Improving public response to disaster warnings: A discussion panel

Stories about substantial human and property losses caused by natural disasters made headlines in 2011 throughout the U.S. and around the world. Many of these stories described problems with the disaster warnings themselves as well as with human responses to these warnings, both of which may have increased the number of casualties. Although human factors research has made significant contributions to the design of product warnings in general, studies focused specifically on disaster warnings and associated responses are sparse (Cooke & Winner, 2007). Furthermore, disseminating warnings and supplemental information to guide decision making by the general public is increasingly challenging due to the rapid adoption of heterogeneous mobile technologies, particularly those providing Internet access. These technologies facilitate access to even more information during these time-sensitive situations, but the information may not be presented in ways that support effective decision-making. In this panel, we will discuss opportunities for human factors research to improve the public's preparation and response to disaster warnings. Panelists will discuss their research on individual differences in warning design and response, training effects on warning response, social media and emergency communications, communication and coordination among ad hoc disaster response teams, and decision making by weather forecasters. From these discussions, we hope to identify research areas with high potential for short-term impact.