Not just who, but where: Examining weather risk information dependencies and preparation across location and social vulnerability

The current study aimed to examine the impact of media dependencies, demographic, and social vulnerability indicators on perceptions of information sufficiency, disaster preparation, and trust in public health officials. In doing so, this data was disaggregated across geographic tracts to account for demographic and infrastructure variability, with the aim of providing guidance for emergency messages and responders. An online survey of 519 Connecticut residents, drawn from parts of the state known to experience social and structural vulnerabilities, was used as an initial inquiry and proof of concept. The results paint an interesting picture of the potential variability in these relationships across locations with varying degrees of structural and social vulnerability. They also reinforce the importance of variability in source preferences and their relationship with motivated information seeking. Implications for further research and emergency managers are discussed. • A survey examined media use, vulnerability, information needs, preparation, and trust in public health officials. • Trust in first responders is more likely a function of long-standing attitudes than specific information seeking behavior • Those dependent on less reliable sources were less likely to mitigate • Older audiences expressed a greater need for information in order to make decisions about responding to weather threats • Results discussed in terms of their implications for local government agencies, first responders, and media personnel.