Compounding Disasters: Household Evacuation and Sheltering Decisions During Hurricane Ida

Keywords: Evacuation, Hurricane Ida, COVID-19, Hazards
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

Decades of research has been devoted to better understanding the decision of whether households evacuate or shelter-in place during hurricanes. Variables such as location, perceived impacts of the storm, risk communication, and socio-demographic factors have been shown to contribute to this decision-making process. However, these studies often only encompass a single hazard and few studies examine decision-making during simultaneous disaster events. This paper examines the experiences of households that evacuated and sheltered during Hurricane Ida and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing survey data gathered eight months after Hurricane Ida impacted Louisiana, this study will explore how household perceptions of perceived risks and household characteristics were considered when making protective action decisions.