Citizen Preparedness Research Articles

Preparedness of Citizens in Al-Madinah City to Deliver Seizure First Aid Measures.

Introduction Epilepsy is a neurologic disease that causes a predisposition to recurrent seizure attacks. It affects a large number of people around the world and in Saudi Arabia. Seizures can be a source of distress for both the affected person and those witnessing them. Thus, being able to deliver first aid is important, as it improves safety and decreases the burden of visits to the emergency room that are unnecessary, since many attacks of seizure can be managed in the community. Weak knowledge regarding seizure first aid measures is reported many times across Saudi Arabia, with a high prevalence of misconceptions. Methods This study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design, utilizing a questionnaire-based approach. The data was collected from a sample of 1871 individuals residing in Al-Madinah City, Saudi Arabia. The participants completed a self-administered online questionnaire and ensured anonymity. The questionnaire used in this study was previously validated and used in another study. We used descriptive statistics to summarize the data, and Chi-square test was employed to establish the association between sociodemographic data and knowledge of seizure first aid. Results Most of the participants were females (70.0%, N=1310), and the majority (76.1%, N=1423) fell within the 18-30 age group. A high percentage were single (71.6%, N=1339), college graduates (64.3%, N=1201), and unemployed (58.7%, N=1099). The study results revealed that 31.9% (N=597) had a good knowledge level of epilepsy, while 68.1% (N=1274) had poor knowledge. Nearly half (48.4%, N=905) believed that epilepsy was caused by genetic factors, and 61.4% (N=1149) of the respondents reported loss of consciousness as the most common clinical symptom of epilepsy. With regards to correct action during seizures, 48.0% (N=899) knew to place the patient on their side, and 85.0% (N=1591) thought calling 997 ("the ambulance") was necessary if seizures lasted over five minutes. The study showed a statistically significant association between the level of education, employment, and knowledge of epilepsy first aid management (p=0.001 and p=0.003, respectively). However, no significant associations were found between gender, age, marital status, and knowledge of epilepsy first aid management (p>0.005). Conclusion The study unveiled poor overall epilepsy knowledge among Al-Madinah City residents, with only 31.9% (N=597) demonstrating good knowledge. This indicates the community's limited ability to respond to seizures. Most citizens were unfamiliar with seizure first-aid, lacking the capability to provide assistance. A significant association was found between education, employment, and epilepsy first aid knowledge. Respondents with higher education had better epilepsy knowledge. Attending epilepsy education courses is vital for enhancing overall awareness and readiness to provide seizure first aid.

What if a Bioterrorist Attack Occurs?—A Survey on Citizen Preparedness in Aveiro, Portugal

Introduction: A bioterrorist attack is the intentional release of pathogenic micro-organisms, such as viruses, bacteria, or their toxins, with the aim of causing illness or death in people, animals, or plants. In this study, we investigated the knowledge and practices related to bioterrorism preparedness in Central Portugal. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed with a convenience sample in the population of Aveiro, Central Portugal, to assess their knowledge about bioterrorism, self-perceived preparation to act in case of bioterrorism and pet owners’ preparation. An online validated questionnaire was completed by 198 participants from January to February 2020. Results: In this study, 46.0% of the respondents answered that they knew nothing about bioterrorism or had never heard about the possibility of bioterrorist attacks. In the case of an attack, 77.8% participants did not consider themselves prepared to act, and 62.1% did not know how to use personal protective equipment. More than half of the respondents (60.6%) were not familiar with the local emergency response system in response to catastrophes/bioterrorist attacks. Almost all respondents (95.6%) assigned high importance to drinking water and food for pets, but only 22.9% of respondents attributed high importance to pet carrier boxes, an item essential for cat evacuation. Conclusion: This is the first survey of this kind in Portugal concerning bioterrorism preparedness in citizens and animals. Results suggest that Portuguese knowledge is limited, and people have inadequate preparedness for a bioterrorist attack. These results reinforce the importance of further studies to better understand the existing gaps in knowledge of Portuguese citizens, strengthen the need to adopt the One Health concept in preparedness plans and emphasize the crucial role of health education in prevention.

