@article{ref1,
title="Resilience of communities in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria: community-based preparedness and communication strategies",
journal="Disaster medicine and public health preparedness",
year="2021",
author="Andrade, Elizabeth L. and Barrett, Nicole D. and Edberg, Mark C. and Seeger, Matthew W. and Santos-Burgoa, Carlos",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine factors that may have contributed to community disaster resilience following Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. <br><br>METHODS: In April 2018, qualitative interviews (n = 22) were conducted with stakeholders in 7 Puerto Rican municipalities (9% of total). Transcripts were deductively and inductively coded and analyzed to identify salient topics and themes, then examined according to strategic themes from the Federal Emergency Management Association's (FEMA) Whole Community Approach. <br><br>RESULTS: Municipal preparedness efforts were coordinated, community-based, leveraged community assets, and prioritized vulnerable populations. Strategies included (1) multi-sectoral coordination and strategic personnel allocation; (2) neighborhood leader designation as support contacts; (3) leveraging of community leader expertise and social networks to protect vulnerable residents; (4) Censuses of at-risk groups, health professionals, and first responders; and (5) outreach for risk communication and locally tailored protective measures. In the context of collapsed telecommunications, communities implemented post-disaster strategies to facilitate communication with the Puerto Rican Government, between local first responders, and to keep residents informed, including the use of: (1) police radios; (2) vehicles with loudspeakers; (3) direct interpersonal communication; and (4) solar-powered Internet radio stations. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Adaptive capacities and actions of Puerto Rican communities exemplify the importance of local solutions in disasters. Expanded research is recommended to better understand contributors to disaster resilience.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1935-7893",
doi="10.1017/dmp.2021.306",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2021.306"
}