City of Sault Ste. Marie Division of Emergency Management€¦ · 6. etter utilize the windows of opportunity after major disasters outside of our community. To learn about the tactics

CITY OF SAULT STE. MARIE DIVISION OF EMERGENCY

MANAGEMENT

7/7/2017 P U B L I C E D U C AT I O N P R O GR A M E VA LU AT I O N

Emergency Management Public Education Program Evaluation

Page 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................. 2

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................. 3

PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAM OVERVIEW ............................................... 4

PHASE 1: COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS SURVEY................... 6

Introduction ............................................................................................... 6

Methods .................................................................................................... 7

Limitations ................................................................................................. 7

Participants ................................................................................................ 7

Results– Personal Preparedness Indicators ................................................ 9

Results – Preparedness Action Prerequisites ............................................ 14

Discussion ................................................................................................ 16

PHASE 2: IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW PUBLIC EDUCATION STRATEGIES ... 17

PHASE 3: MONITOR & EVALUATE ............................................................ 20

APPENDIX A: COMMUNITY DISASTER PREPAREDNESS SURVEY ............... 21

APPENDIX B: POST PRESENTATION SURVEY ............................................ 25

APPENDIX C: SIX MONTHS POST-PRESENTATION SURVEY ........................ 26

REFERENCES ........................................................................................... 27


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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The City of Sault Ste. Marie Emergency Management Division (herein known as “the EM Division”) is responsible for providing residents with public education regarding disaster preparedness. This is done through school programs, local workshops, annual events and presentations. Recently, the EM division became interested in evaluating its public education program to determine whether Saultites were receiving City distributed emergency preparedness information and if so, were they taking preparedness action. The evaluation of the EM Division’s public education program was divided into the three phases below.

Phase 1: Community Preparedness Survey

In Phase 1, the EM Division researched, designed and distributed a Community Preparedness Survey (herein known as “the survey”) to residents of Sault Ste. Marie to better understand the community’s resilience. Questions regarding level of preparedness, awareness of the EM Division’s public education programming and willingness to take preparedness action were asked. In total, 555 Sault Ste. Marie residents participated in the survey. The results of the survey indicated that most participants were not prepared for emergencies. It was found that only 18% of participants owned a 72-hour survival kit, 18% had a family meeting place, 5% were extremely aware of potential local hazards & protective actions and 54% were not at all aware of how to stay informed during an emergency. Additionally, research shows that people will take risk-reduction measures only if they know what to do, if they feel capable of preparing, if they feel their actions will be effective and if they believe that others are also getting prepared. Survey results showed that 81% of participants strongly agreed or agreed that they were capable of preparing, 96% strongly agreed or agreed that getting prepared would be an effective way to reduce their risk, only 18% were very aware or aware of what steps needed to be taken to prepare and less than 5% believed that preparedness was popular among other residents. Therefore, more work must be done to ensure residents have the information they need to get prepared and to make preparedness more popular.

Phase 2: Implementation of New Preparedness Stra tegies

Through the results from the survey and research conducted by the EM Division, the following strategies have been or will be added to the City’s emergency preparedness public education program with the goal of increasing preparedness levels among Sault Ste. Marie residents within the next five years:

1. Increase availability and accessibility of local preparedness resources, tools and information. 2. Better utilize social media outlets to promote emergency preparedness. 3. Utilize proven public education strategies to counter Saultites denial & unrealistic optimism and instead

encourage preparedness action. 4. Create measures to counter preparedness barriers including financial constraints, health/age limitations,

ignorance, lack of motivation and lack of time. 5. Popularize preparedness by crafting normative messages that are consistent and repetitive. 6. Better utilize the windows of opportunity after major disasters outside of our community.

To learn about the tactics that the EM Division plans to utilize to accomplish each strategy, see pages 17-20.

Phase 3: Monitor and Re-Evaluate

A future community wide survey will be conducted in five years after all new strategies have been implemented to evaluate the efficacy of the new programming. In the meantime, a new presentation has been created utilizing the new strategies and will be used at all future preparedness presentations. Presentation attendees will be asked to complete a short survey after the presentation. The survey includes questions regarding resident’s preparedness knowledge, intention to take preparedness action and belief they could be impacted by a disaster. Additionally, the survey will ask for permission to contact the resident in six months to learn if they took preparedness action. This will help the EM Division learn the effectiveness of the presentation and whether or not it needs to be adapted to better influence preparedness action.


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PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Municipalities in Ontario are required to develop and implement an emergency management program

consisting of emergency plans, training, exercises and public education (Emergency Management and Civil

Protection Act, R.S.O 1990, c. E.9, s. 5.1(1)). The aim of the emergency management program in Sault Ste. Marie

is to create a disaster resilient community. With the ever-present threat of natural, technological and human-

caused disasters, it is incumbent on all Sault Ste. Marie residents to develop personal, family, and/or business

emergency plans. Having a personal disaster plan is the first line of defense against the disasters that may affect

the Sault Ste. Marie region. For this reason, the Emergency Management division has designed a public

education program to provide emergency preparedness information, resources and tips to the community. The

public education program includes, but is not limited to, the following events:

Emergency Preparedness Showcase

Every year, for the last day of Emergency Preparedness

Week, the EM Division hosts an Emergency Preparedness

Showcase to promote the city’s emergency response

network for the community. Over a dozen partner

agencies attend to showcase their vehicles & equipment

and promote community emergency preparedness. The

event is the largest local annual preparedness public

education event.

High School Disaster Dining

Competition Twice during the school year, the EM Division teams with

Sault Search and Rescue to host a Disaster Dining

Challenge to all local high school Food & Nutrition classes.

The classes are invited to Sault Search and Rescue and

upon arriving, are given a scenario in which a disaster has

just struck. They then must cook a meal for their “family”

using no electricity, minimal water and only non-

perishable items. During the event, they are also given a

tour of Sault Search and Rescue and a presentation about

Emergency Preparedness.

