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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Commun.
Sec. Disaster Communications
Volume 9 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fcomm.2024.1410333
This article is part of the Research Topic Dynamic Earthquake Hazard and Risk Communication: Volume 1: Evaluating Preparedness and Response View all 3 articles

A decade of shaking in the Garden City: The dynamics of preparedness, perceptions, and beliefs in Canterbury, Aotearoa New Zealand, and implications for earthquake information

Provisionally accepted
Julia S. Becker Julia S. Becker 1*Lauren J. Vinnell Lauren J. Vinnell 1Emma E. Doyle Emma E. Doyle 1Sara K. McBride Sara K. McBride 2Douglas Paton Douglas Paton 3David M. Johnston David M. Johnston 1
  • 1 Joint Center for Disaster Research, Massey University, Wellington, Auckland, New Zealand
  • 2 Earthquake Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California, United States
  • 3 Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This study explored earthquake preparedness over time -before, during, and 10 years after the Canterbury Earthquake Sequence (CES) in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). Surveys of Canterbury residents were conducted in 2009, 2013 and again in 2021, using variables derived from Community Engagement Theory (CET). The surveys measured earthquake perceptions and beliefs, participation and engagement, and preparedness actions. Results were compared across the three samples. Findings indicate that perceptions and beliefs (e.g. risk perception, outcome expectancy beliefs), and types of preparedness actions taken (e.g. collection of survival items, structural preparedness, community and/or agency relationships), differed over time, depending on people's experiences before, during, and after the CES. For example, during and after the CES people were more likely to believe that preparing provided a benefit to daily life, but less likely to think it could reduce property damage, perhaps due to people's experiences of disruption and damage during the earthquakes. An understanding of such dynamics can assist with the provision and timing of risk and preparedness information.This study highlights the importance of providing applicable and actionable preparedness information, that is relevant to people's experiences, throughout an earthquake sequence.Such information might evolve and change in focus over time depending on risks and needs.Focus could also be given to information that builds peoples beliefs and capacities to undertake preparedness in evolving situations. Understanding preparedness in the context of different experiences and timeframes is useful in helping update models such as the CET, where the dynamics of time might be better incorporated.

    Keywords: preparedness, readiness, Earthquakes, Christchurch, Canterbury, Aotearoa New Zealand

    Received: 31 Mar 2024; Accepted: 18 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Becker, Vinnell, Doyle, McBride, Paton and Johnston. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Julia S. Becker, Joint Center for Disaster Research, Massey University, Wellington, Auckland, New Zealand

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.