Tornado Warnings in Three Southern States: A Qualitative Analysis of Public Response Patterns
-
William R. Donner
Abstract
Recent research in three Southern states supplied data describing the role community structure and culture played in shaping public response to tornado risks. The following study identifies and describes how residents received, made sense of, and ultimately used information to make decisions about responding to warnings. In addition to a range of theoretical concerns, research was also intended to develop a set of safety policies derived from what the data reveals about the social psychology of risk perception, economic constraints to shelter, and the cultural aspects of response. Data analysis reveals a diverse set of social factors governing community response to tornado warnings, including social networks, language, issues in comprehension, siren ambiguities, false alarms, tornado tracking, local business behaviors, warning specificity, and cultural myths.
©2012 Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin/Boston
Articles in the same Issue
- Research Article
- Cybersecurity Policy-Making at the Local Government Level: An Analysis of Threats, Preparedness, and Bureaucratic Roadblocks to Success
- Between Safety and Security: The Policy Challenges of Transporting Toxic Inhalation Hazards
- Simulation-Based Evaluation of Port Emergency Evacuation Plans for Predictable Natural Disasters
- Tornado Warnings in Three Southern States: A Qualitative Analysis of Public Response Patterns
- Negotiating the 'Trading Zone'. Creating a Shared Information Infrastructure in the Dutch Public Safety Sector .
- The Cross-National Adaptability of EMS Protocols for Mass Casualty Incidents
- Graph Matching Based Decision Support Tools For Mitigating Spread Of Infectious Diseases Like H1N1
- Comparison of Sampling Methods for Post-Hurricane Damage Survey
- Crisis Leadership and Military Community Resilience
- The Status of General Aviation Airports in Disaster Response Planning
- Examining Factors Contributing to the Development of FEMA-Approved Hazard Mitigation Plans
- Communication/News
- Creating An Executive Doctorate In Civil Security In The United States
- A Practitioner-Researcher Partnership to Develop and Deliver Operational Value of Threat, Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Training to meet the Requirements of Emergency Responders
- Opinion
- Medical Response Capabilities to a Catastrophic Disaster: "House" or House of Cards?
- Public Emergency Laws & Regulations: Understanding Constraints & Opportunities
Articles in the same Issue
- Research Article
- Cybersecurity Policy-Making at the Local Government Level: An Analysis of Threats, Preparedness, and Bureaucratic Roadblocks to Success
- Between Safety and Security: The Policy Challenges of Transporting Toxic Inhalation Hazards
- Simulation-Based Evaluation of Port Emergency Evacuation Plans for Predictable Natural Disasters
- Tornado Warnings in Three Southern States: A Qualitative Analysis of Public Response Patterns
- Negotiating the 'Trading Zone'. Creating a Shared Information Infrastructure in the Dutch Public Safety Sector .
- The Cross-National Adaptability of EMS Protocols for Mass Casualty Incidents
- Graph Matching Based Decision Support Tools For Mitigating Spread Of Infectious Diseases Like H1N1
- Comparison of Sampling Methods for Post-Hurricane Damage Survey
- Crisis Leadership and Military Community Resilience
- The Status of General Aviation Airports in Disaster Response Planning
- Examining Factors Contributing to the Development of FEMA-Approved Hazard Mitigation Plans
- Communication/News
- Creating An Executive Doctorate In Civil Security In The United States
- A Practitioner-Researcher Partnership to Develop and Deliver Operational Value of Threat, Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Training to meet the Requirements of Emergency Responders
- Opinion
- Medical Response Capabilities to a Catastrophic Disaster: "House" or House of Cards?
- Public Emergency Laws & Regulations: Understanding Constraints & Opportunities
