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Abstract
Oklahoma’s First-response Information Resource System using Telecommunications (OK-First) has been used for over 25 years to provide education, training, connections, and follow-up support for public safety officials with emergency management responsibilities in Oklahoma. Public safety officials use OK-First training and Oklahoma Mesonet tools to plan and make decisions to save lives and property. However, like most public systems, little is known about user interactions with tools, decisions made, and estimated savings using a weather decision support system. This study used a mixed approach to collect and analyze data from three key sources to assess the perceptions, beneficiaries, and applications of weather support systems for public safety officials. Results showed that a diverse set of tools were needed and used by public safety officials to make decisions in hazardous weather conditions. OK-First tools resulted in estimated self-reported cost savings of over $1.2 million for 12 months. This study provides a crucial step in determining user interactions with tools, training, and services to better understand weather decision support systems used during hazardous weather.
Abstract
Oklahoma’s First-response Information Resource System using Telecommunications (OK-First) has been used for over 25 years to provide education, training, connections, and follow-up support for public safety officials with emergency management responsibilities in Oklahoma. Public safety officials use OK-First training and Oklahoma Mesonet tools to plan and make decisions to save lives and property. However, like most public systems, little is known about user interactions with tools, decisions made, and estimated savings using a weather decision support system. This study used a mixed approach to collect and analyze data from three key sources to assess the perceptions, beneficiaries, and applications of weather support systems for public safety officials. Results showed that a diverse set of tools were needed and used by public safety officials to make decisions in hazardous weather conditions. OK-First tools resulted in estimated self-reported cost savings of over $1.2 million for 12 months. This study provides a crucial step in determining user interactions with tools, training, and services to better understand weather decision support systems used during hazardous weather.
Abstract
Television station and on-air talent marketing and branding has been studied with increasing attention because there is recognition that the people are part of an overall brand strategy. In this paper, we focus on broadcast meteorologists and their views of their personal brands and how those work to engage audiences. With Hurricane Dorian in 2019 as the background major weather event, the paper focuses on how on-air meteorologists develop their brand identities. From these interviews, we find 1) personal branding to build trust is paramount, 2) social media are game changers for personal branding, and 3) station branding can influence personal branding. Our findings shed light on the tension some on-air meteorologists experience when seeing themselves as a commodity while also trying to build trust as an expert crisis communicator.
Significance Statement
The purpose of our study is to examine how on-air meteorologists understand the role that personal branding plays—if any at all—in helping them deliver information to viewers. In previous research, Daniels and Loggins noted that, as the landscape for communicating lifesaving information changes, understanding how on-air meteorologists understand their roles and personal identities becomes paramount. If weather is a product, the people delivering the information become part of the product and overall brand strategy, according to Daniels and Loggins. Our exploratory study indicates that personal branding poses some opportunities and challenges for on-air meteorologists, who sometimes see an internal conflict between station branding strategies and their roles as scientists.
Abstract
Television station and on-air talent marketing and branding has been studied with increasing attention because there is recognition that the people are part of an overall brand strategy. In this paper, we focus on broadcast meteorologists and their views of their personal brands and how those work to engage audiences. With Hurricane Dorian in 2019 as the background major weather event, the paper focuses on how on-air meteorologists develop their brand identities. From these interviews, we find 1) personal branding to build trust is paramount, 2) social media are game changers for personal branding, and 3) station branding can influence personal branding. Our findings shed light on the tension some on-air meteorologists experience when seeing themselves as a commodity while also trying to build trust as an expert crisis communicator.
Significance Statement
The purpose of our study is to examine how on-air meteorologists understand the role that personal branding plays—if any at all—in helping them deliver information to viewers. In previous research, Daniels and Loggins noted that, as the landscape for communicating lifesaving information changes, understanding how on-air meteorologists understand their roles and personal identities becomes paramount. If weather is a product, the people delivering the information become part of the product and overall brand strategy, according to Daniels and Loggins. Our exploratory study indicates that personal branding poses some opportunities and challenges for on-air meteorologists, who sometimes see an internal conflict between station branding strategies and their roles as scientists.
