Barriers to community-wide disaster preparedness in Manila, California

Humboldt County is known for its rugged coastline and giant trees and is situated in a high risk area for natural disasters. With many residents living in flood and tsunami evacuation zones, a large earthquake and/or tsunami could damage entire community systems including water and rescue efforts. The purpose of this project was to identify barriers to community-wide disaster preparedness in Manila, California. Participants were recruited through a snowball sampling method. The data was collected through in-person surveys. The two main themes emerged concerning barriers to and needs for disaster preparedness. Barriers included an overall lack of buy-in towards disaster preparedness, and how to quickly transport people with low mobility to one of the six evacuation points in the community. Closely related to the barriers, participants identified the need for someone willing to lead outreach efforts versus participate, and for the community to be better prepared for elders and children that cannot walk quickly. Additional research is needed to cover a wider selection of participants and gather important information concerning barriers, needs, and vulnerabilities within the community.