Great Plains Studies, Center for

 

Date of this Version

Fall 2002

Comments

Published in Great Plains Research 12:2 (Fall 2002): 295-322. Copyright © 2002 Center for Great Plains Studies.

Abstract

Several counties of south-central and southeast Kansas experienced floods in the first week of November 1998. The communities of Arkansas City and Augusta were among those most severely affected by these floods. This study is based primarily on a mail questionnaire survey of residents of these two communities, and it examines respondents' satisfaction with four emergency response measures employed by local officials and emergency management agencies before and during the flood event. The extent of external support victims received and the level of their satisfaction with that support were also investigated. The analysis of the survey data shows that the emergency response efforts and the support victims received were rated poorly. Furthermore, the satisfaction scores differed significantly between respondents from Arkansas City and those from Augusta. The findings suggest that the extent of damage and preparedness are directly associated with victims' satisfaction with emergency measures undertaken by emergency management agencies. The study further suggests that the respondents of Arkansas City were relatively more satisfied with emergency measures than their counterparts in Augusta. Unlike in Arkansas City, city officials in Augusta had little time to prepare for the flooding. Hazard preparedness appears to be an important determinant of victims' satisfaction with emergency measures.

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