Ready or not, here it comes

Abstract

Given the unique vulnerabilities of children during disasters, and the low rates of disaster preparedness in the United States, this content analysis examines the nature of federal preparedness materials specifically crafted for children. Three websites were analyzed: Let's Get Ready, FEMA for Kids, and ReadyKids. Borrowing from risk and health communication literature examining effectiveness of fear appeals, and using the Extended Parallel Process Model as a framework, content was examined for perceived threat, perceived efficacy, and possible behavioral outcomes. Results indicated heavy use of fictional characters and activities, some persuasive messages to parents, and an overall lack of messages connoting urgency. Being “prepared” was explicitly defined, with each site mentioning specific supplies. Consequences were highlighted on the FEMA site only, using fear appeals to emphasize severity and susceptibility, which may unintentionally trigger fear control responses in children rather than preparedness behavior. Shortcomings of the websites and suggestions for improvements are also discussed.

Keywords:

• children
• disaster
• EPPM
• fear appeal
• prepared
• website

Notes

^1. “Emergency” and “disaster” are often interchangeable terms, although “disaster” typically is reserved for events of larger scope and longer duration. Most disasters begin as emergencies, although some may unfold more slowly and build to emergency status. For stylistic purposes, we will use the terms interchangeably, but only where accurate.

^2. Depth of coding (home page plus up to three pages below it) was driven primarily by the FEMA website, where a significant amount of content was not reached until the fourth level of the site. See discussion for commentary on the implications of this site structure.