On Evacuation and Deaths from Hurricane Katrina

| 754 the next hurricane. More knowledge about a hazard is usually associated with the person taking more protective actions or adjustments, but knowledge can be inconsistent, thus reducing its impact. Some individuals with more knowledge become overconfi dent and consider themselves less vulnerable due to their knowledge. Women perceive risk diff erently from men and are more likely to be risk averse and to perceive hazards as risky. Racial and ethnic minorities and individuals with low income and little education tend to have higher perceptions of risk from natural hazards, perhaps due to their lack of resources and their vulnerable positions in society. However, studies also show that African-Americans are less likely to evacuate than whites. Households with children are more likely to evacuate from a hurricane, while households with elderly are less likely to evacuate. Baker reports that the three most important factors in determining whether people evacuate are 1) the vulnerability of their locations; 2) whether they believe they have been told by authorities that they must evacuate; and 3) the severity of the hurricane. People who live on beaches or barrier islands or who live in the surge zone or in mobile homes realize their vulnerability and are more likely to evacuate than those who live inland in nonsurge zones. People who evacuate usually perceive a personal risk to themselves or to their family. Th e perceived risk is aff ected by whether the evacuation is “recommended (voluntary)” or “ordered (mandated),” and by the forecast severity of the storm. An “evacuation order” is most effi cient for convincing people to evacuate, but dissemination by the media may not be suffi cient. Baker reports that the public is most eff ectively informed when authorities go door-to-door notifying residents of the need to evacuate or drive through neighborhoods announcing the evacuation over loudspeakers. For some, such as those in health care facilities, evacuation may not be off ered as an individual option. Others who do not evacuate do not perceive a large risk, or stay at home to look aft er their property and pets or for work-related reasons. Th us, residents of New Orleans might have chosen to stay at home because they did not perceive a high risk. Th ey had been warned to evacuate for Category-4 hurricanes ON EVACUATION AND DEATHS FROM HURRICANE KATRINA