Recent expansion of the U.S. Pacific tsunami warning system to the Atlantic and Caribbean underscores the tsunami risk in much of the U.S.A. Our project will create an interdisciplinary model that can be used as a decision-making tool by scientists and emergency managers who disseminate risk information. The model will assist intervention planning and assess the effectiveness of outreach programs in preparing at-risk communities in America to prepare for tsunami and to respond to tsunami warnings. It will merge data from seven US coastal communities that have (i) experienced damage in 20th century tsunamis or have not and (ii) have participated in extensive campaigns for tsunami mitigation or have not.
The study will supply basic understanding of the fundamental mental and organizational processes underlying the public's evaluation of risk information and their decision making in the face of change, and create a capability to predict the factors that facilitate and hinder the adoption of protective measures for tsunamis. From a broader perspective, this program will both establish current levels of preparedness in the areas of the U.S. that are at greatest risk and help guide future education initiatives aimed at strengthening community resilience to tsunami effects. The research will create the capability to predict the factors that aid and hinder the adoption of protective measures for tsunamis. The model, that can predict the factors that influence preparedness, will be an essential tool to ensure that our communities are prepared to meet the demands required for effective response. The study will be widely disseminated through scientific publications and the National Tsunami Mitigation Committee and member agencies.