Abstract
Shifting from effect-oriented toward cause-oriented and systemic approaches in sustainable climate change adaptation requires a solid understanding of the climate-related and societal causes behind climate risks. Thus, capturing, systemizing, and prioritizing factors contributing to climate risks are essential for developing cause-oriented climate risk and vulnerability assessments (CRVA). Impact chains (IC) are conceptual models used to capture hazard, vulnerability, and exposure factors that lead to a specific risk. IC modeling includes a participatory stakeholder phase and an operational quantification phase. Although ICs are widely implemented to systematically capture risk processes, they still show methodological gaps concerning, for example, the integration of dynamic feedback or balanced stakeholder involvement. Such gaps usually only become apparent in practical applications, and there is currently no systematic perspective on common challenges and methodological needs. Therefore, we reviewed 47 articles applying IC and similar CRVA methods that consider the cause–effect dynamics governing risk. We provide an overview of common challenges and opportunities as a roadmap for future improvements. We conclude that IC should move from a linear-like to an impact web–like representation of risk to integrate cause–effect dynamics. Qualitative approaches are based on significant stakeholder involvement to capture expert-, place-, and context-specific knowledge. The integration of IC into quantifiable, executable models is still highly underexplored because of a limited understanding of systems, data, evaluation options, and other uncertainties. Ultimately, using IC to capture the underlying complex processes behind risk supports effective, long-term, and sustainable climate change adaptation.
Abstract
Shifting from effect-oriented toward cause-oriented and systemic approaches in sustainable climate change adaptation requires a solid understanding of the climate-related and societal causes behind climate risks. Thus, capturing, systemizing, and prioritizing factors contributing to climate risks are essential for developing cause-oriented climate risk and vulnerability assessments (CRVA). Impact chains (IC) are conceptual models used to capture hazard, vulnerability, and exposure factors that lead to a specific risk. IC modeling includes a participatory stakeholder phase and an operational quantification phase. Although ICs are widely implemented to systematically capture risk processes, they still show methodological gaps concerning, for example, the integration of dynamic feedback or balanced stakeholder involvement. Such gaps usually only become apparent in practical applications, and there is currently no systematic perspective on common challenges and methodological needs. Therefore, we reviewed 47 articles applying IC and similar CRVA methods that consider the cause–effect dynamics governing risk. We provide an overview of common challenges and opportunities as a roadmap for future improvements. We conclude that IC should move from a linear-like to an impact web–like representation of risk to integrate cause–effect dynamics. Qualitative approaches are based on significant stakeholder involvement to capture expert-, place-, and context-specific knowledge. The integration of IC into quantifiable, executable models is still highly underexplored because of a limited understanding of systems, data, evaluation options, and other uncertainties. Ultimately, using IC to capture the underlying complex processes behind risk supports effective, long-term, and sustainable climate change adaptation.
Abstract
There are lingering questions about the effectiveness of the watch, warning, and advisory system (WWA) used to convey weather threats in the United States. Recently there has been a shift toward alternative communication strategies such as the impact-based forecast. The study reported here compared users’ interpretation of a color-coded impact-based prototype designed for email briefings, to a legacy WWA format. Participants, including emergency managers and members of the public, saw a weather briefing and rated event likelihood, severity, damage, and population affected. Then they recommended emergency response actions. Each briefing described the severity of the weather event and the degree of impact on population and property. In one condition a color-coded impacts scale was added to the text description. In another, an advisory and/or warning was added to the text description. These were compared with the text-only control. Both emergency managers and members of the public provided higher ratings for event likelihood, severity, damage, and population affected and recommended a greater response for higher impact levels regardless of format. For both groups, the color-coded format decreased ratings for lower-impact events. Among members of the public, the color-coded format also led to increases for many ratings and greater response at higher levels relative to the other two conditions. However, the highest ratings among members of the public were in the WWA condition. Somewhat surprisingly, the only effect of the WWA format on emergency managers was to reduce action recommendations, probably because of the inclusion of the “advisory” in some briefings.
