"It Seems Like It's Never Going to End": The Experiences of Those Living in Damaged Dwellings Following Hurricane Sandy (open access)

"It Seems Like It's Never Going to End": The Experiences of Those Living in Damaged Dwellings Following Hurricane Sandy

Where people go between evacuation and recovery remains an understudied aspect of disaster research. Whether experiencing multiple displacements, permanent displacement, or undergoing recovery in a damaged dwelling, the spatial and temporal dimensions of disaster displacement can have direct impacts on the recovery experiences of survivors. Pulling from focus group data gathered in 2017 from Hurricane Sandy survivors in New Jersey, this qualitative research focuses on the experiences of those who recovered in-situ, or within their damaged dwelling following the storm, and the various ways this non-displacement impacted their recovery. A content analysis following a grounded theory approach produced the emergent themes of the in-situ experience, including: a lack of suitable shelter, an exposure to secondary hazards, and an inability to achieve satisfactory emotional recovery. This study contributes to the growing body of literature surrounding recovery experiences, and it introduces valuable insights into the challenges that survivors face while recovering in-situ.
Date: May 2021
Creator: Wolfe, Rachel Suzanne
System: The UNT Digital Library
Social Media Usage among First Responders to Hurricane Harvey (open access)

Social Media Usage among First Responders to Hurricane Harvey

Social media plays an important role during multiple phases of a disaster. While it is widely known that citizens turn to social media during disasters to gain information and send help requests, there is a significant gap in our knowledge of how, or if, first responders use social media to conduct disaster response operations. To help address this gap this study employed qualitative, semi-structured interviews with a sample of first responders (N = 20) who were deployed to Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The interviews sought to gain a better understanding of how social media was used to conduct response operations and identify both limitations and advantages of social media as perceived by first responders. Through a systematic coding process the analysis identified four themes related to social media usage among first responders to disasters: (1) more than just Twitter; (2) rumor has it; (3) one size does not fit all; and (4) timing is everything. The findings of this research highlight the importance of social media for both organizations and individuals involved in responding to disasters.
Date: May 2021
Creator: Spinuzzi, Lacey Cook
System: The UNT Digital Library

Divided-Tenure, Divided Recovery: How Policy and Land Tenure Shape Disaster Recovery for Mobile Homeowners

People who live in mobile homes have heightened vulnerability to disasters, due in part to mobile homes increasingly occupying high-hazard risk lands and the precarious ownership status known as divided-tenure. Divided-tenure is when an individual owns a mobile home and rents the land underneath. To identify the challenges associated with divided-tenure and disaster recovery from a policy perspective, this study analyzed the content of key HUD policies and performed a comparative policy analysis of purchase opportunity laws (requirements of landowners to give mobile homeowners an opportunity to purchase the property their home resides on) in three states: California, Florida, and New York. Content analysis indicated few direct references to mobile homes. Inconsistencies and confusing messaging were found in the existing federal guidance. The lack of consistent terminology and guidance on addressing divided-tenure, limits mobile homeowner's options for disaster recovery, including eligibility for federal disaster aid and potentially participation in relocation or buyout programs. The three selected states' purchase opportunity laws reviewed in this study were rated as weak. Policies lacked alignment with federal documents and opportunities for mobile homeowners were difficult to navigate. A pathway to land ownership could give mobile homeowners more control over their disaster recovery options, but …
Date: August 2021
Creator: Warren, Robyn (Robyn C.)
System: The UNT Digital Library
Protective Action Decision-Making during the 2019 Dallas Tornado (open access)

Protective Action Decision-Making during the 2019 Dallas Tornado

The 2019 Dallas Tornado struck a densely populated area, was the costliest tornado in Texas history, and had minimal warning lead time, yet there were no serious injuries or fatalities. To understand why, this study examines individuals' decision-making processes during this tornado using the protective action decision model (PADM). Specifically, it investigates the factors affecting threat belief and evaluation, the facilitators and impediments to protective action, and the effects on future risk perception and hazard adjustment measures. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 23 survivors to explore their experiences and decision-making processes during this tornado. Interviews were analyzed through inductive coding and a constant comparative approach. Key findings of this study suggest that clear and direct warning messages, coupled with rapid, heuristic-driven reactions, can overcome the impediment of a short-fuse warning time and motivate those at risk to take protective action. Additionally, this study identifies condominium owners as a housing population with unique needs and impediments in the tornado recovery process. Furthermore, results illustrate how the hazard scenario and contemporary technological culture nuance protective action decision-making and future hazard adjustment measures.
Date: August 2021
Creator: Huether, Graham R.
System: The UNT Digital Library