Understanding tsunami warning systems

The eastern Australian coastline faces some 8000km of active tectonic plate boundary that is capable of generating a tsunami thatcould reach Australia in two to four hours. This makes it imperative that coastal communities understand and can respond effectively to the Australian Tsunami Warning System. Activation of this warning system could result in warning times ranging from 90 minutes to three hours. Warning times of these durations could leave insufficient time for people to implement their emergency plan (e.g., to prepare their property, plan an evacuation etc.) on receipt of a warning. This project is researching key aspects of community response capability

Community understanding of tsunami risk and warnings in Australia

The development of the Australian Tsunami Warning System (ATWS) was in recognition of the fact that the Australian coastline faces some 8000 km of active tectonic plate boundary capable of generating a tsunami that could reach Australia in two to four hours. The work reported in this paper complements an earlier questionnaire study (Paton, Frandsen &amp; Johnston 2010) with detailed interview data to inform understanding of respondents' awareness of tsunami risk and their willingness (or lack of) to respond to a rare but possible natural hazard. A belief that no tsunami events had occurred in Australia (at least since colonial times) and that major causes (e.g. seismic and volcanic) were absent, supported the view of participants that tsunami is a non-existent or a very lowprobability hazard for Australia. This view was reinforced by the lack of discussion of tsunami by government or in the media. The ensuing sense of 'risk rejection' resulted in respondents believing that no resources or effort should be directed to tsunami risk reduction. The data raises the possibility that the ATWS may not be fully effective unless action is taken to increase tsunami risk acceptance and readiness. Recommendations for doing so draw on participant discussions of how to localise risk reduction activities. Their suggestions for increasing tsunami readiness in coastal communities included integrating it with community-based, localised discussions around frequent flash floods, coastal storms, bushfires and climate change hazards. These concepts are discussed, as well as the use of local volunteer resources to develop preparedness activities.</p

An Ecological Risk Management and Capacity Building Model

Worldwide, natural and human ecosystems are increasingly subjected to natural hazards due to global environmental change. Because these threats reflect interaction between social and ecological systems, effective Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) can best be accomplished by increasing community capacity to mitigate, cope with, adapt to, and recover from hazard consequences by developing DRR strategies that accommodate natural and human ecosystem interdependency. One reason of the widespread ineffectiveness in preparedness has been the neglect of environment/community interactions, and how community and individual variables interact with each other. To address this gap an all-hazard and inter-disciplinary literature review was conducted that synergized and integrated individual-level and environment/community-level factors. Based on the review a social-ecological model was developed. This model identifies a multitude of variables operating across a wide range of dimensions (i.e., individual, historical, physical/natural, social, spiritual/religious, economic, political) and different scales (i.e., individual, household, community organisations, businesses, local government, state government). Based on the review a holistic ecological all-hazard inter-disciplinary risk management and capacity building model was developed that describes how these factors interact to influence risk management and adaptive capacities. This holistic model provides a foundation and rationale for facilitating the capacity of all stakeholders in at-risk areas to develop comprehensive social-ecological relationships and researchers to investigate human-environment interactions in depth

Factors and processes influencing individual and community preparedness for a pandemic outbreak in New Zealand -&nbsp;<br />Report to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, Wellington, New Zealand.<

Top-down communication approaches have not significantly influenced the extent to which people prepare for future pandemics. Research suggests that to develop and deliver effective risk management information for a pandemic, it is necessary to gain anunderstanding of how people interpret information, and how individual and environmental factors influence these interpretations. This qualitative study set out to provide these insights.Eleven people were interviewed for this study, between October 2007 and January 2008. Interviews were semi-structured and in-depth, with an average duration of just under two hours. The sample of participants was reasonably diverse with respect to personal and environmental characteristics as well as covering a range of preparedness levels for influenza pandemic. The study was undertaken during a period in which bird flu was not prominent in the public eye; undertaking this study during a period of quiescence provided insights into the most challenging period for risk communication.Participants&rsquo; level of preparedness varied in accordance with their level of perceived risk. Those who perceived a low level of risk (7 of the 11 participants) had undertaken basic preparedness measures, and were content to keep a watching brief on the situation. Those who perceived bird flu to be a real and imminent threat had prepared more. In general, participants believed that the threat posed by bird flu can change rapidly, and that people&rsquo;s levels of preparedness can be rapidly adjusted in response to the perceived level of threat.Specific preparations varied widely among participants. The five basic elements of preparedness were: stockpiling of food and water supplies; developing resilience to loss of mains electricity; acquiring first aid supplies and developing knowledge of infection control procedures; acquiring camping equipment; and acquiring specific medication such as Tamiflu. Long-term preparation strategies employed by several of the participants included developing inner strength and a strong sense of self-efficacy; maintaining or improving physical and psychological health and developing a culture of self-sufficiency and reducingreliance on external resources.To be effective, risk communication and management strategies need to address the complex web of interacting individual and environmental factors both by encouraging preparedness activities and counteracting factors impeding preparation. Participants had&nbsp;mitigate specific consequences so that people are convinced of the purpose of recommended actions; presenting information with honesty and integrity; and couching messages in appropriate language.Specific suggestions for risk communication that arise from this study include the following:&bull; Adjust the content of education programmes to the actual level of pandemic risk, with thecomplexity of content increasing with increased risk.&bull; Identify and correct misconceptions about pandemic risk and preparedness.&bull; Incorporate pandemic preparedness communication into an all-hazards communicationstrategy.&bull; Utilise the principles of persuasive communication to increase the credibility andeffectiveness of pandemic risk communication.&bull; Engage communities in the development and delivery of key messages

Staying or returning: Pre-migration influences on the migration process of German migrants to New Zealand<br />

Changes in migrants\u27 backgrounds and societies sending and receiving migrants might increase adaptation issues and reduce retention. To enhance migrants\u27 well-being/health and their likelihood of staying it is necessary to gain an understanding of psychological and social factors that contribute to resilience and adaptation. This paper presents findings from a qualitative study that investigated the experiences, interpretations and actions of German migrant couples to New Zealand throughout the whole migration process to identify these factors. In depth, episodic interviews were conducted with four couples who decided to stay in New Zealand and four couples who decided to return to Germany. Interview data were complemented with participant observation. This paper provides insights into how the pre-migration experiences, interpretations and actions of German migrants to New Zealand influenced their establishment, their interpretations and actions and consequently adaptation, well-being/health and the decision whether to stay in New Zealand or to return to Germany. The findings illuminate the influence of psychological and social factors on migration experiences, interpretations and actions throughout the migration process. The paper offers some solutions for addressing the identified barriers to successful migration and integration into host societies. Copyright &copy; 2008 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd