This study is motivated by individuals’ lack of preparedness before and during disasters despite the many government agencies designed to assist during natural disasters; in large part, the final decision is that of the individual of whether or not to prepare prior to a disaster. The objective of this study is to access communication and preparedness of a community in Tuscaloosa, Alabama regarding Hurricane Ivan of 2004. Telephone interviews were used for data collection. Results show that feelings of neighborhood belonging, or an “integrated connectedness to a storytelling network,” positively correlate with preparing during a disaster. Additionally, the researchers found that social risk perception refers to a higher chance of an individual preparing prior to a hurricane, while personal risk perception refers to an individual taking preparative actions during a hurricane. The researchers stress the need for an ICSN within communities, highlighting the importance of individuals feeling comfortable to communicate with all the varying residents and organizations within a community, including the media as well as neighbors.
