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Expert Inquiry

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Searching for signal and borrowing wi-fi: Understanding disaster-related adaptations to telecommunications disruptions through social media

Reproductive Improvisation and the Virtues of Sameness: The Art of Reestablishing New York City's Emergency Operations Center

Differences in Household Preparedness and Adaptation for COVID-19

Household Adaptations to Infrastructure System Service Interruptions

Household impacts of interruption to electric power and water services

James Kendra, professor of Public Policy and Administration and co-director of the Disaster Research Center, researches emergency planning, crisis management and organizational improvisation and resilience.

Organizational Improvisation and Resilience

Emergency Management Technology

Disaster Planning

Crisis Management

Emergency Planning

Coastal Hazards

Risk Perception

University of Delaware Expert Profile

ResearchGate Citations

The Conversation Author Page

‘Not living in the same reality.’ Why COVID data settles zero arguments.

Dozens Are Killed as Tornadoes and Severe Weather Strike Southern States

America’s heartland is expected to flood again — but this time amid coronavirus

faststriking-and-unpredictable-tornadoes-pose-major-challenges-for-emergency-planners

Director, Disaster Research Center; Professor, Biden School of Public Policy and Administration

Director / Professor, Disaster Research Center / Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice

Professor and Director, Epidemiology

Associate Professor, Sociology & Criminal Justice

Assistant Professor, Anthropology; Core Faculty Member, Disaster Research Center

Director, Climate Change Science & Policy Hub | Core Faculty, Disaster Research Center | Associate Professor, Biden School of Public Policy and Administration & Department of Geography & Spatial Sciences

 At least 20 U.S. states have been hit with tornadoes – some of them deadly – over the past week. Experts from the University of Delaware's  Disaster Research Center can speak to the difficulty of drawing up plans in advance of tornadoes, which can develop quickly and unexpectedly, as well as a variety of topics related to storm preparedness, evacuations and recovery. 

Those experts include: Jennifer Horney: Environmental impacts of disasters and potential public health impacts for chronic and infectious diseases. Horney, who co-authored a paper on the increase in tornado outbreaks, can talk about how impacts on the morbidity and mortality that result from tornadoes.

Tricia Wachtendorf: Evacuation decision-making, disaster response and coordination, disaster relief (donations) and logistics, volunteer and emergent efforts, social vulnerability.  

James Kendra: Disaster response, nursing homes and hospitals, volunteers, response coordination.

Jennifer Trivedi: Challenges for people with disabilities during disaster, cultural issues and long-term recovery.

Sarah DeYoung: Pets in emergencies, infant feeding in disasters and decision-making in evacuation.  

A.R. Siders: Expert on sea level rise and managed retreat – the concept of planned community movement away from flood-prone areas.

To reach these experts directly, visit their profile and click on the contact button.
 


Fast-striking and unpredictable, tornadoes pose major challenges for emergency planners

hurricane-milton-second-major-storm-in-two-weeks-could-multiply-danger-on-floridas-gulf-coast

Associate Professor, Sociology and Criminal Justice; Core Faculty, Disaster Research Center

 Now a Category 5 hurricane, Milton is making a beeline toward Tampa Bay and other parts of Florida's western coast. But it will also hit some of the same areas that Hurricane Helene decimated less than two weeks ago, amplifying the danger and need for an on-point disaster response.

Experts in the University of Delaware's Disaster Research Center can talk about several facets of this developing situation:

Jennifer Horney: The mental and physical impacts of multiple disasters; environmental impacts of disasters and potential public health impacts for chronic and infectious diseases. She can talk about both Milton and Helene – Horney is a native of North Carolina and has done fieldwork in the state.

Victor Perez: Can talk about known environmental justice issues in the Gulf Coast region that interact with climate change impacts, like hurricanes.

Sarah DeYoung: Conspiracy theories and misinformation during disasters; pets in emergencies, infant feeding in disasters, decision-making in evacuation and community cohesion. DeYoung is from western North Carolina and can draw parallels from Milton to Helene.

Jennifer Trivedi: Can talk about long-term recovery after large scale events – including compounding events – as well as challenges during disasters for people with disabilities, vulnerable communities and decision making.

Tricia Wachtendorf: Evacuation decision-making, disaster response and coordination, disaster relief (donations) and logistics, volunteer and emergent efforts, social vulnerability.

James Kendra: Disaster response activities, volunteers, and emergency coordination.

A.R. Siders: Expert on sea level rise and managed retreat – the concept of planned community movement away from coastlines and flood-prone areas and the "expanding bullseye" that is contributing to the rising disaster costs in the U.S.

Shanjia Dong: Research looks at smart and resilient urban systems; infrastructure systems, critical infrastructure protection, effective disaster preparedness and response, and equitable resilience planning and climate change adaptation.

Joe Trainor: Post-storm housing decisions and insurance.





Hurricane Milton: Second major storm in two weeks could multiply danger on Florida's Gulf Coast

hurricane-helene-addressing-health-and-safety-concerns-as-communities-rebuild

 With Hurricane Helene bearing down on the Gulf region, millions of people are deciding whether or not to evacuate from their homes or ride the storm out. How to best protect their families, concerns over feeding their infants and what to do with beloved pets will all factor into their decisions. Understanding the reasons why individuals choose one course of action over the other is a complex issue that researchers in the University of Delaware's Disaster Research Center have been studying for years.

The following experts in the DRC, the oldest such center in the United States, can comment on the following topics:

Tricia Wachtendorf: Evacuation decision-making, disaster response and coordination, disaster relief (donations) and logistics, volunteer and emergent efforts, social vulnerability.

James Kendra: Disaster response, nursing homes and hospitals, volunteers, response coordination.

A.R. Siders: Expert on sea level rise and managed retreat – the concept of planned community movement away from coastlines and flood-prone areas. Specifically, Siders can talk about how building more homes and infrastructure in flood-prone areas in Florida makes the consequences of hurricanes like Helene more severe. (How the 'expanding bullseye' is contributing to the rising disaster costs in the U.S.). She authored two papers slated for release on floodplain development (noting the more than 400,000 homes that were built in regulated floodplains 2001-2019).

Jennifer Horney: Environmental impacts of disasters and potential public health impacts for chronic and infectious diseases.

Sarah DeYoung: Pets in emergencies, infant feeding in disasters and decision-making in evacuation. Specifically, DeYoung can speak to reports that mothers in Florida social media groups are concerned about storage of breastmilk if/when the power goes out.

Jennifer Trivedi: Can talk about preparedness steps and recovery, including recovery planning, particularly in non-coastal areas; as well as challenges for people with disabilities during disaster, cultural issues and long-term recovery. 

Victor Perez: Focuses on environmental racism and health disparities in historically marginalized communities.

Shanjia Dong: Research looks at smart and resilient urban systems; infrastructure systems, critical infrastructure protection, effective disaster preparedness and response, and equitable resilience planning and climate change adaptation.

Joe Trainor: Post-storm housing decisions and insurance.
 


Hurricane Helene: Addressing health and safety concerns as communities rebuild

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