The Level Of Disaster Awareness And Preparedness Of Families In The Flood-Prone Barangays Of San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija - A Case Study

Abstract

Disasters are severe disturbances to a community's functioning that surpass the community's ability to cope using its own resources. Natural, man-made, and technological hazards and various elements that influence a community's exposure and vulnerability can all contribute to disasters. Families, the smallest unit in a society, are on the top list of most prone to hazards and disasters. According to Suryaratri (2020), the higher the awareness, the higher the preparedness of households to deal with disasters. Thus, in this study, the researchers aimed to determine the families' level of disaster awareness and preparedness in the flood-prone barangays in San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija. They also seek to assess related activities the respondents conducted and how these affect the lives of these families during a disaster. The researchers employed a descriptive quantitative design method. Thus, a questionnaire was sectioned into five (5) main parts subdivided into different questions regarding the families' level of disaster awareness and preparedness. It was established by adapting important questions from previous studies and creating and validating particular questions by the researchers. The researchers used a 4-point Likert Scale for the survey, then distributed it to respondents via messenger and e-mail. The researchers further examined the data collected from the respondents to obtain valuable and relevant information. The data collected shows that 44% of the total number of respondents believe that they are 80-100% disaster aware and prepared without the support of the local and national government. However, 4% of the total number of respondents think that they are 20-40% aware and prepared and still need the support of these governments. It also reveals that their level of disaster awareness and preparedness can be fully achieved through acquiring relevant technical activities and programs. Thus, reducing the negative impact of disasters on their families and the community.