Abstract
The consequences of the floods that had affected the area of Serbia in 2014 indicated a very low level of preparedness of population to respond to natural disasters. Therefore, the aim of quantitative research is to examine the impact of fear on the willingness of citizens to respond to a natural disaster caused by the flood in the Republic of Serbia. Bearing who do not have fear are not doing anything to prepare themselves to react in such situations, they are confident in their own abilities to cope with the consequences of floods, etc. The originality of the research lies in the fact that in Serbia there has never been conducted a research to examine the state of preparedness of citizens to respond. Bearing in mind that the research is based on the territory of Serbia, conclusions can be generalized to the entire population. The research results can be used when creating a strategy for improving the level of preparedness of citizens to respond. Keywords: natural disasters, floods, citizens, gender, preparedness for response, Serbia.
Conclusions
Citizens who are afraid, in a higher percentage compared to citizens who are not, would take certain preventive measures to reduce the material consequences of flooding; prolonged rains prompt them to think about their readiness to respond to floods and rising water levels; they state that they are still not ready to respond, but plan to do so in the next six months; they have recently started preparations; they state that the emergency rescue services will help them, so they do not need such measures; they state that preparation measures are very expensive; they expect help from household members and international humanitarian organizations; they are informed about flood risks; they know what a flood is; they know safety procedures; they would evacuate to the higher floors of the house; they state that someone in the family has educated them about floods; they state that someone at work has educated them about floods; they know where the elderly, disabled, and infants live in the local community; they state that they would evacuate when a flood wave is expected, which could endanger health and life; they know what kind of help the elderly, disabled, and infants require; they know what to do after an official warning about an approaching flood wave; they are familiar with the viruses and infections that follow the period after the flood; they know where the water valve, gas valve, and electric switch are located; they know how to operate the water valve, gas valve, and electric switch; they have obtained information about floods from neighbors, radio, and newspapers; they have supplies, water supplies for four days, a transistor radio, a flashlight, a shovel, a pickaxe, a hoe, a fire extinguisher; they replenish supplies once a month; they have a first aid kit at home and in the car, keep the first aid kit in an easily accessible place; they discuss flood response plans; they have copies of important personal, financial, and insurance documents, they are insured against flood consequences. Conversely, citizens who are not afraid, in a higher percentage compared to citizens who are afraid, would donate money to help flood victims; visiting flooded areas and media reports prompt them to think about their readiness to respond to floods; they are still not ready but will start preparations next month; they do nothing to prepare themselves for response in such situations; they are confident in their abilities to cope with the consequences of the flood; they would evacuate to friends’ houses and reception centers; they state that their neighbors can save themselves in the event of a flood; they have obtained information about floods in school, college, through non-formal education systems, at work; they would like to be educated through television and the internet; they have water supplies for one or two days, replenish supplies once a year or never replenish supplies. Recommendations for improving preparedness: encourage citizens who are afraid to donate money to help victims when necessary; use visits to flooded areas as a way to encourage improvement of preparedness measures; influence citizens to take certain measures to improve preparedness; influence through education and training to raise the level of confidence in their ability to respond to a higher level; encourage them to obtain water supplies for one or two days and to replenish supplies once a month. Encourage citizens who are not afraid to take preventive preparedness measures; use images and footage of prolonged rains and rising water levels to prompt them to think about preparedness measures; influence them to raise the level of awareness about potential flood risks; educate them about floods; familiarize them with safety response procedures; influence awareness of the necessity of evacuation during the approach of a flood wave; encourage education through television and the internet; encourage them to obtain supplies, water supplies for four days, a transistor radio, a flashlight, a shovel, a pickaxe, a hoe, a fire extinguisher; influence them to discuss response plans with household members; to possess insurance documents and to insure their households.
How to cite
Reference – Cvetković, V. (2016). Fear and floods in Serbia: Citizens preparedness for responding to natural disaster. Matica Srpska Journal of Social Sciences, 155(2), 303-324.