Girl Guides Survivor Sleepover The Survivor Sleepover is a biennial event in which the

EM division teams with the Red Cross and Sault Search

and Rescue to host the Girl Guides at a mock emergency

shelter. The girls participate in a variety of preparedness

activities and games, while “surviving” for the evening

using the items they packed in their emergency kits.


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Information Booths

Throughout the year, the EM Division attends several

conferences, community events and gatherings to

promote emergency preparedness through the use of

manned information booths. In 2016, this included

information booths at Seniors Healthy Living Fairs, Police

Day and Home Depot, Sears, Indian Friendship Centre &

YMCA for Emergency Preparedness Week. Information

booths are equipped with tips & resources regarding

emergency plans, kits and potential risks in our area.

Social Media Campaigns/Contests

The EM Division regularly utilizes social media to promote

preparedness messages, resources and information. To get the

public involved in their own preparedness & to make

preparedness more popular, social media campaigns and

contests and often held. In 2016, a “Prepare YourSelfie” contest

was held that encourages residents to take a picture of

themselves with their emergency kit using #ReadySSM for a

chance to win a prize. The hashtag allowed us to follow along

with who participated. Our next campaign, to be held in 2017,

will be 20 Weeks to Emergency Preparedness. For 20 weeks, the

EM Division will be delivering budget-friendly preparedness steps

over their social media pages with the goal of getting community

members ready for disasters in just a few weeks.

Winter Preparedness Week

At the beginning of the winter season, the EM Division

holds Winter Preparedness Week with the focus of

getting Saultites prepared for the approaching winter

season. Winter brings on additional seasonal challenges

and it is important that Saultites know how to stay safe

during extreme winter storms. During Winter

Preparedness Week, the EM Division teams with the

Canadian Red Cross to provide winter preparedness

information sessions at the local library and information

booths are set up at various local organizations and

businesses.


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PHASE 1: COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS SURVEY

Introduction

Community preparedness plays a significant role in determining the extent of impact an emergency or disaster

can have on a community. As preparedness begins at the individual level, it’s important that residents own a 72-

hour survival kit, have a family emergency plan and know potential local hazards & protective actions (Public

Safety Canada, 2009). In addition, the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management also encourages

residents to know how to stay informed during an emergency (Ontario.ca/beprepared). These four

preparedness components are the focus of the EM Division’s personal preparedness programming.

The Public Education Program Overview above confirms that the EM Division does much emergency

preparedness education in the community via presentations and other events; however, no follow up has ever

been done from these activities to determine whether participants actually took preparedness action

afterwards. Although the effectiveness of the current public education program has not previously been

examined, past general conversations with residents indicated to the EM Division that most Saultities were likely

not prepared for emergencies.

There are many reasons that could explain why most Saultites may not be prepared. First, the EM Division has

always attempted to use delivery methods to encourage the importance of preparedness and to ensure the

information would “stick.” These methods included using disaster images and videos to show the negative

effects of disasters. However, Lopes (1992, pg. 21) found that the use of disaster images during public

preparedness presentations can actually heighten denial and cause persons to avoid taking preparedness action.

According to McClure (2006, pg. 8), denial is a way of coping with an anxiety-producing event where the person

denies the seriousness of the risk in order to reduce their anxiety. Therefore, the use of disaster images in past

presentations may actually have heightened anxiety & denial among residents and had the opposite effect than

intended. It is important for residents to believe a disaster can happen to them so that they will take

appropriate preparedness action; therefore, it is important that all future EM Division presentations limit the

disaster images used. Instead, Lopes (1992, pg. 22) recommends to show (rather than tell) residents correct

preparedness behaviours as opposed to images that may occur as a result of a disaster. By doing this, residents

learn that a risk can be mitigated and that by taking action, they are increasing their control over the risk.

Second, McClure (2006, pg.6) also accounts unrealistic optimism for leading to a lack of preparedness action by

individuals. Unrealistic optimism refers to a common bias in thinking where a majority of people think that they

are less likely to suffer misfortunes compared to others. People who believe they will not be negatively affected

by a disaster tend to underestimate their own risk. Citizens perception’s that they are invulnerable is reduced

when they personally experience a disaster; however, general discussions with the public have shown the EM

Division that very few Saultites actually have. Therefore, to reduce unrealistic optimism about hazards, McClure

(2006, pg.6) suggests making residents aware of hazards common to our area that have impacted other people

in similar settings and by discussing the precautions these citizens carried out to increase their safety.

Third, research shows that people will take risk-reduction measures only when they:

Know/have access to the specific actions necessary to reduce their risk.

Believe they are capable of carrying out these risk-reducing actions.


Page 7

Believe that “everyone is doing it”

Believe these risk-reducing actions will be effective. (International Federation of Red Cross and

Red Crescent Societies, 2011, p.63)

If residents do not know how to prepare, do not believe they are capable of preparing, do not believe that

preparedness is popular and do not believe their preparedness actions will be effective, it is unlikely that they

will take preparedness action.

The EM Division designed a survey that would help determine whether residents were prepared for disasters

and if not, the challenges they face that prevent them from getting prepared. Once it is known whether or not

residents are prepared and if not, why this may be, the EM Division can create counter measures within their

public education programming to address these obstacles.

Methods

The Community Disaster Preparedness Survey (herein known as “the survey”) was created using an online

survey tool and consisted of 22 questions (Appendix A). The survey was available for online completion on the

homepage of the City of Sault Ste. Marie website from January 14th, 2017 to February 15th, 2017. Additionally,

a hard copy of the survey was created and could be provided for completion by request. A media release was

sent out to all local media outlets to encourage the community to participate in the survey. SooToday and

SaultOnline picked up the release on their online news sites and CTV News North created a segment to promote

the survey on the televised local evening news. In total, 555 residents of Sault Ste. Marie participated in the

survey. All survey results were then analyzed using an online survey tool.

