TITLE:
Understanding the Perceptions and Practices of Homeowners in the Event of Hurricane: A Case Study of University Employees in Louisiana
AUTHORS:
Oluwafemi Awolesi, Natalie Matherne, Victoria Horton, Mattie Prosser, Peter Oni, Odunayo Lawal
KEYWORDS:
Hurricanes, Disaster Preparedness, Environmental Education, Climate Change
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.11 No.5,
May
30,
2023
ABSTRACT: The purpose
of this qualitative study is to explore and gain an understanding of Louisiana homeowners’
perceptions and practices in preparing for hurricanes; contribute to academic research
and student learning, while guiding the development of future projects. We focused
specifically on how homeowners in Louisiana would protect their important documents
and possessions. These documents and possessions include but are not limited to
photographs, social security cards, birth certificates, and insurance paperwork.
We collected the data throughout the fall semester of 2022 at Louisiana State University
(LSU) by conducting a focus group and in-depth interviews. We collected a variety
of answers, but most participants expressed a strong need to have their important
documents and possessions protected and gave different strategies for how this was
carried out, such as digitizing or protective storage. Participants also expressed
a strong need for more information to be delivered
to residents to talk more about ways they can protect their own documents
and possessions. Emphases were also made on the need for: leaders of large institutions
to be especially concerned with preparedness for vulnerable populations; outreach
programs to be put in place to spread awareness of the importance of protecting
important documents and possessions during a disaster; news outlets to switch their
focus from normal survival tips to discussions on the importance of protecting documents
and possessions; government and non-profit agencies to work together to share tips
and information through social media and other forms of handouts.