'We call that a really bad day': Improving Compound Hazard Planning

Keywords: compound hazard, disaster, planning, COVID-19, environmental justice
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Monday
Session Start / End Time: 2/28/2022 02:00 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/28/2022 03:20 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 16

Abstract

Phenomena such as climate change, COVID-19, long-term environmental pollutants, and urbanization are increasing the probability of hazards occurring simultaneously or in sequence – creating a compound hazard. The way governments plan for compound hazards needs to be different from how it plans for independent hazards, but there is little research on whether or how this is done. This study examines the depth of formal state planning for compound hazards across the United States. State emergency management plans are evaluated based on whether and how they address simultaneous hazards, cascading hazards, and environmental justice. Results indicate that 43 of 51 state and territorial disaster plans mention compound hazards in some capacity in at least one sentence of their plan; even fewer (19) discuss the implications of compound hazards or establish a plan to deal with them and only 5 include more than one sentence of actionable procedures. The study concludes with a recommendation that future plans should not only acknowledge the possibility of compound hazards but recognize the common occurrence of such events, identify the variety of interactions that are possible between hazards, and establish plans for how to prioritize resources and personnel that will inevitably be in short supply in the event.