CITIZEN PREPAREDNESS TO DEFEND THE STATE AS AN ELEMENT OF THE DEFENSE STRATEGY

The article deals with the issue of civil preparedness for the state defence. Authors consider the civil preparedness as an integral part of the comprehensive approach to ensuring the defence of the state and the formulation of a defence strategy. The current dynamics and predictions of the development of the security environment in recent years require an approach change. The article has the ambition to contribute to the professional discussion to strengthen preparedness and increase readiness of citizens to take over their legally defined role in ensuring the defence of the state in a case of need.

Fire safety behavior model for residential buildings: Implications for disaster risk reduction

Starting from the unexplored level of the fire safety of citizens in Serbia, this paper presents the results of quantitative research regarding a fire safety behavior model for residential buildings in Serbia. The research was conducted using a questionnaire that was provided and then collected online for 540 respondents during April 2021. The study's objective was to determine to what degree education level and gender influence the prediction of the fire safety behavior model (individual preparedness, personal security, fire risk, fire prevention knowledge) for residential buildings in Serbia. The multivariate regression analyses showed that the most important predictor of individual preparedness, personal security, and fire risk perception was gender, followed by age. On the other hand, education level, ownership status, and monthly income did not significantly affect individual preparedness for fire protection, personal security, fire risk, and prevention knowledge. Moreover, the results showed the main reasons for not taking preventive actions are the high cost of the equipment, not being familiar with the exact measures to take, believing that the emergency services would provide them with the necessary assistance, a lack of time, etc. The obtained results can be used to improve the preparedness of citizens to respond in a timely and appropriate manner to fires in residential buildings and create programs and campaigns to improve awareness among the general public.

Fire Safety Behavior Model for Residential Buildings: Implications for Disaster Risk Reduction

This paper presents the results of quantitative research regarding the fire safety behavior model for residential buildings in Serbia. The survey was conducted using a requested and collected questionnaire from 540 respondents during April 2020. The study's objective was to determine to what degree the education level and gender influence the prediction of the fire safety behavior model (individual preparedness, personal security, fire risk, knowledge on fire protection) for residential buildings in Serbia. The multivariate regression analyses showed the most important predictor of individual preparedness, personal security, and fire risk perception was gender. On the other hand, education level, ownership status, and monthly income did not significantly affect individual preparedness for fire protection, personal security, fire risk, and prevention knowledge. Also, the results showed the main reasons for not taking preventive actions are the high cost of the equipment then, not being familiar with the exact measures to take, believing that the emergency services would provide them with the necessary assistance, the lack of time etc. The obtained results can be used to improve the preparedness of citizens to respond timely and appropriately to fires in residential buildings and create programs and campaigns to improve awareness among the general public.

A disaster prevention programme using virtual schemes: Recommendation of tradition populaire integrated with tendenko as an approach to immersive training

The aim of this technical note is to discuss and propose a community action plan to increase citizen preparedness and readiness for natural disasters. This exploratory study applies a conceptual analysis based on a comprehensive review of relevant literature on evacuation training and preparation for tsunamis, focusing on tendenko behaviour.The results of the study led to the development of a guideline outlining key actions for evacuation programme designers with practical procedures to foster citizens’ motivation to learn and encourage engagement in community-based activities. The proposed steps can provide training designers (e.g. local councils, community NPOs, and evacuation experts) with actionable recommendations for practical activities to enhance citizen preparedness.One of the original contributions of the proposed programme is its inclusion of tradition populaire, according to which communication is held not only with the residents in the disaster area but also with inbound visitors. The proposed disaster prevention training programme based on information and communications technology (ICT) can be supportive to the disaster areas by inbound visitors to enhancing citizens' and visitors’ understanding of disastrous scenarios and the necessity to increase their preparedness for such events.Based on the outcomes of the research, a further analysis is being planned to validate the utility and effectiveness of the proposed action plans, with primary data being used to develop more robust implications for practitioners and researchers.

