Monday, October 29, 2012

Hurricane - why people aren't going to the evacuation centers - Reason # 3

Our own wonderful Channel 1 and others are reporting that most of the buses that are waiting in Zone A to take residents to shelters are empty.  Why are we surprised at this.
As many Harlem residents have said to our research team post Katrina - "you're not going to see me going to any convention center."

To me, this is a very serious problem that we need to solve.
Any ideas?

Thanks
chris

4 comments:

  1. Also, the news and mayor keeps talking about a go-pack but never explain what to put in it... I found a pdf list from FEMA - seems like alot to put into one bag especially if you have a family!

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  2. And in the Live update that Mayor Bloomberg just held, a reporter said he had heard reports of inadequate supplies and handicapped access in the shelters.

    Does anyone know historically, what percentage or residents in lower manhattan or any Zone A have evacuated?

    Thanks
    chris

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  3. When I read your post, I was reminded of our recent class discussion of risk perception. Often experts - in this case, govt officials - and the public have a skewed perception of risk because they have either misinterpreted the level of hazard or the level of outrage (and the perceptions of the public usually do not correspond with those of the experts). It's possible that the public's outrage over being evacuated (coerced risk) overrode the real hazard of remaining in high flood risk areas. If the public doesn't recognize the hazard, they don't recognize the risk. Additionally, they may perceive greater risk in staying in a shelter - chaos, violence and supply shortages are all real consequences when you bring together large groups in a stressful, emergency situation. The "experts" must do a better job of highlighting the real hazard - the potential destruction and loss of life from the hurricane - and minimize other perceptions of hazard, by letting the public know that they are actually much safer in a shelter than their own home.

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  4. Sara,
    You've brought up the factor of "outrage" in hurricane Sandy. It was, as they say, and Sandman discusses, an "act of nature or god" and at first there is no one to blame.
    However, as the reality of the loss and devastation hits people, and help doesn't arrive there is outrage and frustration - not at the storm, or their failure to evacuate, but the utility companies, FEMA, rescue workers.

    I think, in this particular case, many many people really did not understand what a storm "surge" really is. I think I'll right about that in a new post.

    Thanks for your comment. cz


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