Information seeking in a flood

Article


Ryan, Barbara. 2013. "Information seeking in a flood." Disaster Prevention and Management: an international journal. 22 (3), pp. 229-242. https://doi.org/10.1108/DPM-05-2012-0059
Article Title

Information seeking in a flood

ERA Journal ID36165
Article CategoryArticle
Authors
AuthorRyan, Barbara
Journal TitleDisaster Prevention and Management: an international journal
Journal Citation22 (3), pp. 229-242
Number of Pages14
Year2013
Place of PublicationBingley, W Yorks. United Kingdom
ISSN0961-1428
0965-3562
1758-6100
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1108/DPM-05-2012-0059
Web Address (URL)http://www.emeraldinsight.com/0965-3562.htm
Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to address the gaps in knowledge about how people get information in a flood and what they want to know.
Design/methodology/approach: A total of 27 people were interviewed from two communities that suffered flooding in the 12 months before the interviews. Slow-moving flood and flash flood were covered.
Findings: The type of disaster determines how people seek information. In slow-moving flood, people heard from others, tracked it visually and via web-available river gauge information, and talked to others with more flood experience. Radio was an important confirmation tool in the slow-moving flood. In flash flood, people first heard from others and then turned to television.
Research limitations/implications: Participants made up a small sample skewed toward regional areas and were selected by snowball/convenience sampling methods. A survey is required to confirm or refute findings.
Practical implications: Word of mouth needs to be tapped into by agencies, and mobile phone networks and social media are critical to this. Radio and television should be more proactively used by emergency agencies and maps should be a feature of all flood communication.
Originality/value: The focus of disaster communication research tends to have been on agency use of communication rather than the individual's use of a range of communication channels. This study encourages agencies to look at how individuals look for information, the channels they use to get information and the type of information they seek.

Keywordscommunication; natural disaster; emergency; floods; information source; information-seeking; radio; social media
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020370903. Natural hazards
Public Notes

© Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Published version deposited in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher.

Byline AffiliationsSchool of Humanities and Communication
Institution of OriginUniversity of Southern Queensland
Permalink -

https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q2087/information-seeking-in-a-flood

