Risk Area Accuracy and Hurricane Evacuation Expectations of Coastal Residents

Casualties, property damage, and economic losses associated with hurricanes can be reduced if a threatened population is warned in time to evacuate successfully. Most hurricane-prone areas have maps intended to help people identify their risk areas. This article reports on a study that examined the accuracy with which Texas coastal residents were able to locate their residences on hurricane risk area maps provided to them. Overall, only 36% of the respondents correctly identified their risk areas and another 28% were off by one risk area. Risk area accuracy shows minimal correlations with respondents’ demographic characteristics but is negatively correlated with the respondent’s previous hurricane exposure and evacuation experience. The authors conclude by reiterating that local emergency managers should not assume that distribution of risk area maps will inform the population of their risk areas and, in turn, lead them to make accurate decisions about when to evacuate.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00139165
• Authors:
  • Arlikatti, Sudha
  • Lindell, Michael K
  • Prater, Carla S
  • Zhang, Yang
• Publication Date: 2006-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 226-247
• Serial:
  • Environment and Behavior
  • Volume: 38
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Sage Publications, Incorporated
  • ISSN: 0013-9165
  • EISSN: 1552-390X
  • Serial URL: http://eab.sagepub.com/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Disaster preparedness; Disasters and emergency operations; Emergency management; Evacuation; Hurricanes; Map reading; Maps; Mobility; Public policy; Risk assessment
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Economics; Energy; Environment; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Safety and Human Factors; Society; I10: Economics and Administration; I15: Environment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01042710
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 1 2007 8:40AM