SGER: DHS and NSF Collaboration: Creating an Archive of Preparedness and Homeland Security Survey Data

University Of Maryland, College Park, College Park MD

Investigators

Abstract

SES- 0651287 Gary LaFree University of Maryland, College Park The significant and lasting effects of high consequence events, including terrorist attacks, natural disasters, and large-scale accidents call for a concentrated effort at increasing the understanding of terrorism, preparedness and recovery. A diverse history of research exists in these areas both nationally and internationally. However, this information has not been compiled into an accessible and searchable data archive to be available for research activities. Compiling the long history and recent research in these areas may show that studies overlap, contradict, or support each other. For instance, research in communication, psychology, sociology, emergency response, political science, civil engineering, medicine, and other fields may have examined similar issues but have not brought these fields together. It is vital that this information be integrated to help improve understanding of terrorism and preparedness and response planning for future high consequence events. Various individuals and programs have collected survey data from respondents in the United States and elsewhere that provides insights into attitudes toward terrorism, perceptions of threat and risk as well as perceptions of individual and institutional preparedness for disasters of all types. This project develops a mechanism that will make these survey data more accessible to researchers and policy makers. More specifically, it creates an archive of national and international survey data related to homeland security and preparedness. It will be constructed using a meta-data classification system to facilitate the integration of data collected in different contexts. Specifically, it will: (1) Serve as a clearinghouse for academics as well as homeland security officials interested in better understanding individual beliefs about terrorism, security and preparedness. The archive will be accessible to a range of audiences via the internet and in several formats. (2) Expand the nature and types of hypotheses related to homeland security and preparedness that can be examined. For example, comparisons of individual levels of risk perception could be conducted using data collected in different geographic regions and/or during distinct time periods. Such comparisons could help us understand the determinants of risk in a variety of contexts. (3) Facilitate the generation of future surveys, especially rapid-response survey tools. As researchers continue to construct new survey tools, they will be able to easily review the data archives to identify useful questions from earlier instruments.