Abstract
There are lingering questions about the effectiveness of the watch, warning, and advisory system (WWA) used to convey weather threats in the United States. Recently there has been a shift toward alternative communication strategies such as the impact-based forecast. The study reported here compared users’ interpretation of a color-coded impact-based prototype designed for email briefings, to a legacy WWA format. Participants, including emergency managers and members of the public, saw a weather briefing and rated event likelihood, severity, damage, and population affected. Then they recommended emergency response actions. Each briefing described the severity of the weather event and the degree of impact on population and property. In one condition a color-coded impacts scale was added to the text description. In another, an advisory and/or warning was added to the text description. These were compared with the text-only control. Both emergency managers and members of the public provided higher ratings for event likelihood, severity, damage, and population affected and recommended a greater response for higher impact levels regardless of format. For both groups, the color-coded format decreased ratings for lower-impact events. Among members of the public, the color-coded format also led to increases for many ratings and greater response at higher levels relative to the other two conditions. However, the highest ratings among members of the public were in the WWA condition. Somewhat surprisingly, the only effect of the WWA format on emergency managers was to reduce action recommendations, probably because of the inclusion of the “advisory” in some briefings.
Abstract
Media organizations can quickly disseminate information from official sources to the general population. The media play a vital role before, during, and after a hazard incident or natural disaster by broadcasting early warnings, coordinating emergency management strategies, providing timely updates, and offering advice on protective actions. Therefore, it is important to examine how news media use various framing devices such as story selection, placement, length, and quotations from officials and citizens in their crisis news coverage. We investigate print media coverage of Hurricane Harvey utilizing data from three newspapers: the New York Times (online), the Wall Street Journal (online), and the Houston Chronicle. By examining the use of descriptors, quotes, and wording about Hurricane Harvey, our research explores how media coverage framed and created a tone for the government and private sectors for their roles in response and recovery processes. Findings reveal that the human-interest frame received the most media attention, whereas the morality frame received less attention. For tone, we find that the overall tone for the government response was balanced and less negative. However, the media tone varies among three levels of government: the tone for the federal government was more negative, whereas the tone for the city and state levels of government was slightly positive. For private sectors, we found that the for-profit sector coverage had a strong negative tone, whereas the nonprofit sector received a strong positive tone. By offering a descriptive analysis of framing and tone, our study reveals how print media sources portray actors involved in recovery and rebuilding efforts for Hurricane Harvey.
Abstract
Media organizations can quickly disseminate information from official sources to the general population. The media play a vital role before, during, and after a hazard incident or natural disaster by broadcasting early warnings, coordinating emergency management strategies, providing timely updates, and offering advice on protective actions. Therefore, it is important to examine how news media use various framing devices such as story selection, placement, length, and quotations from officials and citizens in their crisis news coverage. We investigate print media coverage of Hurricane Harvey utilizing data from three newspapers: the New York Times (online), the Wall Street Journal (online), and the Houston Chronicle. By examining the use of descriptors, quotes, and wording about Hurricane Harvey, our research explores how media coverage framed and created a tone for the government and private sectors for their roles in response and recovery processes. Findings reveal that the human-interest frame received the most media attention, whereas the morality frame received less attention. For tone, we find that the overall tone for the government response was balanced and less negative. However, the media tone varies among three levels of government: the tone for the federal government was more negative, whereas the tone for the city and state levels of government was slightly positive. For private sectors, we found that the for-profit sector coverage had a strong negative tone, whereas the nonprofit sector received a strong positive tone. By offering a descriptive analysis of framing and tone, our study reveals how print media sources portray actors involved in recovery and rebuilding efforts for Hurricane Harvey.