Limitations

Some factors may have potentially impacted the results of this survey. First, due to budgetary constraints, the

survey was only promoted online and therefore may not have been representative of the entire population (i.e.

older adults without access to the internet). It would be interesting to examine whether the results would differ

had the survey been distributed wider using other marketing avenues. Second, as the results were self-reported,

certain answers may have been exaggerated and/or various biases may have impacted the results. For example,

participants may have responded with answers that they believed more socially desirable and not reflective of

their actual preparedness levels.

Par ticipants

A request for participation in the survey was broadcasted

through various local media and social media outlets. A

chance to win a survival kit valued at over $100 was

included in the promotions to help encourage

participation. People of all ages were able to

participate, as long as they lived within the limits of the

City of Sault Ste. Marie. The gender and age of

respondents can be seen in Figure 1. The majority of

respondents were female in gender (63%) compared to

males (34%). Over one quarter of respondents were

between the ages of 55-64 (26%) with fewer than 3% of

respondents being under the age of 24.

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Other

Prefer Notto Answer

Male

Female

Num

ber

of

Resp

ond

ents

Figure 1-Gender and Age of Respondents


Page 8

Figure 2 shows respondent’s household incomes and the number of individuals per household. The majority of

respondents came from a household with a combined income of $25,000-$54,999 a year. Close to 120

respondents preferred not to reveal their income. The majority of respondents lived in a household with 2

people (45%) while the fewest number of respondents lived in a 5+ person household.

Figure 3 shows where respondents live in the community. The most number of respondents lived in the East End

(30%) while the fewest number of respondents came from the Downtown Area (5%).

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

5+ Person Household

4 Person Household

3 Person Household

2 Person Household

1 Person Household

30.45%

28.11%

25.05%

11.35%

5.05%

East End

Central

West End

North End

Downtown

Num

ber

of

Resp

ond

ents

Figure 2-Respondents Household Incomes and Number of Individuals per Household

Figure 3-Location of Respondents Homes in Sault Ste. Marie by Percent


Page 9

Results– Personal Preparedness Indicators

Participation in Disaster Preparedness

Activities

Respondents were asked if they had

attended a local disaster preparedness

event. The results of this are in Figure 4.

Of 537 responses, only 12% had

attended a disaster preparedness event.

Of the remaining respondents who had

not attended a disaster preparedness

event, 68% were unaware they took

place and 20% were aware but chose

not to/were unable to attend.

Obtained City Disaster Preparedness Information through Media

The City’s Emergency Management Division utilizes

local media outlets (newspaper, online media outlets,

radio, etc.) and social media accounts (Twitter and

Facebook) to promote disaster preparedness tips and

education. Respondents were asked if they had ever

received preparedness information through one of

these methods. Of 537 responses, 43% indicated they

had received preparedness information through a

media outlet (Figure 5)

72 Hour Emergency Survival Kits

Respondents were asked whether they

owned a survival kit (Figure 6). Of 537

responses, 18% indicated they had a 72-

hour emergency survival kit on hand for

their family. Of the 82% of respondents

who did not have a 72-hour emergency

survival kit, 34% were planning to make

or buy one while 48% had no plans of

making or buying one.

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Have attended Have not attended(unaware that they

took place)

Have not attended(aware that they

took place)

12%

68%

20%

Figure 4-Percent of Respondents who have Attended a Local Disaster Preparedness Event

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Yes No No, but planning tomake/buy one

18%

48%

34%

Figure 6-Percent of Respondents who own a 72 Hour Emergency Survival Kit

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Yes No

43%57%

Figure 5-Percent of Respondents Who Obtained City Disaster Preparedness Information through Media


Page 10

Emergency Plans

It was assumed that respondents may not be aware of the components of an emergency plan. So, instead of

asking whether they had an emergency plan, respondents were asked whether they had completed 4 key

components of an emergency plan: 1) Having a family meeting place 2) Having a list of emergency contacts 3)

Knowing children’s school/daycare emergency plan and 4) Having a pet emergency plan. The results of these

questions are shown in Figure 7. Of 537 respondents, only 18% had discussed a family meeting place with their

family in the event they could not return to their neighbourhood because of a disaster. On a more positive note,

more than half of the 537 respondents (57%) did keep a list of emergency contacts. Of 165 respondents with

children in school/daycare, only 36% were aware of the school/daycare’s emergency plan. Finally, of 340

respondents with pets, only 23% had an emergency plan for their pets.

Awareness of the City’s

Methods for Communicating

Emergency Information

Respondents were asked whether

they were aware of how the City

would communicate information

during an emergency. The results are

shown in Figure 8. Of 524 responses,

most respondents were either not at

all aware (54%) or only slightly aware

(22%) of how the City would

distribute information during a

disaster.

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Has Discussed FamilyMeeting Place(s)

Has a List ofEmergency Contacts

Aware of Children'sSchool/DaycareEmergency Plan

Has a Pet EmergencyPlan

18%

57%

36% 23%

82%

43%

64%

77%

Yes No

Figure 7-Percent of Respondents who have Completed

Components of a Family Emergency Plan

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

ExtremelyAware

Very Aware ModeratelyAware

SlightlyAware

Not at allAware

2%7%

14%

22%

54%

Figure 8-Respondents Awareness of the City’s

Communication Methods during a Disaster (in %)


Page 11

Awareness of Where to Find

Local Preparedness Resources

Respondents were asked whether they

were aware that local preparedness

information can be found on the City of

Sault Ste. Marie website or can be

requested by calling the City. The results

of this question can be seen in Figure 9.

Of 524 respondents, most were

unaware of where to find local

preparedness resources - only 12% were

either very aware or extremely aware.

