RAPID: Identifying Social Network and Mobile Technology Use and Its Correlation with Individual Evacuation Behavior in Hurricane Sandy

Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, College Station TX

Investigators

Abstract

This Rapid Response Research Grant (RAPID) project seeks to understand the roles of social networking and mobile technology in decision-making regarding whether, when, and how to evacuate during large-scale evacuation events. Previous hurricane evacuation behavior studies have identified perceived safety, delivery of an evacuation notification and perceived storm severity as consistently impacting an individual's evacuation choice. Less clear is the impact that friends and family, prior hurricane experience and internet access have on evacuation choice. A post-event survey, following the Tailored Design Method by Dillman, will be conducted. The data collected through this research will provide valuable information on the roles of social networks and mobile technology usage on individual evacuation behavior and decision-making. The survey will be distributed to a random sample of Monmouth County, New Jersey residents, who were subject to a mandatory evacuation order during Hurricane Sandy (28 - 30 Oct, 2012) and will consist of four sections collecting information on (a) how members of the household use different mobile technologies, (b) individual household members' usage of social media programs during Hurricane Sandy (c) how the head of household communicated with other household members and their social circle during Sandy, and (d) whether and when the household evacuated. It is expected to show that individuals are consistently and increasingly relying on mobile technology and social media during the evacuation planning process. It is anticipated that family/friend/peer communication will show increased frequency in the number of contacts and in the passage of information obtained through the Internet, that local news will retain its priority over national news sources, that the perception of "timely, personal and credible" evacuation information is changing, and that information gathered through social media and mobile networks will be ultimately more influential in the evacuation decision-making process. This study will be beneficial for society as its findings will provide knowledge on the impact that mobile technology and social networks have on evacuation decision-making. Our study findings will not only provide evidence showing how important social media and mobile technology have become in the context of evacuation decision-making, but will also illustrate how information gathered through social media informs evacuation decision-making and behavior. This knowledge is very pertinent in a time when social media and mobile technology are increasingly defining the way people seek timely and reliable information. Evacuation-related organizations can use the survey findings to (1) learn more about how people make evacuation decisions and (2) design mechanisms that will feed/inform social media and mobile technology to provide more efficient tools that can save the lives of many during extreme events.