Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 29, 2026
08:37
Developing a Virtual Reality Video Game to Simulate Rip Currents
Published on: July 16, 2020
5.3K
Coastal emergency managers' preferences for storm surge forecast communication
Betty Hearn Morrow1, Jeffrey K Lazo2
1SocResearch Miami, Miami, Florida.
Journal of Emergency Management (Weston, Mass.)
|May 16, 2014
Summary
Emergency managers emphasize storm surge as a major hurricane concern and highlight public misunderstanding. They support improved communication methods, including separate warnings and visual aids, for effective evacuation decisions.
Area of Science:
- Meteorology and Atmospheric Science
- Emergency Management and Disaster Response
- Risk Communication
Background:
- Storm surge is the deadliest hazard from tropical and extratropical cyclones, significantly influencing evacuation orders.
- Public misunderstanding of storm surge is a key factor in evacuation noncompliance.
- Federal agencies are seeking improved methods to communicate storm surge threats.
Purpose of the Study:
- To survey emergency managers (EMs) on their experiences, information sources, and preferences regarding storm surge.
- To understand EMs' perspectives on public awareness of storm surge risks.
- To identify effective communication strategies for conveying storm surge threats to the public.
Main Methods:
- A survey was administered to 53 emergency managers along the Gulf and lower Atlantic coasts.
- The survey collected data on EMs' experience with hurricane response and their perceived storm surge risk.
- Inquiries focused on EMs' current sources of storm surge information and their preferences for future communication.
Main Results:
- Emergency managers identified storm surge as their primary hurricane concern and noted a general lack of public awareness.
- EMs expressed strong support for enhanced communication, including separate storm surge watches/warnings and using feet above ground level for surge heights.
- A significant need for more visual materials (maps, graphics) was reported, alongside concerns about the timeliness of surge forecasts for evacuation planning.
Conclusions:
- Improving storm surge communication is critical for effective public safety and evacuation decision-making.
- Emergency managers are key partners in developing and disseminating accurate and accessible storm surge information.
- Future communication strategies should incorporate visual aids, clear metrics, and timely delivery of forecasts.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Applications of GIS: Disaster Management and Emergency Response
772
Geographic Information System (GIS) technology is essential for risk identification, action prioritization, and resource optimization in critical situations like flooding and earthquakes. By integrating spatial and demographic data, GIS provides a comprehensive framework for emergency response.GIS integrates data layers, like rainfall intensity, topography, elevation profiles, and river levels, to model high-risk flood zones. These layers assess areas susceptible to flooding based on their...
772
01:17Design Example: Analyzing Capacity Contours for Flood Risk Assessment
391
Flood risk assessment involves careful planning and analysis to ensure the safety of communities near water retention structures. Capacity contours are a vital tool in this process, as they illustrate the potential spread of water at specific levels in a given area. In the context of building a bund across a small valley, these contours play a critical role in evaluating the safety of nearby residential areas.In this example, the bund is intended to store stormwater in the valley. The engineers...
391
01:26Types of Reports III: Telephone and Verbal Reports
1.0K
Telephone and Verbal Reports in healthcare settings are two communication methods for conveying therapeutic instructions from healthcare providers to nurses or other healthcare staff.
Here's an overview of each type:
Telephone Orders
Here's an overview of each type:
Telephone Orders
1.0K
01:14SBAR II: Application of SBAR
5.3K
SBAR is an effective communication tool used by healthcare professionals to communicate patient information accurately. SBAR stands for Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation. For a better understanding, an example is given below.
SBAR Report from a Nurse to a Health Care Provider
S: "Hello, Dr. Smith. This is Jane, RN, from the Med Surg unit. I am calling to tell you about Ms. White in Room 210, who is experiencing increased pain and redness at her incision site. Her recent...
SBAR Report from a Nurse to a Health Care Provider
S: "Hello, Dr. Smith. This is Jane, RN, from the Med Surg unit. I am calling to tell you about Ms. White in Room 210, who is experiencing increased pain and redness at her incision site. Her recent...
5.3K
02:41Responses to Drought and Flooding
10.2K
Water plays a significant role in the life cycle of plants. However, insufficient or excess of water can be detrimental and pose a serious threat to plants.
10.2K
01:22Effect of Sea Water on Concrete
1.4K
Concrete exposed to seawater can undergo degradation like the dissolution of ettringite and gypsum, increasing the material's porosity and decreasing its strength. In contrast, the crystallization of salts within the concrete's pores can cause expansion, particularly above the waterline where evaporation occurs. Nonetheless, this expansion only happens when seawater, enabled by the concrete's permeability, manages to infiltrate the structure.
Concrete in areas between tide marks,...
Concrete in areas between tide marks,...
1.4K