Awareness of Potential Local

Hazards & Risk-Reducing Actions

According to local risk assessments

completed by the Emergency Management

Division, the most likely potential

emergencies that could happen in Sault Ste.

Marie include flooding, power outages,

winter storms, human health pandemics and

drinking water emergencies. The above

information is available on the City of Sault

Ste. Marie website, along with protective

actions that should be taken before, during

and after each type of emergency.

Respondents were asked to identify how

aware they were of potential local hazards

and recommended protective actions

(Figure 10). More respondents were

unaware of potential local hazards and

protective actions than they were aware.

About 20% of respondents were not at all

aware and 31% were slightly aware

compared to only 5% that were extremely

aware and 13% that were very aware.

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

ExtremelyAware

VeryAware

ModeratelyAware

SlightlyAware

Not at allAware

4%8%

19%28%

41%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

ExtremelyAware

Very Aware ModeratelyAware

SlightlyAware

Not at allAware

5%

13%

31% 31%

20%

Figure 9-Respondents Awareness of Where to Find

Local Preparedness Resources (in %)

Figure 10-Respondents Awareness of Potential Local

Disasters & How to Keep Safe (in %)


Page 12

Belief in Own Preparedness Level

After asking respondents to identify if they had an emergency plan & kit and if they knew how to stay informed

during an emergency, they were asked to identify whether or not they believed they were prepared (Figure 11).

Of 507 respondents, 35% of respondents disagreed with the statement Myself/ My family is prepared for a

Disaster” while 7% strongly disagreed. About one third of respondents (31%) remained neutral, neither agreeing

nor disagreeing with the statement. Finally, 20% of respondents agreed and 7% strongly agreed that they were

prepared. It is interesting to note that of the 134 respondents of 507 who agreed or strongly agreed that they

were prepared, only 10 of these 134 respondents answered in a way that would lead the EM Division to believe

they were prepared. This is based on the key indicators that were used (ie. having an emergency plan, having an

emergency kit, knowing where to find emergency information, knowing potential hazards & protective actions)

as most who felt prepared had actually not completed all of these steps.

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

7%

20%

31%35%

7%

Figure 11-Respondents Level of Agreeability with the Statement :

“Myself/ My family is prepared for a Disaster” (in %)


Page 13

Challenges of Getting Prepared

Respondents were asked to identify the

biggest challenges they face to getting

prepared for disasters (Figure 12). Of 68 valid

responses, the most common challenge

respondents faced to getting prepared was

financial constraints with 40%. About 22% of

the responses indicated that physical

disabilities/older age made it difficult to get

prepared. Ignorance, or not knowing how to

get prepared, accounted for 18% of the

challenges faced by respondents. 9% of

responses identified that lack of motivation

made it challenging to get prepared and 4%

of responses identified a lack of time. Other

responses, including no vehicle &poor

communication with family and school

accounted for 7% of the responses.

Preferred Preparedness Activities

Respondents were asked what types of

activities they would attend or participate

in to learn more about emergency

preparedness. They were allowed to check

all activities that applied. The results from

this question are shown in Figure 13. Social

media campaigns/ contests,

presentations/workshops and

preparedness fairs were the most

commonly selected activities.

24%

20%

18%

15%

12%

10%

1%

Social Media Campaigns/ContestsWorkshops/Presentations

Preparedness Fairs

Webinars

Neighborhood Help Networks

Lunch and Learns

40%

22%

18%

9%

7%4%

Financial Constraints

Disabled/Elderly

Not Knowing How

Lack of Motivation

Other

No Time

Figure 12-Challenges of Getting

Prepared Identified by Respondents (in %)

Figure 13-Respondents Preferred Preparedness

Activities (in %)


Page 14

Results – Preparedness Action Prerequisites

Know/Have Access to the Specific Actions Necessary Risk-Reduction Actions

Knowing potential local hazards and the specific actions necessary to reduce risk was used as an indicator of

preparedness in the previous Results section and examined in Figure 10 on page 8. It showed that more

respondents were unaware of potential local hazards and protective actions than they were aware. About 20%

of respondents were not at all aware and 31% were slightly aware compared to only 5% that were extremely

aware and 13% that were very aware. Additionally, as per Figure 9 on page 8, respondents were generally not

aware of where to go to find preparedness resources and information locally. About 41% of respondents were

not at all aware of where to find local preparedness resources and 28% only slightly aware. This shows that

although the specific actions necessary to reduce risk are available locally through the City (through several

annual public events & workshops and through frequent media releases) many residents still do not know this

information or where to find it.

Belief in their Capability of Taking Risk-Reducing Actions

Respondents were asked how capable they felt of getting prepared (Figure 14). Of 507 respondents, 81% agreed

or strongly agreed that they were capable of preparing themselves or their families for an emergency. About 4%

of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed that they were capable of preparing themselves and 15%

remained neutral. These numbers are quite encouraging to see as residents must feel capable of preparing

before they will consider taking preparedness action. For those respondents that do not feel they are capable, or

who are neutral or unsure, an open-ended section was included in the survey for respondents to identify and

explain the challenges they faced which inhibited their capability to prepare. The results of this question are

detailed on page 12.


“I am capable of preparing myself and my family for an emergency ” (in %)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

33%

48%

15%

3% 1%


Page 15

Belief in the Popularity of

Taking Risk-Reducing Actions


prepared they believed their fellow residents

were (Figure 15). Of 507 respondents, 68%

disagreed or strongly disagreed that most

Saultites are prepared for a disaster. Less

than 5% agreed or strongly agreed that most

Saultites are prepared. About 27% were

neutral, meaning they were perhaps

undecided or unwilling to specify their

opinion. This shows that for the most part,

respondents did not see preparing for a

disaster as a “popular” or “common” act. If

more respondents believed other residents

were prepared or getting prepared, then

perhaps they too would be more inclined to

also take preparedness action.

