Prepare Yourself for the Greatest Challenge in the Coming Wildfire Season: Communication
By Katherine Ritter, WellKind Forestry Intern
Katherine Ritter was an intern for WellKind Forestry during our summer 2022 session, exploring wildfires and other environmental topics.
As flames from a 2018 wildfire encroach on Mendocino, local system personnel dwell over what to write in emergency messages. So much so that by the time the message is sent, the city’s cell phone towers are down, resulting in 56% of the 4,272 emergency alert calls failing, according to the Bay Area News Group (2019). During similar fires in Napa County, fire warnings were only received by residents who had opted-in to an emergency notification system, leaving many residents in the dark.
Longer and more severe fire seasons on the West Coast due to climate change have exposed a greater issue in many communities: a lack of a reliable, inclusive emergency communication system.
WHY COMMUNICATION MATTERS
Communication between residents and management agencies is crucial for saving lives in the short term and in the long term. A study from the USDA Forest Service followed two communities after two similar wildfire events. During the wildfire, one community “received abundant, timely information” from the local fire agency, whereas the other community lacked information from their fire agency and thus were exposed to “conflicting and often inaccurate reports” from the media (Stidham et al., 2011).
Two years after the fires, both communities were surveyed, and the difference in responses was significant. The community that received ample information expressed trust, confidence, and gratitude in their fire management agency. On the other hand, the community that was left in the dark “recalled the event in vivid detail and many still expressed fear of wildfire and lack of trust in fire management agencies” (Stidham et al., 2011).
These positive long-term relationships between citizens and their fire department are principal to maintain, as doing so can not only help reduce the stress of an evacuation, but most importantly, save lives.
BEING INCLUSIVE
Returning to the incidents in Mendocino and Napa Counties, what’s most important in ensuring communication is creating a system that includes people of all tax brackets and education levels, and that works through multiple mediums.
After the Mendocino fire in 2018, local advocates began to urge officials to require that cell carriers provide backup battery or generator power in high-risk fire zones (Krieger, 2019). While this is a step in the right direction, this is not enough. Currently, Mendocino relies on a system called MendoAlert to relay information to residents; similar to Napa, this system requires people to pre-register in order to receive alerts, excluding many from critical information (Mendocino County, 2022).
Alongside being tangible to residents, research has shown the positive effects of accessible communication for residents. Agencies must send messages to the public that the public is able to comprehend. This means using everyday language in messages and discluding any government acronyms or slang that the public cannot understand (Fitzpatrick & Mileti, 1994).
Also important to consider in fire communication is the needs of the public based on the size of the fire. A study from the Society for Human Ecology found that communication was most effective for smaller fires, and similar planning proved crucial for large fires as well. However, in the cases of many larger fires, evacuations and failures of network systems disrupt what proportion of the population is able to receive communications from fire agencies. Thus, the main takeaway from this study is that “disseminating fire information as broadly as possible through multiple pathways will maximize the probability of the public finding the information they need” (Taylor et al., 2007).
In simpler terms, it appears the solution to the communication problem is implementing a system in all communities that is accessible to as many people as possible. This means sending alerts and messages through as many mediums as possible, such as AM/FM radios, TV signals, cell phone alerts, HAM radios, and more. Some top rated emergency alert systems include RedFlag, AlertMedia, and Hyper-Reach.
To take action to enact a similar system in your community and reduce the need to opt-in to receive life-saving alerts, email your local politicians, attend city council meetings, and organize your neighbors to bring about such change.
PREPARING YOURSELF
As much as the local government has a responsibility to protect its residents from natural disasters like wildfires, there are multiple forums to educate yourself and others, as well as receive up-to-date information.
Most importantly, find out if your area has an emergency alert system. Make sure to sign up for alerts if registration is required–this will ensure that you receive the most accurate, timely information that the agency sends out.
Second, research your town or city’s evacuation or disaster plan, which can usually be found on its website. The disaster plan should include shelter locations, evacuation routes, emergency services, and more.
Set some time aside to create an evacuation bag for your household. Several important items to include are a first aid kit, KN95 masks (one for each household member), a flashlight, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, several day supplies of food and water, a whistle, and other items based on your needs (e.g. prescription medications) (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2022).
In regards to wildfires, there are many services that track wildfires and provide timely information about evacuation orders. AirNow has a Fire and Smoke Map and NOAA has Fire Outlook Maps, both of which are very helpful in determining your area’s risk.
Lastly, educate others in your neighborhood and community by sharing resources. Organize neighborhood drills, share links to helpful websites and information, and inform your neighbors of any emergency alerts you have received. Together, we can properly prepare ourselves and each other for the upcoming fire season.
REFERENCES
Fitzpatrick, C., & Mileti, D. S. (1994) Public Risk Communication. Disasters, Collective
Behavior, and Social Organization, 71-84 eds. Dynes, R.D., & Tierney, K.J. University
of Delaware Press.
Krieger, L. M. (2019). Cell phones useless amid wildfire: Camp Fire failure prompts call for
statewide action. The Mercury News. Bay Area News Group.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/06/02/6091556/
Mendocino County. (2022). Emergency Notifications and Alerts. Emergency Notifications And
Stidham, M., Toman, E., McCaffrey, S., & Shindler, B. (2011). Improving An Inherently Stressful
Situation: The Role of Communication During Wildfire Evacuations. Proceedings of the
Second Conference on the Human Dimensions of Wildland Fire, 96-103.
https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/gtr/gtr-nrs-p-84papers/13stidham-p-84.pdf
Taylor, J. G., Gillette, S. C., Hodgson, R. W., Downing, J. L., Burns, M. R., Chavez, D. J., &
Hogan, J. T. (2007). Informing the Network: Improving Communication with Interface
Communities During Wildland Fire. Human Ecology Review, 14(2), 198-211.
https://www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/chavez/psw_2007_chavez(taylor)002.pdf
U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2022). Build A Kit. Ready.gov.