  • 1808
    total views
  • 7
    total downloads
  • 1
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Evaluation of community engagement for resilience outcomes: A pre-engagement approach
Johnston, Kim A., Taylor, Maureen and Ryan, Barbara. 2024. "Evaluation of community engagement for resilience outcomes: A pre-engagement approach." International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. 110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.104613
Learning from the experiences of residents: January to July 2022 floods
Taylor, Mel, Miller, Fiona, Johnston, Kim, Ryan, Barbara, Lane, Anne, King, Rachel, Narwal, Harriet, Miller, Madeleine, Simon, Helga and Dabas, Dipika. 2023. "Learning from the experiences of residents: January to July 2022 floods." The Australian Journal of Emergency Management. 38 (3), pp. 27-30.
A Community Engagement Approach to Natural Hazard Communication
Taylor, Maureen, Johnston, Kim A. and Ryan, Barbara. 2023. "A Community Engagement Approach to Natural Hazard Communication ." Coombs, W. Timothy and Holladay, Sherry J. (ed.) The Handbook of Crisis Communication. United States. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 327-342
Using an inventory cluster approach for assessing bushfire preparedness and information needs in vulnerable communities
Ryan, Barbara, King, Rachel, Lokuge, Weena, Karunasena, Warna and Anderson, Esther. 2023. "Using an inventory cluster approach for assessing bushfire preparedness and information needs in vulnerable communities." Natural Hazards. 115, p. 1697–1714. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-022-05614-2
Recognising and measuring competency in natural hazard preparation: A preparedness competency index
Ryan, Barbara, Johnston, Kim A. and Taylor, Maureen. 2022. "Recognising and measuring competency in natural hazard preparation: A preparedness competency index." International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. 73, pp. 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.102882
Evacuation versus shelter in place
McLennan, Jim, Bearman, Chris and Ryan, Barbara. 2022. "Evacuation versus shelter in place." McGee, Tara K. and Penning-Rowsell, Edmund (ed.) Routledge Handbook of Environmental Hazards and Society. Routledge. pp. 335-350
Engaging communities to prepare for natural hazards: a conceptual model
Johnston, Kim A., Taylor, Maureen and Ryan, Barbara. 2022. "Engaging communities to prepare for natural hazards: a conceptual model." Natural Hazards. 112, pp. 2831-2851. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-022-05290-2
Bushfire mitigation and preparation on the Toowoomba Region Escarpment: a research report for Toowoomba Regional Council
Ryan, Barbara, King, Rachel, Lokuge, Weena, Karunasena, Karu and Anderson, Esther. 2020. Bushfire mitigation and preparation on the Toowoomba Region Escarpment: a research report for Toowoomba Regional Council. Toowoomba, Australia. University of Southern Queensland.
Community engagement for disaster preparedness: a systematic literature review
Ryan, Barbara, Johnston, Kim A., Taylor, Maureen and McAndrew, Ryan. 2020. "Community engagement for disaster preparedness: a systematic literature review." International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. 49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2020.101655
The missing link in emergency management: evaluating community engagement
Taylor, Maureen, Ryan, Barbara and Johnston, Kim. 2020. "The missing link in emergency management: evaluating community engagement." The Australian Journal of Emergency Management. 35 (1), pp. 45-52.
How ready is ready? Measuring physical preparedness for severe storms
Ryan, Barbara and King, Rachel. 2020. "How ready is ready? Measuring physical preparedness for severe storms." Natural Hazards. 104, pp. 171-199. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-020-04164-9
Emergency management communication: The paradox of the positive in public communication for preparedness
Johnston, Kim A., Taylor, Maureen and Ryan, Barbara. 2020. "Emergency management communication: The paradox of the positive in public communication for preparedness." Public Relations Review. 46 (2), pp. 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2020.101903
Mapping approaches to community engagement for preparedness in Australia
Johnston, Kim, Ryan, Barbara and Taylor, Maureen. 2019. Mapping approaches to community engagement for preparedness in Australia. East Melbourne, Australia. Bushfire and Natural Hazards Co-operative Research Centre.
Should we leave now? Behavioral factors in evacuation under wildfire threat
McLennan, Jim, Ryan, Barbara, Bearman, Chris and Toh, Keith. 2019. "Should we leave now? Behavioral factors in evacuation under wildfire threat." Fire Technology. 55 (2), pp. 487-516. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10694-018-0753-8
Toowoomba escarpment residents’ preparedness for storm and bushfire, and their understanding of bushfire preparedness engagement.
Ryan, Barbara and King, Rachel. 2017. Toowoomba escarpment residents’ preparedness for storm and bushfire, and their understanding of bushfire preparedness engagement. Toowoomba, Australia. University of Southern Queensland.
A model to explain information seeking behaviour by individuals in the response phase of a disaster
Ryan, Barbara. 2018. "A model to explain information seeking behaviour by individuals in the response phase of a disaster." Library and Information Science Research. 40 (2), pp. 73-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2018.05.001
Establishing information seeking pathways in slow and flash floods
Ryan, Barbara. 2018. "Establishing information seeking pathways in slow and flash floods." International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. 31, pp. 9-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2018.04.005
The significance of communication in emergency management: what’s changed since 2010?
Ryan, Barbara. 2017. "The significance of communication in emergency management: what’s changed since 2010?" The Australian Journal of Emergency Management. 32 (1), pp. 24-31.
Assessing regional digital competence: Digital futures and strategic planning implications
Alam, Khorshed, Erdiaw-Kwasie, Michael, Shahiduzzaman, Md and Ryan, Barbara. 2018. "Assessing regional digital competence: Digital futures and strategic planning implications." Journal of Rural Studies. 60, pp. 60-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2018.02.009
Developing communicators will improve prevention, response and recovery
Ryan, Barbara. 2017. "Developing communicators will improve prevention, response and recovery." The Australian Journal of Emergency Management. 32 (3), pp. 24-24.
Does measurement of intentions allow us to assume behavior? A disaster information seeking perspective
Ryan, Barbara. 2013. "Does measurement of intentions allow us to assume behavior? A disaster information seeking perspective." International Research Committee on Disasters Annual Meeting (2013). Broomfield, United States 16 Jul 2013 Boulder CO USA.
Information seeking in a disaster
Ryan, Barbara. 2012. "Information seeking in a disaster." Sison, Mariane D. and Sheehan, Mark (ed.) 2012 World Public Relations Forum Research Colloquium. Melbourne, Australia 18 - 20 Nov 2012 Melbourne, Australia.
How people seek information when their community is in a disaster
Ryan, Barbara. 2011. "How people seek information when their community is in a disaster." Emergency Media and Public Affairs: Partnering with the Media (2011). Canberra, Australia 10 - 12 Apr 2011 Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, Australia.
Crisis preparedness in government departments in Australia
Ryan, Barbara. 2009. "Crisis preparedness in government departments in Australia." 2009 Emergency Media and Public Affairs Conference: Engaging in Emergencies. Melbourne, Australia 24 - 26 May 2009 Melbourne, Australia.
Significance of communication in emergency management
Ryan, Barbara and Matheson, Amalia. 2010. "Significance of communication in emergency management." The Australian Journal of Emergency Management. 25 (1), pp. 54-57.
Just what is the significance of communication in emergency management? An attempt to find empirical evidence by content analysis of reviews and debriefs of Australian emergency incidents and exercises
Ryan, Barbara and Matheson, Amalia. 2009. "Just what is the significance of communication in emergency management? An attempt to find empirical evidence by content analysis of reviews and debriefs of Australian emergency incidents and exercises." 2009 Emergency Media and Public Affairs Conference: Engaging in Emergencies. Melbourne, Australia 24 - 26 May 2009 Melbourne, Australia.
How can the corporate sector concepts of 'reputation' and 'trust' be used by local government? A study to establish a model of reputation management for local government
Ryan, Barbara. 2007. "How can the corporate sector concepts of 'reputation' and 'trust' be used by local government? A study to establish a model of reputation management for local government." Asia Pacific Public Relations Journal. 8, pp. 37-75.