5.4.10 Public Education
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Develop a Public Education Program – “A cooperative public education program is needed to inform residents about the risks of living in the wildland/urban interface and their personal responsibilities in preparing for and responding to interface fires. This should include the preventative and protective measures they can adopt to make their lives safer.”
Firestorm 2003: Provincial Review
“This education campaign must inform residents about the risks and their responsibilities in planning and preparing for and responding to interface fires. The campaign should be delivered to school children as well as adults. Municipal and regional governments should regularly distribute educational materials to residents. Insurance agents should distribute educational materials with each policy renewal of a dwelling.”
Firestorm 2003: Provincial Review
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“Educate the Public About Contra Flow”
A Study of the Impact of Nine Transportation Management Projects on Hurricane Evacuation Preparedness
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Educate the Public on Evacuation Routes – “Educating the public on evacuation routes and distributing zone-specific maps so people can find the best way to evacuate from their homes.”
Times-Picayune Online, “Communication Called Storm Evacuation Key”
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Increase Public Understanding of the Evacuation Process – “The province should target greater resources at ensuring better awareness by the public about the stages of evacuation, including the procedures to be followed during an evacuation and after the lifting of the fire risk. The procedures and powers of the police should be clarified and the permit reentry process standardized so that all affected responders, evacuees, media, and others understand the process, its logic, and the location of the permit-issuing authority.”
Firestorm 2003: Provincial Review
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Provide Better Education to the Public Regarding Their Vulnerability – “Four important points with regard to understanding the public’s response. (1) Evacuation orders are the most effective means for evoking a response from the public, as long as they are heard and understood by those who need to respond. (2) People must understand their own personal vulnerability. One problem is that the public tends to underestimate high risks and overestimate low risks, as evidenced during Floyd. (3) We need to tell and convince people they need to only go a certain distance to be safe. (4) We need to understand and use the public’s sources of information to disseminate information. Recommendations for the future include: better education of the public regarding their vulnerability; wording evacuation notices to ensure they are not misinterpreted and effectively disseminating them, telling people what to do and why and not forgetting those who didn’t leave but should have.”
The Legacy of Hurricane Floyd—Inland Flooding and a Massive Evacuation
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Realize Homeowners Should Know Their Evacuation Routes – “Homeowners should accept their obligations, preparing to evacuate if required during an interface fire emergency. This includes knowing where the evacuation routes are.”
Firestorm 2003: Provincial Review
February 7, 2006
Publication #FHWA–HOP-08-015
