four sub-processes. To illustrate this model, the case of the Wuhan railway stations’ blockade during the COVID-19 outbreak is examined. This case study demonstrates the initial data acquisition and simulation process. The standard simulation results are recorded, followed by a multiple-sensitivity analysis to investigate the impact of various critical factor combinations on OPO evolution. Finally, policy recommendations are provided to government departments to enhance their response to emergency situations, particularly those involving railway stations, thereby ensuring public safety. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emergency Management and Disaster Perceptions: Revisiting Attitudes and Behaviors in an Era of New Hazard Agents and Profiles)

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22 pages, 644 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seven Challenges for Risk Communication in Today’s Digital Era: The Emergency Manager’s Perspective

by Ashley D. Ross, Laura Siebeneck, Hao-Che Wu, Sarah Kopczynski, Samir Nepal and Miranda Sauceda

Sustainability 2024, 16(24), 11306; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162411306 - 23 Dec 2024

Viewed by 1542

Abstract

Risk communication plays a vital role in transmitting information about hazards and protective actions before and after disasters. While many studies have examined how risk communication and warnings influence household responses to hurricanes, fewer studies examine this from the perspective of the emergency manager. Given the rapid advancements in technology and the adoption of social media platforms, as well as the increasing prevalence of misinformation during disasters, a fresh investigation into risk communication challenges and optional strategies is needed. Therefore, this study addresses three research questions: (1) What channels do emergency managers rely upon to communicate with the public before, during, and after a disaster? (2) How do emergency managers assess and ensure the effectiveness of their messaging strategies? (3) How do emergency managers manage misinformation? The challenges experienced by emergency managers related to each of these issues are also explored. Data were gathered in July–October 2024 through interviews conducted with eleven local emergency managers located in communities along the Texas Gulf Coast. Based on the findings of a qualitative data analysis, this paper presents seven distinct risk communication challenges faced by emergency managers throughout the evacuation and return-entry processes that span the communication aspects of channels, messaging, and misinformation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emergency Management and Disaster Perceptions: Revisiting Attitudes and Behaviors in an Era of New Hazard Agents and Profiles)

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18 pages, 1588 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Factors Influencing Emergency Management Performance in China’s Prismatic County-Level Governance

by Chao Wang, Jixiang Song, Muhammad Sulaiman Tiwana and Wendong Xu

Sustainability 2024, 16(24), 11291; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162411291 - 23 Dec 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 908

Abstract

Emergency management performance (EMP) at the county level in China plays a critical role in linking counties to serve as a bridge between urban and rural areas. This study explores the factors that influence EMP within China’s county-level governance by applying Riggs’ administrative ecology theory. The study examines the impact of normative constraints, favor politics, cooperative politics, and charismatic politics directly on EMP collectively and individually. This study analyzes empirical data using structural equation modeling from Jiangsu Province, which includes a survey of 300 emergency management personnel. The results show that normative constraints have the most significant positive influence on EMP, followed by charismatic politics, cooperative politics, and favor politics. The study highlights the mixed practices of traditional and modern administrative contexts, with the “prismatic” administrative model offering an adaptive governance approach during China’s societal transition. This study advances the theoretical understanding of transitional governance systems and provides practical recommendations for policymakers to improve EMP in county-level governance frameworks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emergency Management and Disaster Perceptions: Revisiting Attitudes and Behaviors in an Era of New Hazard Agents and Profiles)

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20 pages, 3229 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Perceived Responses of International Tourists to Transportation and Tourism Services During Typhoons Faxai and Hagibis in Japan

by Sunkyung Choi, Kexin Liu and Shinya Hanaoka

Sustainability 2024, 16(20), 9114; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16209114 - 21 Oct 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1768

Abstract

There is a limited understanding on the information-seeking behavior of international tourists during disaster response scenarios due to the lack of empirical studies on crisis communication in Japan. This study clarifies the topics generated from both international tourists and official Twitter accounts by applying the embedding Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) topic model and examines the temporal sentiment changes toward transportation and tourism using the sentiment scores obtained from topic-based Valence Aware Dictionary and sEntiment Reasoner (VADER) sentiment analysis during disasters. A case study was conducted using Twitter data on Typhoons Faxai and Hagibis, which struck Japan in 2019. This study found differences in the topics generated among international tourists and officials in response and a continuous negative sentiment toward specific transportation services. The managerial implications of these findings regarding the use of social media in crisis communication in tourism are also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emergency Management and Disaster Perceptions: Revisiting Attitudes and Behaviors in an Era of New Hazard Agents and Profiles)

