Assessing the Expectations Gap: Impact of Critical Infrastructure Service Providers and Consumers Preparedness, and Response
This is a sub-award with the University of Washington

It is expected that a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake (with tsunami on the coast) of magnitude 8-9 will substantially damage the Pacific Northwest in the next few years, yet disaster preparedness is low. In particular, while some estimates for lifeline infrastructure (drinking water and wastewater, power, transportation, telecommunications) suggest weeks to months before they are restored, customers (households, businesses, nonprofit organizations) may have far more optimistic estimates of restoration times, leading to under-preparedness. This research study explores both customer and infrastructure organization expectations of restoration time, and test whether sharing these expectations with customers changes their intentions to better prepare for the Cascadia earthquake.

Investigators

Principal Investigator, ORI
Project Start Date

10/01/2023

Project End Date

05/31/2025

Funding Agency

National Science Foundation

Current Status

Active, not recruiting