TY - JOUR
T1 - Natural hazards and adaptive response choices in a changing climate
T2 - Promoting bushfire preparedness and risk reduction decision-making
AU - Westcott, Rachel
AU - Ronan, Kevin
AU - Bambrick, Hilary
AU - Taylor, Melanie
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Authors
PY - 2020/1
Y1 - 2020/1
N2 - Introduction: Bushfires are an escalating natural hazard worldwide. This requires developing and implementing new strategies to narrow the bushfire awareness-preparedness gap and improve human safety in the medium to long terms. Redirecting adverse decision-making to achieve positive outcomes in a fire situation is a social imperative given the high human, economic and environmental cost of a serious fire. This paper explores underlying aetiologies that influence decision-making processes in natural hazard emergencies through the lenses of the emergency responder - animal owner interface and Protection Motivation Theory. Method: Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, and analysed using theoretically-independent Thematic Analysis (TA). Three themes with direct relevance to decision-making were actively identified: (i) observing the influence of social microclimate; (ii) maladaptive response choices (iii) adaptive response choices. A fourth, dynamic risk assessment, is common to each. These themes generated three main organisational- and socially-mediated pathways for improving bushfire preparedness and human safety. Conclusion: By exploring how decision-making is influenced at the emergency responder-animal owner interface, this study proposes potentially useful strategic concepts for medium-to long-term improvement in public bushfire preparedness and disaster risk reduction. These include (i) understanding the complexities and synergism of various social microclimates, (ii) organisational collaboration and resource sharing, and (iii) creating a rewarding environment favouring safe response choices. The findings suggested in this paper aim to develop a safer environment for all inhabitants in areas at risk of bushfire, and other natural hazards.
AB - Introduction: Bushfires are an escalating natural hazard worldwide. This requires developing and implementing new strategies to narrow the bushfire awareness-preparedness gap and improve human safety in the medium to long terms. Redirecting adverse decision-making to achieve positive outcomes in a fire situation is a social imperative given the high human, economic and environmental cost of a serious fire. This paper explores underlying aetiologies that influence decision-making processes in natural hazard emergencies through the lenses of the emergency responder - animal owner interface and Protection Motivation Theory. Method: Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, and analysed using theoretically-independent Thematic Analysis (TA). Three themes with direct relevance to decision-making were actively identified: (i) observing the influence of social microclimate; (ii) maladaptive response choices (iii) adaptive response choices. A fourth, dynamic risk assessment, is common to each. These themes generated three main organisational- and socially-mediated pathways for improving bushfire preparedness and human safety. Conclusion: By exploring how decision-making is influenced at the emergency responder-animal owner interface, this study proposes potentially useful strategic concepts for medium-to long-term improvement in public bushfire preparedness and disaster risk reduction. These include (i) understanding the complexities and synergism of various social microclimates, (ii) organisational collaboration and resource sharing, and (iii) creating a rewarding environment favouring safe response choices. The findings suggested in this paper aim to develop a safer environment for all inhabitants in areas at risk of bushfire, and other natural hazards.
KW - Animal owners
KW - Climate change
KW - Decision-making
KW - Disaster risk reduction
KW - Emergency responders
KW - Fire
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85111161741&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ssaho.2020.100065
DO - 10.1016/j.ssaho.2020.100065
M3 - Article
SN - 2590-2911
VL - 2
JO - Social Sciences and Humanities Open
JF - Social Sciences and Humanities Open
IS - 1
M1 - 100065
ER -