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21 pages, 577 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Range of Pandemic Adjustments: Changes to Texas Heritage Site Business Operations during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Salvesila Tamima, Elyse Zavar, Brendan L. Lavy and Ronald L. Schumann III

Sustainability 2024, 16(7), 2860; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16072860 - 29 Mar 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1260

Abstract

During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, heritage sites, which protect natural and cultural resources, experienced the dauting task of sustaining business operations during the pandemic while serving the public by preserving and conserving resources. These businesses undertook risk reduction measures, conceptualized as adjustments, to mitigate the spread of disease while maintaining business operations. By engaging with Gilbert White’s (1942) Adjustment Theory, this study examines the adjustments made by Texas heritage sites in response to emerging risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we analyze adjustments made to reduce risk to visitors, financial stability, and programmatic offerings; explore the extent to which these adjustments facilitated sustainability, business expansion, and innovation; and identify what factors contributed to or hindered their recovery. This mixed-methods study employed an online survey and a follow-up semi-structured phone interview with heritage site managers. Our findings indicate Texas heritage sites implemented a range of fiscal and health related adjustments in response to the pandemic. Specific to fiscal adjustments, we found changes in visitors led to adjustments in business operations which also facilitated revenue generation for these entities. We also observed how new opportunities arose from the health adjustments in the form of remote offerings and new markets. Our findings emphasize the importance of adjustments made by heritage sites to continue their operations during the pandemic while also offering strategies to mitigate future risks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emergency Management and Disaster Perceptions: Revisiting Attitudes and Behaviors in an Era of New Hazard Agents and Profiles)

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21 pages, 2794 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analyzing the Shelter Site Selection Criteria for Disaster Preparedness Using Best–Worst Method under Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Sets

by Erkan Celik

Sustainability 2024, 16(5), 2127; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16052127 - 4 Mar 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2412

Abstract

Shelters are vital for affected people after a disaster because of the accommodation, safety, and security. In this paper, we analyze the shelter site selection criteria for disaster preparedness applying the best–worst method under interval type-2 fuzzy sets. The proposed approach utilizes the advantages of fewer pairwise comparisons with the best–worst method and better reflection of uncertainty with interval type-2 fuzzy sets. For this reason, the criteria are determined based on a literature review and the opinion of nine disaster experts. The experts have worked as disaster officers in a variety of locations, including Sivrice (Elazığ), Pazarcık, and Elbistan (Kahramanmaras) and Syrian refugee camps such as Nizip container city. In this step, 6 main criteria and 25 sub-criteria are evaluated using the proposed approach. According to the nine experts’ opinions, the most important main criterion is determined as proximity. Distribution center capacity, adequate distribution logistics personnel, available electricity, distance to settlement, and landslides and flooding are also determined as the five most important sub-criteria. For disaster preparedness, responsible organizations and managers should consider these important criteria for temporary shelter site selection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emergency Management and Disaster Perceptions: Revisiting Attitudes and Behaviors in an Era of New Hazard Agents and Profiles)

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13 pages, 434 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Understanding the Decision-Making Process for Hurricane Evacuation Orders: A Case Study of Florida County Emergency Managers

by Sara Iman, Yue Ge, Daniel J. Klenow, Amanda Savitt and Pamela Murray-Tuite

Sustainability 2023, 15(24), 16666; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152416666 - 8 Dec 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2540

