I recently had the pleasure of conversing with Philippine Coast Guard officers who are assigned the challenging task of implementing disaster response in coastal communities, particularly evacuation. This prompted me to share our research on non-evacuation decision-making during the 3-meter storm surge of Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan, which I'm also sharing here. This is a chapter from the book "Disaster Archipelago" edited by Carin Alejandria (UBD) and Will Smith (Deakin) which can be accessed here: https://tinyurl.com/mrx3ywz4

In this design anthropology x cognitive science piece we trace non-evacuation decision-making before & during typhoon impact. We resist the idea that non-evacuees are "hardheaded" and "irrational" by examining the cultural logic and embodied nature of their decision-making.

Two findings that caught our team's attention:
2 findings that caught our attention:
1. The gendered nature of non-evacuation: the decision to stay in many families was made by men who took pride in the craftmanship of their home. Leaving meant admitting their craftsmanship failed.
2. The importance of lateral thinking, frequently associated with formally trained designers. Many survived the storm surge by quickly spotting the alternative affordances of household items: TV stands = ladders, basin = lifeboat for infant, refrigerators and plastic water containers = lifebuoy.

The study also briefly traces the policy changes and improvements made in disaster management at the household and national level in the aftermath of the typhoon.

Epilogue: While significant strides have been made in disaster responsive, Philippine DRR remains reactive with an average of 60% of local government resources allocated for relief (Brucal, 2020). We're improving but still a long way to go in terms of shifting towards a proactive and long-term rather than a reactive and short-term orientation.

#research #disasterriskreduction #disastermanagement #decisionmaking

"Flooding can be catastrophic to a nuclear power plant because it can knock out its electrical systems, disabling its cooling mechanisms and leading to overheating and possible meltdown and a dangerous release of radioactivity."

https://hakaimagazine.com/features/are-coastal-nuclear-power-plants-ready-for-sea-level-rise/

'Roaming entropy' measures how new, varied & unexpected our locations are in a city. More roaming entropy,more well-being. When traffic rules our lives,we can't be as spontaneous. We're forced live in siloes devoid of the joy & empathy wandering brings.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-emotional-benefits-of-wandering-11671131450?st=39rw8v5i9mvykui&mod=e2fb&fbclid=IwAR33X6lyho6xeJSTyVzwEFDbQLc2GylXQhHDxjTJIxd4tID5adrqms8q2vg

#cities #urbanism