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Virginia Department of Emergency Management
10501 Trade Court, Richmond, VA 23236

CONTACT: Bob Spieldenner(804) 897-6510
bob.spieldenner@vdem.virginia.gov

FOR RELEASE AT WILL- Sept. 3, 2009

Telephone survey seeks to gauge Hampton Roads residents’ preparedness

RICHMOND, VA -- Virginia Emergency Management will conduct a telephone survey of residents living in the peninsula, eastern shore, northern neck, middle peninsula and south side areas of Hampton Roads. The survey will gauge residents’ emergency preparedness level, and the results will be available to local and state emergency officials for their use in emergency planning.

“Emergency planning doesn’t happen in a vacuum – its’ a collaboration among local, state and federal partners,” said Michael Cline, state coordinator for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. “The general public is a key part of that. We can better respond to emergencies when we know what people think and expect.”

Virginia Emergency Management, a partnership of state and local emergency management agencies, has contracted Dewberry to conduct the random sample of 1,200 landline and 300 cell phone numbers. The survey will begin the second week of September, and topics will include:

• Residents’ concerns about hurricanes
• Beliefs about home safety from wind and water
• Knowledge of home location relative to surge zones
• Personal evacuation history
• Evacuation intent for hurricanes or other hazards
• Reasons for leaving or staying

Callers will also ask a series of demographics questions, such as household size and education level, to help the Commonwealth better communicate with specific populations.

Results of the survey, available in mid-October, will help to identify the location and number of residents who have transportation needs, find additional evacuation routes out of the area if necessary and reevaluate current transit services with respect to evacuation.

Federal funds through the Regional Catastrophic Planning Grant Project will pay for the survey. The grant’s focus is to plan for a large-scale evacuation of the Hampton Roads area, including mass care, sheltering, and resource and commodity needs for three separate scenarios. Scenarios are a major hurricane, an improvised explosive device detonation and an aerosol anthrax event.

 

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