Research Counts


By Naim Kapucu and Fernando Rivera

Rural communities can have less resources to respond to and recover from disasters. Collaboration is key to expanding their capacity.


By Anaís Delilah Roque, David Pijawka, and Amber Wutich

A connected community is a strong community. Read how Puerto Rican’s extensive experiences with disaster have created social cohesion that makes them resilient.


By Laura M. Stough and Elizabeth McAdams Ducy

For families whose children have special healthcare needs, preparing for disasters, evacuating, and finding shelter can be overwhelming—and missteps can be life-threatening. Luckily, steps can be taken to keep families safe and reduce stress.


By Anamaria Bukvic

To be more effective, programs and policies that help people relocate away from repetitive coastal disasters should consider what influences their willingness to leave their homes.


By John Twigg

While people with disabilities often face obstacles in accessing emergency shelters, global policies are trending towards their inclusion. Read more about how we can equalize access.


By Jennifer L. Federico

Learn more about the system that Wake County, North Carolina, implemented to ensure evacuation shelters were prepared to provide for household pets—increasing the willingness to evacuate and easing the stress of shelter residents.


By Thanh Thuy Truong, Asim Shah, Wayne K. Goodman, Sophia Banu, Alison Salloum, Laurel Williams, and Eric A. Storch

Disasters are extremely stressful events and it's important that shelter residents can access help to cope. Ensuring that mental health resources are available and confidential can improve the outcomes of those staying in public shelters.


By Ashley K. Farmer

Misconceptions about crime risk can keep people from accessing shelters during disasters—clearly communicating about safety is key.


By Michal Linder

Libraries play a central role in many communities; but when it comes to participating in disaster response, managerial outlooks might make all the difference.


By Juyeong Choi, Eren Erman Ozguven, and Tarek Abichou

When extreme events tax the carefully coordinated resources in shelters, community sectors often step in to fill the gaps. Identifying how they can help out before a disaster can make these resources extend even further.


If you are interested in contributing to this series, please contact Natural Hazards Center Director Lori Peek directly at lori.peek@colorado.edu.


Acknowledgements

Research Counts is made possible with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF Award #1635593) and supplemental support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-National Integrated Drought Information System (NOAA-NIDIS). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF, FEMA, NOAA-NIDIS, or Natural Hazards Center.