Belief in the Effectiveness of Taking Risk-

Reducing Actions


effective they believed preparing for

emergencies to be (Figure 16). Of 507

respondents, about 96% agreed or strongly

agreed that having a disaster plan, a 72-hour

emergency kit and knowing where to find

emergency information would increase their

safety during a disaster. Only 1% disagreed

with this statement. Therefore, the majority

of respondents believe that taking these risk-

reducing steps would be effective in

increasing their safety during a disaster. It is

interesting to note that although 96% of

respondents saw the effectiveness of

preparing for emergencies, so few

respondents had actually taken preparedness

steps. A closer look into this will be discussed

in the Discussion section on page 16.

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

StronglyAgree

Agree Neutral Disagree StronglyDisagree

64%

32%

3% 0.4% 0.6%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

StronglyAgree

Agree Neutral Disagree StronglyDisagree

0.4% 4%

27%

54%

14.6%


“Most Saultites are Prepared for a Disaster” (in %)

Figure 16-Respondents Level of Agreeability with the

Statement: “Having a Disaster Plan, a 72-Hour Emergency

kit, and Knowing Where to Find Emergency Information

will Increase my Safety in a Disaster.” (in %)


Page 16

Discussion

Past general discussions with residents have lead the City’s Emergency Management division to believe that for

the most part, residents of Sault Ste. Marie were not prepared for disasters. Therefore, it was no surprise to the

EM division that the majority of respondents did not fare well with the survey questions designed to indicate

preparedness levels. It is clear from the results that most respondents did not have an emergency survival kit or

an emergency plan, did not know the potential local hazards and how to keep safe did not know how emergency

information would be communicated by the City during a disaster and did not know where to find local

preparedness resources.

Although it is clear that several improvements must be made to the City EM Division’s public education program

to encourage more preparedness action from residents, there were some positive results received. Close to half

of all respondents were aware that the City EM Division utilizes local/social media to distribute preparedness

information & tips. Additionally, while only 20% of respondents owned an emergency kit, 34% responded that

they did not own a kit but were planning on building or making one. Finally, although most respondents did not

have all components of an emergency plan, almost 60% kept a list of emergency contacts.

Most respondents may not yet be prepared, but the EM Division also wanted to know whether respondents met

the “prerequisites” of preparedness action. Research shows that an individual must feel capable of getting

prepared, must believe their actions will be effective, must believe that preparedness is popular and must know

how to prepare before they will take action. The EM Division was pleasantly surprised to learn that most

respondents agreed/strongly agreed they were capable of getting prepared for emergencies and almost all

respondents agreed/strongly agreed that taking preparedness action would increase their safety during an

emergency (i.e. that risk-reducing actions would be effective). Unfortunately, a majority of respondents

disagreed/strongly disagreed that preparedness action is popular among Saultites and very few respondents

were aware of potential local hazards & actions to take to keep safe or where to find preparedness resources.

If residents felt there were challenges that were inhibiting their ability to get prepared, they were asked to

specify what these may be. The most common challenges to getting prepared identified were financial

constraints (avoidance), followed by disabilities/older age (avoidance), not knowing how (ignorance), lack of

motivation (apathy) and lack of time (avoidance). Although these challenges can make getting prepared more

difficult, there is no excuse good enough to put off preparing. Perhaps if the EM Division included strategies to

counter these challenges in their public education programming, more Saultites would feel capable of getting

prepared.

It is possible that unrealistic optimism and denial may account for why respondents were, for the most part, not

prepared. Individuals who do not believe they could be negatively affected by a disaster likely would not take

the time to get prepared. Unfortunately, respondents in this survey were not asked if they believed they could

be negatively affected by a disaster; however, there are simple strategies that can be added to any

preparedness public education program that can be used to counter any potential unrealistic optimism and

denial that may exist among residents. These strategies are discussed in Phase 2: Implementation of New Public

Education Strategies.

The EM Division now has a much better understanding of the community’s level of preparedness, willingness to

prepare, capability of getting prepared and the challenges they face to getting prepared. By implementing

proven strategies into the emergency preparedness public education program to counter denial & avoidance,

unrealistic optimism, ignorance and apathy, the EM Division hopes to see increased preparedness among

residents.


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PHASE 2: IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW PUBLIC EDUCATION STRATEGIES

Through the results from this survey and research conducted by the EM Division, the following strategies and

tactics have been or will be added to the City’s emergency preparedness public education program with the goal

of increasing preparedness levels among Sault Ste. Marie resident within the next five years:

1. Increase availability and accessibility of local preparedness resources,

tools & information.

Currently, local preparedness resources are available online on the City of Sault Ste. Marie website and by contacting the Emergency Management Division by phone or email. As not everyone has access to the internet, more steps will be taken to ensure that local preparedness resources are available for pickup at various partner locations including the Canadian Red Cross, Chamber of Commerce, community support agencies, restoration companies and other partner locations. A list of locations where local preparedness resources can be obtained will be made available on the City of Sault Ste. Marie website. Additionally, it is important that local preparedness materials be available in various formats and languages to ensure that all residents can understand key preparedness information. The EM Division will work with the Sault Ste. Marie Career Centre and the Accessibility Centre when necessary to ensure that any new educational

materials be accessible for everyone (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 2011, p.38).

