AGCI Session I: Natural Hazards and Global Change

Session Chairs: Louis Walter and E. L. Quarantelli - July 10 to 20, 1996

1. Citizens

The Challenge

Citizens have a major stake in the development of disaster resistant communities, and it is almost inconceivable that such communities could come about without the active participation of citizens in disaster mitigation and preparedness activities. Thus, while federal agencies have a major role in natural disaster reduction, goals can be most effectively achieved when these agencies work in partnership with groups of citizens and other sectors of society. The need for such forms of collaboration is reinforced by the democratic values espoused in the United States.

Too often, however, the potential for the involvement of citizens in natural disaster reduction is overlooked, putting the goal of achieving safer communities further out of reach in spite of the often impressive technological advances made in the scientific community and employed by federal agencies. Thus, a major commitment is needed to challenge citizens to increase their involvement in disaster mitigation efforts at the community, state and national levels that would complement the efforts undertaken by agencies and hazard mitigation specialists.

Citizens have a major stake in the development of disaster resistant communities. A major commitment is needed to challenge citizens to increase their involvement in disaster mitigation efforts.

Midwest floods of 1993. FEMA photo.

The Opportunity

The U. S. is noted for its dynamic citizenry, one which believes, for example, in taking a proactive role in problem solving rather than merely waiting for governmental action. Nowhere is this better exemplified than during the emergency period of disasters, when search and rescue efforts are usually carried out by groups of neighbors and friends before the arrival of experts, and when numerous churches, community action organizations and other voluntary groups and organizations from within and outside the affected region mobilize to provide food, shelter and other disaster services for victims. Such citizen groups have always been a vital resource in the U. S. for responding to disasters.

With effective planning and integration into the "socio-technical system," which includes scientists who provide information and hazard specialists who design mitigation programs, citizens can play a similarly important role in disaster reduction activities. This is most likely to happen when citizens, either as individuals or members of groups, acquire resources, such as timely and understandable information about the nature of natural hazards and how to respond to them, and have an opportunity to influence decisions about hazard mitigation programs in their communities, states or on the national level.

The U. S. is noted for its dynamic citizenry, one which believes, for example, in taking a proactive role in problem solving rather than merely waiting for governmental action.

Citizens become involved in all of the four tasks associated with hazards and disasters: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. However, the emphasis here is on the need for their involvement in natural disaster reduction, i. e., mitigation. Such actions may involve self or household protection such as hazard avoidance, insurance purchase and the adoption of home safety measures, or actions that citizens can take in groups or organizations that benefit the neighborhood, the community or nation, including hazard information dissemination and educational efforts.

Our vision is that U. S. citizens:

a. will acquire knowledge and understanding about the natural hazards they face;

b. will acquire the requisite organizational and institutional linkages, such as partnerships with professional hazard specialists, for coping with natural hazards; and

c. will take significant steps on a continuing basis to reduce the impacts of natural disasters on their lives and on their households, neighborhoods, and communities. We believe that such actions will complement the efforts of other stakeholders, including those in the scientific community, government, and the private sector, and thus further the development of disaster resistant communities throughout the nation.

Our vision is that U. S. citizens will take significant steps on a continuing basis to reduce the impacts of natural disasters on their lives and on their households, neighborhoods, and communities.

FEMA photo.

The following recommendations for enhancing citizen involvement in natural disaster reduction are based on several principles:

1. Although at times it may be necessary to create special organizations, one of the most effective ways of involving people in mitigation activities is through existing groups and organizations. Such an approach could facilitate the incorporation of mitigation into the broader concerns of citizens and organizations and result in hazard reduction receiving more sustained attention.

2. Similarly, disseminating educational materials on natural hazards in conjunction with existing, related educational efforts, such as science courses, is often a very effective way of distributing such information. At other times, however, special programs may be needed.

3. In devising mechanisms to increase citizen involvement in natural disaster reduction, primary attention should be given to those regions of the country characterized by relatively high hazard risk and salience.

4. As the future generation, young people are a key resource in advancing citizens' contributions to mitigation. For example, as children learn in their schools about safety and the need for citizen involvement, they become a gateway to their households for such ideas.

