Public Education for Earthquake Hazards

Abstract

With the creation of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program in the late 1970s, coordinated efforts were begun to educate the U.S. public about earthquake losses and mitigation approaches. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, the lead National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program agency, funded earthquake preparedness projects and earthquake education centers around the country. After more than 20 years of educational programs and initiatives, there have been some successes in teaching people about earthquake hazards and motivating them to reduce their potential losses. We have derived lessons about how to deliver hazards information effectively, although systematic assessments of the educational campaigns have been infrequent. This article summarizes what we know about the efficacy of our public education efforts for earthquakes, and details the evaluation efforts that have been undertaken. It reviews research findings on risk perception and behavior change. Lastly, it identifies promising techniques and strategies that can be used for educating the public about all natural hazards.