From Do-It-Yourself (DIY) to Do-It-Together (DIT): Reflections on designing a citizen-driven air quality monitoring framework in Taiwan

Air pollution is a serious problem and has caused public health concerns all over the world. Despite the evidence, the preparedness and response of citizens has been limited. This underlines the importance of having sustainable air quality monitoring solutions that foster inclusion and multi-stakeholder partnerships for social-scientific interventions. This study illustrates how AirBox project has emerged in Taiwan, where makers and citizens use the sensors to sense air quality and provide the public with actionable data about their environments. The AirBox project includes elements of technology-innovation and citizen science: (1) Participatory Sensing – Static and mobile air quality sensing, (2) Open Data – Open hardware, software and access to data, (3) Co-creation Citizen Science – Citizen-led campaigns and forums, and (4) Outreach – Knowledge sharing, trust building and multi-stakeholder collaboration. The project uses a wide range of sensors to provide extendable solutions and data at fine spatio-temporal resolution. The results are highlighted using five cases studies that show how integrating social dimensions in an air quality monitoring framework can lead to public awareness, data-driven applications and environmentally sustainable cities. The multi-faceted approach highlights the effects of a bottom-up citizen science approach that considers local culture, practices and problems at grassroots.

Preparedness and Preventive Behaviors for a Pandemic Disaster Caused by COVID-19 in Serbia.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The disease was first detected in Wuhan, the capital of China’s Hubei province, in December 2019 and has since spread globally, especially to Europe and North America, resulting in the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic disaster of 2019–2020. Although most cases have mild symptoms, there is some progression to viral pneumonia and multi-organ failure and death. More than 4.6 million cases have been registered across 216 countries and territories as of 19 April 2020, resulting in more than 311,000 deaths. Risk to communities with continued widespread disease transmission depends on characteristics of the virus, including how well it spreads between people; the severity of resulting illness; and the medical or other measures available to control the impact of the virus (for example, vaccines or medications that can treat the illness) and the relative success of these. In the absence of vaccines or medications, non-pharmaceutical interventions were the most important response strategy based on community interventions such as person-to-person distancing, mask-wearing, isolation and good personal hygiene (hand-washing)—all of which have been demonstrated can reduce the impact of this seemingly unstoppable globally spreading natural disaster. This paper presents the results of quantitative research regarding the level of citizen preparedness for disasters caused by coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Serbia. The survey was conducted using a questionnaire that was requested and then collected online among 975 respondents during disaster in April 2020. The questionnaire examined citizens’ basic socio-economic and demographic characteristics, their knowledge, preparedness, risk perception and preventive measures taken individually and as a community to prevent the death and widespread transmission of novel coronavirus disease 2019 in the Republic of Serbia. Based on the findings that there are major differences in the public’s perception of risks posed by communicable disease threats such as presented by COVID-19, emergency management agencies should use these differences to develop targeted strategies to enhance community and national preparedness by promoting behavioral change and improving risk management decision-making.

Crisis State of Medical Readiness and Citizen Preparedness Importance for Radiological and Nuclear Incidents

Introduction:In 2017, members of our workgroup published on the readiness for nuclear and radiological incidents among emergency medical personnel.1 Our findings, along with a review of pertinent literature, suggest that the state of medical preparedness for these incidents is in crisis. A 2018 publication addressing nuclear terrorism preparedness relegates medical preparedness to a low priority and describes it as potentially dangerous.2 The crisis status of medical preparedness for these incidents is addressed.Aim:To establish a prepared medical workforce and trained public for those at risk from nuclear or radiological disasters.Methods:This Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved survey published an article and used a relevant literature review.Results:Readiness for nuclear and radiological incidents is lacking in multiple areas including education, training, identifying medical needs, willingness to come to work, and perception of relative risk among medical personnel.1 Confounding this is recent prominent publication downplaying and discouraging medical preparedness for nuclear terrorism.2 The importance of a readied workforce and a prepared public is identified.Discussion:In 2013, we formed a multi-national workgroup focused on preparing health professionals and the public for clinical management of casualties during nuclear and radiological disasters. Modeling has demonstrated predictable casualty injury and illness patterns suggesting that early appropriate medical response will save lives. Readiness demands an educated, skillful, and willing-to-engage medical workforce. Our 2017 publication identified several areas that place medical preparedness at risk.1 A significant risk to medical preparedness may lie in prominent publications discouraging the pursuit.2 We firmly believe that medical preparedness is essential and begins with a prepared public.

