Assessing Perceptions of Emergency Response Among Nebraskans Affected by the 2019 Flood Disasters.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Public Health
• Disaster Management

Background:

• The 2019 Missouri River floods caused significant destruction to infrastructure and farmland in Nebraska.
• Communities faced challenges in response, recovery, and relief efforts following the widespread flooding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate emergency preparedness and satisfaction with flood response, recovery, and relief efforts five years post-disaster in rural eastern Nebraska.
• To identify persistent impacts and community needs following the 2019 Missouri River floods.

Main Methods:

• Stratified simple random sampling was employed to survey 13 affected Nebraska communities.
• Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data on emergency preparedness and satisfaction with disaster relief efforts.

Main Results:

• Impacted households reported increased physical and mental health symptoms.
• Significant gaps were identified in communication, long-term mental health support, and infrastructure resilience.
• While self-reported preparedness improved, inadequate early warnings and poor information dissemination undermined trust.

Conclusions:

• Persistent mental and physical health impacts from the 2019 floods can hinder future disaster response and recovery.
• Evaluating past disaster impacts is crucial for enhancing community resilience and public health preparedness.
• Addressing communication and mental health support gaps is vital for vulnerable populations.