Abstract

This study aims to provide a more robust understanding of the elements involved in emergency managers’ decision-making processes when issuing hurricane evacuation orders. We used the principles of the theory of bounded rationality to formulate research questions for understanding decision-making during uncertain times (i.e., hurricane evacuation orders). We then conducted 20 semi-structured interviews with county emergency managers in Florida to understand how this decision-making process unfolds. Results showed that emergency managers consider two primary factors in their decision-making process, including fixed and random factors. Fixed factors refer to elements and information that are known to emergency managers and do not change drastically from one hurricane to another (e.g., homeless population, poor housing structure). Random factors, on the other hand, refer to elements involved in hurricane decision-making that cannot be precisely predicted (e.g., storm surge). Random and fixed factors then blend in with other elements (planning, collaboration, and information assessment) during the response phase of an emergency. The interplay among these elements can ultimately influence emergency managers’ hurricane evacuation decisions. Although the existing research has made significant strides in studying many aspects of emergency managers’ decision-making processes, there have been limited discussions about the various factors that emergency managers consider for issuing hurricane evacuation orders. Our study highlights the broader implications of information interpretation, situational uncertainty, and collaboration for emergency management organizations responsible for making decisions about hurricane evacuation orders. Using the theory of bounded rationality, this study dissects both fixed and random factors influencing evacuations. In doing so, it has the potential to assist emergency managers in developing more sustainable hurricane evacuation plans in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emergency Management and Disaster Perceptions: Revisiting Attitudes and Behaviors in an Era of New Hazard Agents and Profiles)

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17 pages, 1107 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Novel Framework of Public Risk Assessment Using an Integrated Approach Based on AHP and Psychometric Paradigm

by Mahmaod Alrawad, Abdalwali Lutfi, Mohammed Amin Almaiah, Adi Alsyouf, Hussin Mostafa Arafa, Yasser Soliman and Ibrahim A. Elshaer

Sustainability 2023, 15(13), 9965; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15139965 - 22 Jun 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2790

Abstract

Understanding how the public perceives various risks and hazards associated with our well-being and health is crucial for governments and policymakers. The present research aimed to assess the public perception of various risks and hazards associated with well-being and health. The study combined two well-known risk assessment approaches: the analytical hierarchical process (AHP) and the psychometric paradigm. Seven risk attributes were chosen from the risk perception literature to evaluate 27 risks and hazard activities using a survey questionnaire developed based on the psychometric paradigm literature. The collected data were then analyzed using the AHP to determine the priority weight for each risk attribute. The results showed that the most crucial risk attribute was voluntariness of risk, followed by chronic catastrophic and newness of risk. Furthermore, the study found that natural hazards were ranked the highest, followed by refugee influx and fire hazards. In contrast, the mobile phone was perceived as posing the lowest type of risk. Policymakers can use these findings to develop effective and sustainable risk communication strategies to help the governments to inform and educate the public about potential risks, improve coordination among agencies and stakeholders, and enhance public trust in government decision making. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emergency Management and Disaster Perceptions: Revisiting Attitudes and Behaviors in an Era of New Hazard Agents and Profiles)

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19 pages, 2324 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How about Now? Changes in Risk Perception before and after Hurricane Irma

by Matthew Billman, Kayode Atoba, Courtney Thompson and Samuel Brody

Sustainability 2023, 15(9), 7680; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097680 - 7 May 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3174

Abstract

Risk reduction behaviors are often voluntary and influenced by how at-risk an individual personally feels, known as risk perception. This paper examines how risk perception changed from before and six months after Hurricane Irma, a Category 3 storm that narrowly missed Sarasota County, FL. Both surveys asked about residents’ hurricane risk perceptions, evacuation behaviors, mitigation plans, and attitudes about self-efficacy. For each question found in both surveys, the research used t-tests (ɑ = 0.05) to assess whether significant changes in risk perceptions occurred between responses. The results suggest that Hurricane Irma had a notable impact on risk perception. The changes were most evident in reported levels of self-efficacy as residents were less likely to feel able to sufficiently prepare for or recover from hurricane impacts after Hurricane Irma. Respondents were also more likely to believe individuals are responsible for preparing for hurricane impacts. The findings have implications for public risk communicators, who may find it effective and sustainable to appeal to residents’ lowered self-efficacy or sense of responsibility for the dangers of hurricanes while implementing policies and communication strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emergency Management and Disaster Perceptions: Revisiting Attitudes and Behaviors in an Era of New Hazard Agents and Profiles)

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