Conceptualizing and measuring disaster preparedness

ABSTRACT

Disaster preparedness has been identified with planning, resource identification, warning systems, training and simulations, and other predisaster actions intended to improve the safety and effectiveness of community response to disaster. Despite its acknowledged importance, little attention has been given to clarifying the conceptualization and strenghthening the measurement of preparedness. This paper presents and empirically based summative measure of preparedness, documents its reliability, and offers evidence of construct validity