Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) to Evaluate Emergency Preparedness in Lake County, California, November 2012

BACKGROUND:  Lake County is vulnerable to natural hazards, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, geothermal gas venting, floods, and wildfires. The Lake County Public Health Division  requested assistance from the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct a Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER), an effective method to collect information from a community in both disaster and non-disaster settings. The objectives were to assess Lake County residents’ level of preparedness for future disasters and to inform public health officials and emergency managers for resource allocation and planning for future emergencies.

METHODS:  The sampling frame was defined as populated cities and towns in Lake County. A two-stage cluster sampling design (7 interviews in 30 clusters) was used to select 210 households to interview. Interview questions included past experience with disasters, perceived threats, barriers to preparing for emergencies, communication preferences, and post-disaster plans.

RESULTS: We completed 161 interviews, a 77% completion rate. We found that 61% of households experienced earthquakes or tremors in their neighborhood. The greatest perceived threats were wildfires (64%), earthquakes (63%), floods (42%), and winter storms (40%). The most common preparations households had taken were learning how to be safe during an earthquake (91%) and learning what supplies to have on hand (86%). The least common preparations were participating in neighborhood disaster planning (11%) and purchasing earthquake insurance (15%). Without anyone shopping for additional supplies, 71% of households can stay in their homes for ≥7 days; 14% had supplies for only 1–3 days. Cost was a barrier to planning for emergencies for 26% of households. No single preferred method of communication was common, and 29% of households had at least one barrier to effective communication; of these, 66% were hearing problems. If asked to do so, 85% of households reported they would evacuate. Among the 126 households with pets, 111 (88%) would take their pets with them if asked to evacuate.

CONCLUSIONS: This CASPER was timely and relevant, as Lake County has recently experienced wildfires as well as flood warnings. Many had taken steps to prepare themselves, including keeping supplies on hand. The community has economic barriers, suggesting a need for information on low-cost preparations. Communication barriers and varied communication preferences  require the use of multiple, appropriately targeted communication strategies. The high proportion of households who intend to take pets during evacuation suggest pet-friendly shelters will be needed.