Flooding in The Netherlands: How people's interpretation of personal, social and institutional resources influence flooding preparedness

Worldwide there is a growing need for citizens to prepare for environmental risks to mitigate potential adversity. In order to predict preparedness, behavioral models typically used variables at an individual level of analysis, such as risk perception and assessment of the effectiveness of possible actions (response-efficacy). The present study elaborated on these findings by also incorporating affect and social (participation and community efficacy) and institutional (trust and empowerment) level variables. The goal of the research was to examine to what extent these different variables could predict flood preparedness of 629 Dutch citizens resident in The Hague (an area below sea level). The results showed that affect had both a direct and an indirect effect on level of preparedness. The indirect pathway was mediated by people's assessment of the probability of a future event. This supports the notion that preparatory behavior is influenced by both a cognitive and an affective route. At the social level, a direct effect for participation was found: the more residents participated in their community the more they prepared. At the institutional level, the influence of empowerment on preparedness was mediated by participation. Overall, the results point to the need to address both cognition and affect in communicating risks and to make better use of social networks in facilitating citizen preparedness for hazards.

Beyond Organizational Motives of e-Government Adoption: The Case of e-Voting Initiative in Indonesian Villages

Motive is an important underlying reason an organization engages in a particular behavior, which includes initiating a particular information systems adoption. Adoption motives, however, are situational, urging motivational studies to be contingent on the context. The purposes of this paper are therefore twofold: (1) reflecting on the case of Indonesian e-voting initiative, to examine the local government’s motives behind e-government adoption; (2) to identify emerging themes that might have influenced the process of e-voting adoption in several Indonesian villages. Qualitative data were collected from five government leaders at both municipal and village levels in a municipality that have previously conducted village e-voting elections. This study found that performance-related rationalities, i.e. cost-savings, reducing service delivery-time, are the main drives for e-voting adoption in this case. Although instances of motives belonging to technological and strategic clusters have also been recorded, none of the leaders responded to operation-related motives. This might be due to the simplistic interpretation of e-voting as merely a replacement for paper-ballots, while its broader implication to democratic values and election best practices have been largely ignored. Moreover, it was evident from the study that the decision to adopt voting technology in this case has been significantly influenced by political interests, where strong cases of leadership further accelerated the adoption process. The strong determination exhibited by higher level leaders has put significant pressures on the lower level authorities to implement e-voting, which might have conflicted with their own organizational strategy, socio-cultural norms, and citizen preparedness. This study is important to identify context-based rationales behind e-voting initiatives in Indonesia and the results are relevant to assist Indonesian government in the development of other e-government strategy in the future. This paper further emphasizes for a broader strategy which takes account of the risks of impairing democratic values and generating conflicts during electoral processes.

Domestic Violence: The Narrative Architectures of Michael Haneke's Funny Games

Domestic Violence:The Narrative Architectures of Michael Haneke's Funny Games Dale Pattison (bio) On November 8, 2001, President George W. Bush took the stage at the main ballroom of the Georgia World Conference Center to deliver what would become one of his most controversial public addresses on the newly created Office of Homeland Security. Positioning the President within a milieu of firefighters, police officers, and military personnel, the optics of the scene were designed to collapse boundaries between civilian and military worlds, and to use the President as a mediating point between these otherwise distinct realms of American life. The substance of the President's speech mirrored this spatial move, repeatedly emphasizing the ways in which the War on Terror would require Americans living within the country's national borders to "add [their] eyes and ears to [the state's] efforts to find and stop those who want to do us harm." The War on Terror, Bush argued, "must be fought not only overseas but also here at home." The President's speech implied that civilians—not alone the military—would be instrumental in combatting terror and protecting the American homeland. In closing his address, Bush relayed his first orders to the newly conscripted American people, announcing, "we have our marching orders. My fellow Americans, 'Let's roll'" ("Address to the Nation").1 Out of this speech emerged the Presidential Task Force on Citizen Preparedness in the War on Terrorism, a program designed to help Americans "prepare in their homes, neighborhoods, schools, workplaces and houses [End Page 197] of worship" for their new roles as protectors of the homeland (Allen A01). Fewer than three months later, in the President's State of the Union Address, Bush established the U.S.A. Freedom Corps, a coordinating council that would assist and train Americans who wished to volunteer themselves for the protection of the homeland. In his address, Bush asked "for every American to commit at least two years, four thousand hours over the rest of your lifetime, to the service of your neighbors and your Nation." Echoing earlier statements on the need for civic engagement in implementing homeland security, Bush went on to remark: Homeland security will make America not only stronger but, in many ways, better. Knowledge gained from bioterrorism research will improve public health. Stronger police and fire departments will mean safer neighborhoods. Stricter border enforcement will help combat illegal drugs. And as government works to better secure our homeland, America will continue to depend on the eyes and ears of alert citizens. ("The President's State of the Union Address") The administration's framing of homeland security as a positive force in shaping American civic life came to fruition in this address. In volunteering for the protection of the homeland, Americans could participate in the advancement of both military and civilian projects, making the country safer and more prosperous all at the same time. The observations above highlight the ways in which the administration mobilized civilians as instruments of state power in the wake of September 11th. As many critics have noted, establishing the rhetorical link between the home and the homeland was vital to the state's ability to advance the politics of homeland security. The deployment of the homeland as a rhetorical device plays upon individuals' attachment to "the home," a concept intimately connected to security, stability, and one's sense of self. The frequent use of the home as a site of political intervention in the two Presidential addresses above reveals the complex engagement with domesticity that undergirds the project of homeland security.2 While the rhetorical figuring of the homeland as a domestic space was critical to how the state shaped public opinion, representations of the home in popular media also [End Page 198] contributed significantly to advancing the politics of homeland security. This essay uses Michael Haneke's Funny Games (2007), a film that appears to have little to do with homeland security, domestic space, or the anxieties that emerged in the wake of the attacks on the World Trade Center, to examine the ways in which political violence—particularly as a product of the state's mobilization of domesticity—intrudes...

