| Description |
Millions of people in the United States are at significant risk of experiencing earthquakes. Understanding how households perceive seismic risk and prepare for an earthquake event is of increasing concern. This study examined the seismic risk perceptions and adoption of household seismic adjustments for residents of Salt Lake City, which is located along the Wasatch Fault System in the Intermountain seismic belt. Data were gathered using a mail-out survey sent to two different seismic zones: high ground shaking and high liquefaction. Analysis of the data, using independent samples t-test, examined relationships between 13 household seismic adjustments and respondents perceived risk, demographic characteristics, perceived protection responsibility, perceived personal safety responsibility, location of structure, and material and style of structure. The results identify small but significant differences between the adoption of seismic adjustments and the two seismic zones. Respondents in the high ground shaking zone had adopted more seismic adjustments. It was found that those who had adopted certain seismic adjustments perceived themselves as more prepared, and households lacking in adoption of certain adjustments perceived outside groups as more responsible for protecting the public in earthquakes. In addition, female respondents reported a higher degree of perceived vulnerability. The vast majority of respondents perceived self-responsibility as the biggest factor in earthquake preparedness but still looked to federal governments for assistance. These results suggest the concerns and adjustments that emergency personnel may focus on to better prepare, mitigate, allocate resources, and distribute information on the household level for earthquake hazards in Salt Lake City, Utah. |
