RAPID: Hurricane Harvey: Experiences, Recovery and Future Policies

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This study investigates the behaviors and opinions of Hurricane Harvey survivors living in the Houston metropolitan region including Harris, Fort Bend, Brazoria, and Montgomery Counties. What actions did residents take in preparation of the storm? How were evacuations and rescues completed? Since Hurricane Sandy, social media has become an integral part of disaster response. How did residents use social media before and after Hurricane Harvey? The study will identify the characteristics and motivations of volunteers who participated in the evaluation, clean up and reconstruction efforts, and whether social media played a role in spurring individuals to act in support of their community. The broader impact of this panel survey centers on not only the new data that can contribute to basic research, but to the information it provides to policymakers as part of the policy evaluation and policymaking processes and the information it provides to private sector decision makers The intellectual merit of this panel survey, because it surveys the same units over time, increases direct scientific knowledge on the role of communication and response by individuals during emergency situations. Another attribute of a panel study would be the contributions to basic science. Specifically, this data can be used to test important behavioral theories on crisis response and attitudes toward government and help add to a literature in the political and social sciences that links existing and proposed policies to outcomes. The initial survey of active cell and landline telephone users living in highly impacted areas in Harris, Fort Bend, Brazoria and Montgomery Counties. It is very important to secure resources to field the survey instrument as soon as possible. In addition to demographic characteristics such as race, education, income, gender and age, the survey questions will cover topics such as: i) sources of information about Hurricane Harvey; ii) damages due to Hurricane Harvey; iii) the use of social media for seeking and sharing information, identifying rescue needs, volunteerism, and donations; iv) evaluation of government responses; v) expected policy changes. The project will also take advantage of previous surveys conducted after Tropical Storm Allison, and Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.