Gauging Disaster Vulnerabilities at the Local Level

Abstract

Using mail survey data, we analyze the types of vulnerabilities Florida’s county officials rate as critical when planning for (a) a natural disaster and (b) a deliberate (terrorist) human-made attack. The research identifies the degree to which these officials provide similar assessments (commonality) of their community’s vulnerabilities across these two types of disasters. Overall, vulnerability assessment commonality is more pervasive for basic needs—water, power, transportation, emergency health care, communication, and financial assets. County management personnel and first responders are more likely to perceive greater overlap across types of hazards than finance, human services, or infrastructure officials, especially in Metropolitan Statistical Areas.