Abstract
This paper explores environmental distress (e.g., feeling blue) in a politically conservative (“red”) and predominantly white farming community in the southwestern United States. In such communities across the United States, expressed concern over environmental change—including climate change—tends to be lower. This is understood to have a palliative effect that reduces feelings of ecoanxiety. Using an emotional geographies framework, our study identifies the forms of everyday emotional expressions related to water and environmental change in the context of a vulnerable rural agricultural community in central Arizona. Drawing on long-term participant-observation and stakeholder research, we use data from individual (n = 48) and group (n = 8) interviews with water stakeholders to explore reports of sadness and fear over environmental change using an emotion-focused text analysis. We find that this distress is related to social and material changes related to environmental change rather than to environmental change itself. We discuss implications for research on emotional geographies for understanding reactions to environmental change and uncertainty.
Abstract
This paper explores environmental distress (e.g., feeling blue) in a politically conservative (“red”) and predominantly white farming community in the southwestern United States. In such communities across the United States, expressed concern over environmental change—including climate change—tends to be lower. This is understood to have a palliative effect that reduces feelings of ecoanxiety. Using an emotional geographies framework, our study identifies the forms of everyday emotional expressions related to water and environmental change in the context of a vulnerable rural agricultural community in central Arizona. Drawing on long-term participant-observation and stakeholder research, we use data from individual (n = 48) and group (n = 8) interviews with water stakeholders to explore reports of sadness and fear over environmental change using an emotion-focused text analysis. We find that this distress is related to social and material changes related to environmental change rather than to environmental change itself. We discuss implications for research on emotional geographies for understanding reactions to environmental change and uncertainty.
Abstract
Considering the widespread and cross-cultural effects of climate on various production sectors, environmental factors, and human societies, drought is nowadays regarded as one of the most important environmental challenges of the current century. Because of their close relationship with the natural environment and their limited opportunities, rural communities have long been exposed to drought, and farmers in dry and semiarid regions have been applying measures to adapt to and cope with it. The main purpose of this study was to investigate and identify farmers’ native methods to reduce the effects of drought. The research method was phenomenological and survey based. The population included villagers in Kangavar County, Kermanshah Province, in Iran. Sampling was done by the targeted and snowflake method. The data collection instrument was an in-depth interview in the qualitative section and a self-designed questionnaire in the quantitative section. The results showed that farmers used different measures for coping with and adapting to drought, including using no-tillage farming; uprooting trees with high water demands; hope and oblation; mulching; reducing, changing, and/or mixing livestock types (reaction behaviors); diversifying the sources of livelihoods; changing cropping patterns; correcting irrigation practices; changing planting time; seeding before the drought; and using water storage techniques (fractional behaviors). In addition, farmers had a weaker capability to cope with the environmental, economic, and social vulnerabilities than with drought. This presented the vulnerability of farmers to drought in all economic, social, and environmental spheres.
Abstract
Considering the widespread and cross-cultural effects of climate on various production sectors, environmental factors, and human societies, drought is nowadays regarded as one of the most important environmental challenges of the current century. Because of their close relationship with the natural environment and their limited opportunities, rural communities have long been exposed to drought, and farmers in dry and semiarid regions have been applying measures to adapt to and cope with it. The main purpose of this study was to investigate and identify farmers’ native methods to reduce the effects of drought. The research method was phenomenological and survey based. The population included villagers in Kangavar County, Kermanshah Province, in Iran. Sampling was done by the targeted and snowflake method. The data collection instrument was an in-depth interview in the qualitative section and a self-designed questionnaire in the quantitative section. The results showed that farmers used different measures for coping with and adapting to drought, including using no-tillage farming; uprooting trees with high water demands; hope and oblation; mulching; reducing, changing, and/or mixing livestock types (reaction behaviors); diversifying the sources of livelihoods; changing cropping patterns; correcting irrigation practices; changing planting time; seeding before the drought; and using water storage techniques (fractional behaviors). In addition, farmers had a weaker capability to cope with the environmental, economic, and social vulnerabilities than with drought. This presented the vulnerability of farmers to drought in all economic, social, and environmental spheres.
