By Tina Meketa, University Communications and Marketing
As hurricane season approaches, researchers at the OB体育官网 are turning to the public to help government agencies improve emergency communication and evacuation strategies. Led by geosciences Professor Jennifer Collins, the ongoing study builds on years of research and community engagement to better understand how people make decisions before a storm hits.
Jennifer Collins, USF professor of geosciences
Collins and her team, which includes USF students, recently launched a aimed at residents affected by hurricanes Helene and Milton, gathering insight into what influenced their decisions to evacuate or shelter in place. The effort includes partnerships with universities such as the University of Alabama and Auburn University, reflecting the storm systems' wide-reaching impacts across the Southeast.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at how people received information and how they used it to decide whether to stay or go,鈥� Collins said. 鈥淭hat includes understanding how residents interpret the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale and the hurricane forecast cone 鈥� tools that can unfortunately be misleading if not understood correctly.鈥�
The research team has found in the past that many residents underestimate the dangers of lower-category storms, focusing solely on wind speeds rather than other deadly threats like flooding.
鈥淧eople hear 鈥楥ategory 1鈥� and assume it鈥檚 no big deal, but we鈥檝e seen significant destruction and loss of life from lower-category storms. We鈥檙e also asking how people interpret the forecast cone 鈥� many assume that being outside the cone means they鈥檙e safe, which isn鈥檛 always the case.鈥�
USF Professor Jennifer Collins
Flooded apartment complex [Photo courtesy of Pinellas County]
Debris from hurricanes Helene and Milton [Photo courtesy of Pinellas County]
Damage following Hurricane Helene [Photo courtesy of Pinellas County]
Survey results will be disseminated to various stakeholders, including emergency managers and non-profit organizations, helping inform them on how to effectively present public messaging ahead of an impending hurricane. The survey is receiving strong support, including from Pinellas County, where damage estimates from the 2024 hurricane season have reached $2.4 billion. Its communications team has implemented results from Collins鈥� previous study to help shape their storm communications plan 鈥渢o empower residents with timely, accurate and relevant safety information.鈥�
Dave Connor, interim director of Pinellas County Communications
鈥淲e adopted a new approach targeting the key concerns identified in the study about pets, traffic and uncertainty. We also noted the frequency of respondents identifying specific local weather influencers and built collaborative relationships with those influencers to better connect with our residents,鈥� said Dave Connor, interim director of Pinellas County Communications. 鈥淏ecause the attitudes of communities change after they experience extreme weather events, we鈥檙e particularly interested in the results of the new study to continue to empower residents with the information they need to keep themselves and their families safe in future storms.鈥�
Collins has shifted her approach to data collection throughout the years. She and her students used to gather it at rest areas in storm-prone areas from drivers taking a break during their evacuation. They shifted to online surveys in 2021 with one focused on how the pandemic influenced their decision whether to evacuate to a public shelter.
USF students collect surveys at the Hurricane Expo in Oldsmar
She says going digital has broadened their reach, gaining hundreds of participants each week, compared to a few dozen. USF students remain a central part of the research process. They help design, pilot and distribute the surveys, often representing the research team at hurricane expos, such as one held in Oldsmar.
"I enjoy being on the research team because it gives me a different outlook on people's perspectives on risk,鈥� said USF student Alexandra Witt, who鈥檚 majoring in environmental science and policy. 鈥淚t allows me to expand my perspective, especially when many classes focus on the nature-based environm