2. Better utilize social media outlets to promote emergency preparedness.

Social media is becoming an increasingly important way to deliver public awareness and public education

(International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 2011, p.55). Respondents from the Community Preparedness Survey indicated that social media campaigns and contests were the preferred method for learning about emergency preparedness. Prior to the survey commencing, the City EM Division maintained one social media account (Twitter) for Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services. It was soon determined that in order to reach a larger majority of the public with preparedness information, the EM Division would need to utilize additional types of social media as Twitter is not the preferred social media outlet for all Saultites. The EM Division now maintains a Facebook page for Sault Fire Services as well as an Instagram account to reach the younger Sault population. Although social media campaigns and contests were the preferred preparedness activity among residents, participation in past campaigns and contests has been quite low. For example, very few residents took part in the Prepare YourSelfie campaign, which encouraged the public to take a picture with their emergency kit and post to social media. Perhaps with additional social media accounts to spread word of campaigns, as well as better and more relevant incentives, participation among residents in campaigns and contests may increase.

3. Utilize proven public education strategies to counter Saultites denial &

unrealistic optimism to encourage preparedness action.

By utilizing the results of the preferred preparedness activities from the survey, we may see more participation

from the community at local events; however, the real hurdle will be ensuring the public will utilize the

information they learn at said events to take preparedness action. This may happen only if the information being

delivered does not heighten avoidance and denial among individuals. Moving forward, disaster images and

videos, which are known to increase avoidance and denial tendencies among individuals, will be limited in

presentations and only used if necessary. Instead, to ensure residents understand that anyone, including


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themselves, can be negatively affected by a disaster, a few strategies will be integrated into preparedness

presentations. First, presentations will show how risks can be mitigated by taking specific actions, thereby

showing that they are increasing their control over the risk. Second, presentations will include examples of

disasters that have occurred in locations similar to Sault Ste. Marie, the steps the citizens took to help protect

them and how specifically those who did not prepare were negatively affected.

4. Create measures to counter preparedness barriers.

A few trends in responses were noticed when participants were asked what challenges they faced to getting

prepared. Perhaps if the EM Division included strategies to counter these barriers in their public education

programming, more Saultites would feel capable and ready to take preparedness action. The barriers most

commonly mentioned were financial constraints (avoidance), health/age limitations (avoidance), not knowing

how to prepare (ignorance), lack of motivation (apathy) and no time (avoidance).

Financial Constraints

Although the above barriers can make getting prepared more difficult, there is no reason good enough to put off

preparing for emergencies. Financial constraint is an avoidance tactic that is used when people feel that

something (in this case, disaster preparedness) is out of their control. There is a belief that only major

expenditures can mitigate major damage from a potential emergency; however, this is not true (McClure, 2006,

p.19). There are many small, budget friendly steps that can be taken to improve safety one’s safety during an

emergency. Therefore, to counter this barrier, the EM Division will be creating and promoting a budget-friendly

guide to disaster preparedness for residents with tips on how to prepare on a low income, one step at a time.

Additionally, the EM Division will work more closely with Social Services to determine what more can be done to

ensure those on financial assistance are prepared.

Health/Age Limitations

Health/age limitations are also avoidance tactics as anyone living independently must be prepared. To counter

this barrier, the EM Division will better promote the options seniors & people with disabilities have in our

community to help them get better prepared, including the Canadian Red Cross Vulnerable Persons Registry

(VPR). The VPR is a free program for seniors or people with disabilities who would need assistance during a

disaster. Additionally, the Canadian Red Cross offers all registrants an emergency preparedness session where a

disaster management volunteer will go to the registrant’s home and educate them on preparedness.

Not Knowing How to Prepare

We hope to counter ignorance among residents by making preparedness resources more readily available and

accessible in the community as identified in first strategy above. Additionally, we hope to schedule more

community preparedness presentations, workshops and campaigns to increase preparedness. By having more

resources available for residents, not knowing how to prepare will not be a valid excuse for avoiding

preparedness action.

Lack of Motivation

Some participants claimed that their biggest hurdle to getting prepared was a lack of motivation. This may be

the result of their low perceived risk. Given that disasters are relatively rare events, especially in our jurisdiction,

this lack of motivation by citizens to prepare may be rational (Donahue, Eckel & Wilson, 2014). However, trying

to motivate the public by increasing perceived risk or fear can lead to denial and avoidance. Instead, one of the

most effective ways to motivate people to prepare is to highlight potential hazards and explain the specific


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preparedness steps people need to take with examples. Additionally, outlining how preparedness actions reduce

losses may lead to increased motivation as well.

No Time to Prepare

Some participants claimed they were too busy and had no time to prepare. As no one is too busy for

preparedness, this excuse can be countered by explaining how preparedness can be incorporated into everyday

life (e.g. Buy two cans of tuna at the grocery store instead of one). The EM Division must promote that

preparedness does not have to be completed in one day and that by taking one step at a time, preparedness can

be simple rather than a burden. Spending small amounts of time on preparedness now can save on a lot of

potential stress and chaos later in the event that a disaster does occur.

5. Popularize preparedness

People are more likely to take preparedness action when they believe that everyone else is doing it, in other

words, that preparedness is popular. To popularize preparedness in the community, there are several steps that

the EM Division can take. First, the EM Division can craft normative preparedness messages. For some time, the

EM Division has claimed that “Many people are unprepared” in their preparedness presentations for residents.

Although it was thought that this would encourage preparedness, this message is actually quite confusing.

Within the statement “Many people are doing this unacceptable thing” is the powerful normative message

“Many people are doing this.” Instead, to encourage preparedness, the EM Division must create normative

messages that align the socially desired behaviour and the behaviour that is popular rather than pit the two

kinds of norms against one another. For example, using the message, “Disasters can happen, anywhere any

time. Make sure you are prepared.” accompanied by a picture of a local family with their emergency kit and plan

will likely be a more successful method of encouraging preparedness. This is because both the socially desired

behaviour (Make sure you are prepared) and the popular behaviour (picture of the prepared local family) are

aligned (Cialdini, 2003).