Abstract
We study how seasonal climate affects influenza–pneumonia (I-P) mortality using monthly health and climate data over the past 20 years, reduced to mean annual cycle and statistically correlated. Results show that I-P deaths are inversely related to temperature, humidity, and net solar radiation in the United States, South Africa, and Puerto Rico (r < −0.93) via transmission and immune system response. The I-P mortality is 3–10 times as high in winter as in summer, with sharp transitions in autumn and spring. Public health management can rely on seasonal climate-induced fluctuations of I-P mortality to promote healthy lifestyle choices and guide efforts to mitigate epidemic impacts.
Abstract
We study how seasonal climate affects influenza–pneumonia (I-P) mortality using monthly health and climate data over the past 20 years, reduced to mean annual cycle and statistically correlated. Results show that I-P deaths are inversely related to temperature, humidity, and net solar radiation in the United States, South Africa, and Puerto Rico (r < −0.93) via transmission and immune system response. The I-P mortality is 3–10 times as high in winter as in summer, with sharp transitions in autumn and spring. Public health management can rely on seasonal climate-induced fluctuations of I-P mortality to promote healthy lifestyle choices and guide efforts to mitigate epidemic impacts.
Abstract
Catastrophic disasters disrupt the structural and social aspects of housing, which can lead to varying lengths of displacement and housing instability for affected residents. Stable housing is a critical aspect of postdisaster recovery, which makes it important to understand how much time passes before displaced residents are able to find stable housing. Using the Gulf Coast Child and Family Health Study, a longitudinal cohort of Mississippi and Louisiana residents exposed to Hurricane Katrina (n = 1079), we describe patterns of stable housing by identifying protective and prohibitive factors that affect time to stable housing in the 13 years following the storm. Survival analyses reveal that median time to stable housing was 1082 days—over 3 years after Katrina. Age, housing tenure, marital status, income, and social support each independently affected time to stable housing. Findings suggest that postdisaster housing instability is similar to other forms of housing instability, including eviction, frequent moves, and homelessness.
Significance Statement
Climate change is expected to increase gradual-onset events like sea level rise, as well as the frequency and intensity of acute disasters like hurricanes. Such events when coupled with population growth, coastline development, and increasing inequality will lead to high levels of displacement and housing instability. Using longitudinal data, we wanted to understand how much time passed until residents who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina were able to find permanent and stable housing and identify factors that either prolonged or accelerated respondents’ time to stable housing. Addressing this gap can help to improve resident recovery and create targeted postdisaster housing policy, especially as displacement from disasters becomes increasingly common among those living in regions susceptible to the effects of climate change.
Abstract
Catastrophic disasters disrupt the structural and social aspects of housing, which can lead to varying lengths of displacement and housing instability for affected residents. Stable housing is a critical aspect of postdisaster recovery, which makes it important to understand how much time passes before displaced residents are able to find stable housing. Using the Gulf Coast Child and Family Health Study, a longitudinal cohort of Mississippi and Louisiana residents exposed to Hurricane Katrina (n = 1079), we describe patterns of stable housing by identifying protective and prohibitive factors that affect time to stable housing in the 13 years following the storm. Survival analyses reveal that median time to stable housing was 1082 days—over 3 years after Katrina. Age, housing tenure, marital status, income, and social support each independently affected time to stable housing. Findings suggest that postdisaster housing instability is similar to other forms of housing instability, including eviction, frequent moves, and homelessness.