Religiousness level and citizen preparedness for natural disasters

Religiousness level and citizen preparedness for natural disasters

If Only We Knew What We Know: Factors for Mobilizing Citizen Participation in Community-based Emergency Preparedness

Emergency management typically consists of four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Citizen participation is recognized as key to these four phases, and local governments are responsible for promoting authentic citizen participation in all phases. Many studies have asserted the importance of citizen participation in improving the capabilities of community-based emergency response and recovery, yet studies on citizen activities and participation in the pre-disaster process are relatively limited. In practice, increasing citizen preparedness for disasters has presented a challenge to local emergency management agencies. In Taiwan, the approaches employed by local emergency management agencies for mobilizing citizens to participate in emergency management activities are often considered in isolation from their other administrative duties. To fill this gap, this study examines factors for mobilizing citizens in disaster exercises from the perspective of local fire branch heads. Using survey data collected from Southern Taiwan in 2013, we found that the capacity of local fire branches to provide emergency communications and information delivery, as well as pre-disaster risk assessment and alert systems, is critical for enhancing citizen participation in the local emergency preparedness process.

Influence of income level on citizen preparedness for response to natural disasters

The aim of quantitative research is to examine the influence of income level on the citizen preparedness for response to a natural disaster caused by flood in the Republic of Serbia. Bearing in mind all local communities in Serbia where occurred or there is a high risk of flood occurrence, nineteen of 150 municipalities and 23 cities and the city of Belgrade were randomly chosen. In selected communities the research was performed in those areas that were most affected in relation to the water level or potential risk. The survey applied test strategy in households with the use of a multi-stage random sample. The research results indicated that the citizens who had income above RSD 90,000 at the household level, in a higher percentage took preventive measures, they know what floods are and know the safety procedures. On the other hand, citizens who have income below RSD 25,000 are not yet prepared, or intend to take certain measures in the next 6 months. The originality of the research stems from the fact of unexamined influence of income level on citizen preparedness. The research results can be used when creating strategies to improve the preparedness of citizens for response. The originality of the research is reflected in the fact that Serbia has not examined the influence of income level on preparedness of citizens to respond. The results can be used when creating a strategy to improve the level of citizen preparedness for response with regard to the level of citizen incomes.

The impact of the level of motivation on the preparedness of citizens of the Republic of Serbia to respond to natural disaster caused by flood

The objective of the quantitative research was to examine the impact of the level of motivation on the preparedness of citizens to respond to natural disaster caused by flood in the Republic of Serbia. Bearing in mind all local communities in Serbia affected, or with a high risk to be affected, by flood, twenty of a total of 150 municipalities and 23 cities, as well as the city of Belgrade, were randomly selected. In the selected local communities the research was conducted in those areas that were the most endangered regarding the water level or potential risk. The survey applied the strategy of multi-stage surveying of random sampled households. The research results indicate that those absolutely motivated recorded a higher level of individual readiness to respond to floods as compared to the citizens who believe they are absolutely unmotivated. In contrast, absolutely unmotivated people do nothing to prepare for response. The originality of the research lies in the fact that Serbia has never conducted any research to examine the citizens’ preparedness to respond. The research findings can be used when creating a strategy for improving the level of citizens’ preparedness to respond. The research points to the way that should be used to drive the citizens, according to their level of motivation, in order to raise their preparedness to a higher level.