Additionally, we may be able to make preparedness more popular by pairing it with a safety precaution that is

already popular (i.e. having a smoke alarm). Every year, local firefighters take part in the Smoke Alarm campaign

which involves going door to door checking residents smoke alarms. During this campaign, if they also provided

residents with emergency preparedness information and resources, this may encourage increased preparedness

as firefighters are trusted safety professionals. Most successful campaigns require a sustained, repeated and

consistent thematic set of messages repeated over a long period of time; therefore, the process of popularizing

disaster preparedness will likely take quite some time (International Federation of Red Cross and Red

Crescent Societies, 2011, p.24).

6. Better utilize windows of oppor tunity

Major disasters can lead to loss of life, damage to property and disruption of business; however, they also have

the potential to lead to significant changes in societies and organizational structures. For example, the

devastating wildfires in Fort McMurray in 2016 have led to new strategies to mitigate wildfire risk and increased

implementation of the FireSmart program in municipalities. While people and communities may not directly be

impacted by the disaster, many may still “experience” it through the media (Mileti, Nathe, Gori, Greene &

Lemersal, 2004, pg.7). The extensive media coverage following a disaster raises awareness of the risk, humanizes

the risk and may lead to others evaluating their own preparedness. It is crucial that that the EM Division takes

advantage of the short time period, or window of opportunity, that follows a disaster to promote personal

preparedness. To do this, it is important to have abundant preparedness information readily available to


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increase the chances that people will take preparedness action. The EM Division should consider taking the

following steps to ensure quick action will be taken following a disaster:

Create a list of venues/public locations that could accommodate a preparedness event/information

booth with little notice

Have media release templates with ideal messaging ready to go that can be easily tweaked to reflect the

situation (i.e. preparedness steps, potential negative impacts, how you can reduce impacts, etc.)

Have media contact lists ready to utilize

PHASE 3: MONITOR & EVALUATE

When Phase 2 is completed and the new strategies have been implemented into EM public education

programming, it is important to measure the impact and effectiveness of the new strategies on the community.

The new strategies will be implemented with the hopes of increasing preparedness levels among Saultites;

therefore, it is important to determine whether or not the new strategies actually accomplish this. As change

takes time, it may take several years before preparedness action becomes “popular.” For this reason, the EM

Division will conduct the next community wide emergency preparedness survey in 5 years to learn whether the

implemented strategies were effective in increasing preparedness action.

In the meantime, the EM Division has created a new emergency preparedness community presentation that

utilizes strategies outlined in Phase 2 to encourage preparedness and utilizes measures to counter barriers to

preparedness. This new presentation, titled Getting Prepared for Emergencies: One Step at a Time will be used at

all future community presentation opportunities. This presentation:

1. Repeats the notion that preparedness does not have to be completed in one day and offers a one step

at a time plan to getting prepared.

2. Identifies specific ways emergencies can impact an individual and how these impacts can be reduced to

show residents that they can take control of their own safety.

3. Includes no images of catastrophic disasters, as these types of images (when shown in presentations)

have been shown to increase resident’s unrealistic optimism and denial of disasters.

4. Suggests methods for countering barriers to preparedness that residents face and emphasizes that there

is no reason good enough not to take preparedness action.

5. Includes a FEMA promotional video that highlights a woman, living in a relatively safe community similar

to Sault Ste. Marie, who took 7 months to get prepared for emergencies. Within a few months of

preparing, a devastating tornado hit her community & because she was prepared, her and her family

could take care of themselves.

To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of this presentation in encouraging preparedness action among those

that view it, the EM Division has put together a brief survey for participants to complete after the presentation

(Appendix B-Post Presentation Survey). The survey includes questions designed to determine resident’s intent to

prepare; however, intent to prepare is not the same as actually preparing. While a resident might intend to go

home and take preparedness action, they may not follow through with that intent. This is why, on the post-

presentation survey, residents are asked to provide their contact information for follow up purposes. Six months

after viewing the Emergency Preparedness Community Presentation, those participants who consented to being

contacted by the EM Division will be followed up with by phone and asked to take part in the 6 Month Post

Presentation Survey (Appendix C). The purpose of this survey will be to determine whether or not the

presentation influenced preparedness action and to determine whether the presentation should be modified.


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APPENDIX A: COMMUNITY DISASTER PREPAREDNESS SURVEY

1. In which area of Sault Ste. Marie do you live?

☐ East End

☐ Central

☐ Downtown

☐ West End

☐ North End

2. To which gender do you most identify?

☐ Male

☐ Female

☐ Prefer not to answer

☐ Other (not listed):

3. What is your age?

☐ Under 18

☐ 19-24

☐ 25-34

☐ 35-44

☐ 45-54

☐ 55-64

☐ 65+

4. How many people currently live in your household?

☐ 1

☐ 2

☐ 3

☐ 4

☐ 5

☐ 6+

5. What is your average annual household income (before taxes)?

☐ Less than $9,999

☐ $10,000-$24,999

☐ $25,000-$39,999

☐ $40,000-$54,999

☐ $55,000-$69,999


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☐ $70,000-$84,999

☐ $85,000-$99,999

☐ $100,000-$124,999

☐ $125,000-$149,999

☐ $150,000+

6. Have you attended a meeting, workshop or activity in Sault Ste. Marie where preparing for

disasters was discussed?

☐ Yes

☐ No, but I have seen them advertised.

☐ No, I did not know these workshops took place.

7. Have you heard or seen disaster preparedness tips and information from the city of Sault Ste.

Marie provided on any local or social media outlets?

☐ Yes

☐ No

8. Do you have a 72-hour disaster supply kit on hand for your family?

☐ Yes

☐ No

9. Have you/your family decided where to meet locally if you cannot get back to your

neighbourhood because of a disaster?

☐ Yes

☐ No

10. Do you keep a list of emergency contact phone numbers?

☐ Yes

☐ No

11. Do you know the emergency plan for your children’s school and/or daycare centre?

☐ Yes

☐ No

☐ Not applicable

12. Do you have a disaster plan for your pets?

☐ Yes

☐ No

☐ Not applicable


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13. Are you aware of where you can find local disaster preparedness information and resources?