Significance Statement
Climate change is expected to increase gradual-onset events like sea level rise, as well as the frequency and intensity of acute disasters like hurricanes. Such events when coupled with population growth, coastline development, and increasing inequality will lead to high levels of displacement and housing instability. Using longitudinal data, we wanted to understand how much time passed until residents who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina were able to find permanent and stable housing and identify factors that either prolonged or accelerated respondents’ time to stable housing. Addressing this gap can help to improve resident recovery and create targeted postdisaster housing policy, especially as displacement from disasters becomes increasingly common among those living in regions susceptible to the effects of climate change.
Abstract
Timely communication of warnings is essential to protection of lives and properties during tornado outbreaks. Both official and personal channels of communication prove to have considerable impact on the overall outcome. In this study, an agent-based model is developed to simulate warning’s reception–dissemination process in which a person is exposed to, receives, and sends information while interacting with others. The model is applied to an EF5 tornado (EF indicates enhanced Fujita scale) that struck Moore, Oklahoma, in 2013. The parameters are calibrated using publicly available data or a poststorm telephone survey or were derived from literature reviews, expert judgement, and sensitivity analysis. The result shows a reasonable agreement between modeled and observed reception rates for older and younger adults and for different channels, with errors of less than 20 percentage points. Similar agreement is also seen for the average numbers of warning sources. The subsequent simulation indicates that, in the absence of tornado sirens, the overall reception rates for younger and older adults would drop from the baseline by 17 and 6 percentage points, respectively. Concurrently, there is a large decline in the number of warning sources. When a persons’ social network is enlarged, the reception rate for older adults improves from 77% to 80%, whereas for younger adults it stays unchanged. The impact of increased connectivity is more pronounced when people are not watching television or a tornado siren is not available.
Significance Statement
Every year, tornadoes cause significant property damage and numerous casualties in the United States. This study aims to understand how tornado warnings reach the at-risk public through various communication channels. Using the agent-based model and simulation, we are able to reconstruct the dynamic patterns of warning’s reception–dissemination process for older and younger adults within a historical EF5 tornado. Further analysis confirms the importance of tornado sirens in not only alerting more residents about the dangerous weather condition but also prompting protective actions. In the meantime, an increase in social connectivity among residents would compensate for the lack of exposure to television and tornado siren. Future work should investigate the robustness of this model and its parameters when applied to other tornado outbreaks.
Abstract
Timely communication of warnings is essential to protection of lives and properties during tornado outbreaks. Both official and personal channels of communication prove to have considerable impact on the overall outcome. In this study, an agent-based model is developed to simulate warning’s reception–dissemination process in which a person is exposed to, receives, and sends information while interacting with others. The model is applied to an EF5 tornado (EF indicates enhanced Fujita scale) that struck Moore, Oklahoma, in 2013. The parameters are calibrated using publicly available data or a poststorm telephone survey or were derived from literature reviews, expert judgement, and sensitivity analysis. The result shows a reasonable agreement between modeled and observed reception rates for older and younger adults and for different channels, with errors of less than 20 percentage points. Similar agreement is also seen for the average numbers of warning sources. The subsequent simulation indicates that, in the absence of tornado sirens, the overall reception rates for younger and older adults would drop from the baseline by 17 and 6 percentage points, respectively. Concurrently, there is a large decline in the number of warning sources. When a persons’ social network is enlarged, the reception rate for older adults improves from 77% to 80%, whereas for younger adults it stays unchanged. The impact of increased connectivity is more pronounced when people are not watching television or a tornado siren is not available.
Significance Statement
Every year, tornadoes cause significant property damage and numerous casualties in the United States. This study aims to understand how tornado warnings reach the at-risk public through various communication channels. Using the agent-based model and simulation, we are able to reconstruct the dynamic patterns of warning’s reception–dissemination process for older and younger adults within a historical EF5 tornado. Further analysis confirms the importance of tornado sirens in not only alerting more residents about the dangerous weather condition but also prompting protective actions. In the meantime, an increase in social connectivity among residents would compensate for the lack of exposure to television and tornado siren. Future work should investigate the robustness of this model and its parameters when applied to other tornado outbreaks.