Fear and floods in Serbia: Citizens preparedness for responding to natural disaster

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 in mind all local communities in Serbia where floods occurred or there is a high risk of flooding, there was selected a random sample consisting of 19 out of 150 municipalities and 23 towns and the city of Belgrade. In the selected communities, a research was undertaken in those areas that had been most affected in relation to the amount of water or potential risk of flooding. The survey used strategy of testing in households with the use of a multi- stage random sample. The research results indicate that the citizens who have a fear of floods are familiar with safety procedures to a greater extent in relation to citizens who do not have the fear; they have taken the preventive measures; they point out that they still are not ready to respond, but plan to do so in the next 6 months; they would evacuate to the upper floor of the house; they point out that someone in the family has educated them about the flood. In contrast to that, citizens who do not have the 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.

Marital status of citizens and floods: Citizen preparedness for response to natural disasters

This paper presents the results of quantitative research into the influence of marital status on citizen preparedness for response to natural disaster caused by flood in the Republic of Serbia. The aim of such research is a scientific explanation of relationship between marital status and preparedness. In order to realize research, nineteen communities were randomly selected in which 2,500 persons were surveyed, in 2015. On that occasion, households were questioned using the multi-stage random sample. The research results suggest that married would in the highest percentage give money to help flood victims, long-lasting rains make them to think about preparedness for floods, they know what flood is, they are familiar with viruses and infections that accompany the period during and after the flood, they know where in local community elders, disabled and infants live, they know safety procedures for responding during floods, they would evacuate to a friend’s place. On the other side, divorced citizens in the lowest percentage take preventive measures to reduce tangible consequences caused by floods, they are not yet prepared, but will start preparing next month, they know what flood is, they would evacuate to the upper floors of the house, say that someone at primary/secondary school and within family educated them on floods, they know what to do after an official warning about approach of flood, they got information about floods at faculty, through informal education and through media. The research results can be used in designing strategies and campaigns aimed to raise the level of preparedness of citizens with regard to their marital status.

The relationship between educational level and citizen preparedness to respond to natural disasters

This paper presents the results of quantitative research into the relationship between educational level and preparedness of citizens to respond to a natural disaster caused by the flood. Starting from the local communities in Serbia that are vulnerable to flooding, 19 of them were selected randomly out of 150 municipalities and 23 cities and the city of Belgrade. In survey research conducted in 2015, which included 2,500 respondents, a test strategy in households was applied with the use of a multi-stage random sample. The research results indicate that there is a statistically significant relationship between educational level and the following variables: preventive measures; financial funds; engaged in the field; engaged in a reception center; visiting flooded areas; heavy rains; river level rise; and the level of preparedness, supplies in the home; radio-transistor; flashlight; shovel; hack; apparatus for firefighting; supplies in the car; first aid kit in the home and so on. On the other hand, there is no relationship with variables: media reports, information in religious community, on television, education on radio, informal education system. The research results can be used to improve citizen preparedness to respond to disasters caused by flooding. The survey set out recommendations for increasing the level of preparedness to respond in such situations with regard to the educational level of citizens.

Influence of employment status on citizen preparedness for response to natural disasters

Consequences of floods that affected the territory 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 in mind all local communities in Serbia where floods occurred or where there is a high risk of flooding, the sample was randomly selected consisting of 19 of 150 municipalities and 23 towns and the city of Belgrade. The survey used the strategy of testing in households with the use of a multi-stage random sample. The research results show that the citizens who are employed, in a higher percentage/to a greater extent compared to citizens who are not have taken certain preventive measures aimed at reducing the tangible consequences of floods, would pay funds to an account to help flood victims, would engage in providing help to flood victims in the field, heavy rains make them think of preparedness for response and water level rise, they engaged in preparations for at least 6 months, do not do anything that would raise the level of preparedness to the next level, etc. The originality of the research lies in the fact that in Serbia the research has never been conducted to examine the state of preparedness of citizens to respond. Bearing in mind that the research is based on the territory of Serbia, the 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.