5. Given the diversity in our society, special attention needs to be given to equity issues to ensure that no groups remain marginalized with regard to involvement in natural disaster reduction activities. For example, in minority communities, the high credibility of churches and community action organizations make them especially effective in mobilizing citizens around hazard reduction issues.

6. Federal agencies working in the hazards field need to work in closer partnership with citizen groups, enabling their development and nurturing their continuity.

7. Efforts to build citizen participation in natural disaster reduction activities should be a central feature of the National Mitigation Strategy planning process being developed under the leadership of FEMA.

One of the most effective ways of involving people in mitigation activities is through existing groups and organizations.

Recommendations

1. In areas of high risk, regional organizations should be formed, and existing ones strengthened, that can provide a full range of hazard information dissemination and mitigation planning services to private citizens as well as to schools, government and civic organizations, and private sector groups. This concept is similar to the extension service program operated by the Department of Agriculture. The Southern California Earthquake Preparedness Project (SCEPP) and the Bay Area Regional Earthquake Preparedness Project (BAREPP) are examples of previously successful, but discontinued efforts, while the Central United States Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC) is an example of a continuing effort.

FEMA should take the lead in the development of such regional organizations, but they should be true partnerships in which states and local communities share financial and other obligations with the federal government.

In areas of high risk, regional organizations should be formed, and existing ones strengthened, that can provide a full range of hazard information dissemination and mitigation planning services.

U. S. Forest Service photo of "Hot Shot Crew" fighting forest fire.

2. Private citizens should be integrated into the decision making structures of federal, state, and local government organizations involved in natural hazard mitigation in order to make them more effective. This will provide citizens with the opportunity to express their needs and help shape the programs in such organizations, balancing a tendency toward top-down decision making. The California Seismic Safety Commission is a success story of including citizen participation in a decision making body at the state level.

FEMA's James Lee Witt in the field. FEMA photo.

Advisory committees can serve as one of the mechanisms for the involvement of citizens in decision making in hazards-related organizations at all levels of government. At the federal level, FEMA has sought advice from citizens in such a fashion in the past and should be encouraged to continue to do so and to expand such efforts. We also recommend that other relevant federal organizations such as NASA, NOAA, and USGS use this mechanism as part of their outreach to the public and as a way of receiving feedback from the public on the agencies' informational products.

Private citizens should be integrated into the decision making structures of federal, state, and local government organizations involved in natural hazard mitigation in order to make them more effective.

3. Outstanding individuals who champion natural hazard mitigation have emerged in many high risk areas in the nation. However, many more such activists are needed to boost natural disaster reduction activities. Several years ago a successful program was developed by USGS, which included holding local and regional workshops and the mentoring of potential citizen activists, that significantly increased the number of such champions for natural hazard reduction throughout the country. Unfortunately, that program is no longer being carried out by USGS due to a lack of funding and changing agency priorities.

The USGS model for developing natural disaster reduction champions was a viable approach and is still needed. We recommend that USGS consider reviving this approach and entering into partnership with community, regional and state groups to create another generation of mitigation champions in high risk areas.

4. There are several public interest groups that have strong ties to local community and state organizations. Such groups include the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), the National Governors Association, the National League of Cities, and the Conference of Mayors. For several years, ICMA has been particularly active in the hazards field, producing documents tailored to the needs of local officials and carrying out other projects to encourage them to consider the challenges of hazard reduction and the significance of the concept of the disaster resistant community. Thus ICMA has significant credibility regarding these issues.

Given their history of involvement with natural disaster issues at the local level, we recommend that ICMA take the lead in developing a coordinated program with other public interest groups to further citizen involvement in natural disaster reduction through such groups as churches, PTAs, neighborhood associations, and community action organizations. Such a program would have the potential for integrating citizen groups and local and state government groups, which make up the constituency of public interest organizations like ICMA, around issues of natural disaster reduction.

5. There is a body of knowledge on the involvement of citizens in pre-disaster and post-disaster activities. However, significant gaps remain in our understanding of such behavior, especially the role played by individual citizens and groups in pre-disaster activities. Thus additional research is needed to provide information that could serve as part of the basis for maximizing the involvement of citizens in natural disaster reduction activities, including those groups that have traditionally tended to be less involved in such activities even though they may have an important stake in their outcome. We recommend that the National Science Foundation give attention to the need for such research efforts.

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