☐ Extremely Aware

☐ Very Aware

☐ Moderately Aware

☐ Slightly Aware

☐ Not at all Aware

14. Are you aware of how the City of Sault Ste. Marie would communicate information during a

disaster?

☐ Extremely Aware

☐ Very Aware


☐ Slightly Aware


15. Are you aware of the types of disasters that could happen in Sault Ste. Marie and how to keep

yourself safe?

☐ Extremely Aware

☐ Very Aware


☐ Slightly Aware


16. Having a disaster family plan and 72-hour kit, as well as knowing where to find emergency

information, will increase my safety before, during and after a disaster.

☐ Strongly Agree

☐ Agree

☐ Neutral

☐ Disagree

☐ Strongly Disagree

17. I am capable of preparing myself and my family for an emergency.

☐ Strongly Agree

☐ Agree

☐ Neutral

☐ Disagree


18. Most Saultites are prepared for a disaster.


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☐ Strongly Agree

☐ Agree

☐ Neutral

☐ Disagree


19. Myself/My family is prepared for a disaster.

☐ Strongly Agree

☐ Agree

☐ Neutral

☐ Disagree


20. What types of preparedness activities would you attend or participate in? Check all that apply.

☐ Workshops/Presentations

☐ Neighbourhood help networks

☐ Social media campaigns/contests

☐ Preparedness Fairs

☐ Lunch and learns

☐ Webinars

☐ Other (please specify)

21. Please list any challenges you face in regards to getting prepared.

22. Thank you for participating in this survey! If you would like to be entered to win a 72 hour

disaster kit, please provide your email and/or phone number below. Your contact information will

only be used to contact you in the event you win.

Email:

Phone Number:


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APPENDIX B: POST PRESENTATION SURVEY

1. I am planning to put together a 72-hours disaster supply kit for myself/my family.

☐ Yes

☐ No

☐ I already have a kit

2. I am planning to discuss with every member in my household what to do in case of disaster.

☐ Yes

☐ No

☐ I already discussed a disaster plan with my family

☐ Not applicable

3. I am capable of preparing myself and my family for an emergency.

☐ Agree

☐ Disagree (Please explain.)

_________________________________________________________________________________

4. Having a disaster family plan and 72-hour kit, as well as knowing where to find emergency information,

will increase my safety before, during and after a disaster.

☐ Agree

☐ Disagree

5. I believe that a disaster could impact me where I live.

☐ Agree

☐ Disagree

6. Most Saultites are getting prepared for disasters.

☐ Agree

☐ Disagree

7. I am/My family is prepared for a disaster.

☐ Agree

☐ Disagree

I consent for the City of Sault Ste. Marie Emergency Management Division to contact me in 6 months to learn

whether or not I took preparedness action (for research purposes only).

☐ No ☐ Yes

Name: ________________________________________________________________________________

Phone Number(s): _______________________________________________________________________


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Participant’s Name: Date & Location of Initial Presentation:

APPENDIX C: SIX MONTHS POST-PRESENTATION SURVEY

1. Do you recall attending the emergency preparedness presentation?

☐ Yes

☐ No

2. Have you put together a disaster supply kit?

☐ Yes

☐ No

☐ I have started but it is not completed.

If “No,” please explain why:

__________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Have you discussed with every member in your household what to do in case of disaster?

☐ Yes

☐ No

☐ Not applicable

If “No,” please explain why:

__________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Have you made an out-of-town family member your family emergency contact?

☐ Yes

☐ No

5. Do you know how you will get information from the City during a disaster?

☐ Yes

☐ No

6. Do you feel that you and the members of your household would know what to do if a disaster happened right now?

☐ Yes

☐ No

7. Do you believe that a disaster could impact you where you live?

☐ Yes

☐ No


Page 27

REFERENCES

1. Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, Revised Statuses of Ontario (1990, c E. 9). Retrieved from: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90e09

2. Public Safety Canada. (2009). Three steps to emergency preparedness. Retrieved from: https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/thrstpstmrgncy/thrstpstmrgncy-eng.pdf

3. Lopes, R. (1992). Public perception of disaster preparedness presentations using disaster damage images. Working Paper 79, Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center, Boulder, Colorado, 34 pp.

4. McClure, J. (2006). Guidelines for encouraging householders’ preparation for earthquakes in New Zealand.

Report for Building Research. Retrieved from: http://www.adpc.net/v2007/PROGRAMs/CBDRM/OldVersion/CBDRM-a/PROGRAMS/PDRSEA4/Echoes/guidelines%20for%20encouraging%20household's%20preparation%20for%20EQ%20in%20NZ.pdf

5. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. (2011). Public awareness and public education for disaster risk reduction: a guide. Retrieved from: http://www.ifrc.org/Global/Publications/disasters/reducing_risks/302200-Public-awareness-DDR-guide-EN.pdf

6. Donahue, A., Eckel, C. & Wilson, R. (2014). Ready or not? How citizens and public officials perceive risk and preparedness. The American Review of Public Administration, 44(4), 89-111.

7. Cialdini, R. (2003). Crafting normative messages to protect the environment. Current Directions in Psychological

Science, 12(4), 105-109.

8. Mileti, D., Nathe, S., Gori, P., Greene, M. & Lemersal, E. (2004). Public hazards communication and education: The state of the art. Natural Hazards Informer Issue 2. Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center: Boulder, CO. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/253943459_Public_Hazards_Communication_and_Education_The_State_of_the_Art

https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90e09

https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/thrstpstmrgncy/thrstpstmrgncy-eng.pdf

Documents

City of Sault Ste. Marie Division of Emergency Management€¦ · 6. etter utilize the windows of opportunity after major disasters outside of our community. To learn about the tactics