Community Risk Mitigation Research

A Data Science Study into the Inequities of Preparedness Education in the Chicago Region

Abstract

One who considers the steps needed in preparing the United States population for disasters asserts a hefty task. While the impacts of disasters and emergencies are on an incline in the United States, a significant percentage of Americans are not prepared for said events. This negatively impacts the safety of our communities and puts homeland security at risk. While children and youth are most impacted by emergencies and disasters, they can be seen as major assets for creating lasting cultural change.

The Chicago School Preparedness study utilized email-administered computer survey via Google Forms to collect data in order to answer questions, how schools are currently preparing students for disaster and how the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) free resources for schools, such as the Student Tools for Emergency Planning, are reaching schools. The study also analyzes if affluency factors predict whether or not schools are preparing their students for disaster.

Overall, the results suggest that the educators believe that preparedness is at least somewhat important aspect of curriculum. However, they are not aware of the existence of free preparedness materials, which indicates that income levels might impact school preparedness.