Authors: Ruth Quainoo, Scott Merrill, Rodrigo Soares, Molly Myers, Masood Ali-Khan, Trisha Shrum, Jessica Balerna, Asim Zia – University of Vermont, Vermont, Christopher Koliba – University of Kansas
Title: A National Survey of Flood Hazard Crisis and Risk Perceptions in the United States
Abstract: Flood hazard events continue to rise across the nation leading to increased threats to lives, livelihoods, and property. Individuals’ flood hazard decisions and behavior have direct implications on minimizing flood impacts on lives and properties. This study used a U.S. nationally representative hazard and risk perception survey to estimate how individuals’ flood risk perceptions, socioeconomic and demographic factors influence their flood hazard decisions, specifically, the likelihood of evacuating during an evacuation order. The study also investigated how flood hazard decisions varied across different flood hazard trusted information sources and preferred communication methods. Results from ordinal logistic regression models showed that respondents’ flood risk perception variables as well as socioeconomic and demographic factors such as educational level, age, political affiliation, number of children, and gender significantly correlated with individuals’ flood hazard decision-making. Besides advancing the flood risk communication scholarship, these results provide invaluable practical insight to emergency managers, NWS, NOAA, and other government officials responsible for managing flood crises and risks.