Risk communication infrastructure and community resilience: does involvement in planning build cross-sector planning and response networks?

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe community resilience needed for effective disaster response and recovery depends in part on robust cross-sector, interorganizational networks, but differences among networked stakeholders can make building community resilience difficult. Local emergency planning committees (LEPCs) may help by acting as risk communication infrastructure. LEPCs help conduct emergency chemical hazards planning and support the public's right-to-know about those hazards. Focusing on an LEPC situated in a major U.S. petrochemical corridor, this study surveyed LEPC stakeholders (N = 171) to investigate their perceptions of a hypothetical hazardous materials (HazMat) incident and their planning and response networks, comparing differences among agency and non-agency stakeholders. Respondents reported being part of robust planning and response networks, indicative of capacity for community resilience. Stakeholders' involvement in planning efforts was associated with their perceptions of the HazMat incident and their networks. This study provides evidence for the efficacy and limits of the LEPC as risk communication infrastructure.