Training children and adolescents for disaster

An additional benefit of educating children and adolescents about how risks in disaster situations was argued to be, that they can take this knowledge home with them and provide this information to their parents and families, which is particularly important when their parents may not be fluent in Italian and not understand such procedures: “Children know Italian, and children are those who explain to their parents – who often only know Chinese – what are the principles of civil protection. Children go to school and they are taught information on protection, on assembly centres, and they refer this back home” (G4; R10), “there are activities such as communication of risk, of behavioural norms and so on. In fact children, going back home, asked their parents “Is our house at risk?” (G4; R10 - see source document for full reference).

Cultural Factors: Open-mindedness, Languages, Communication

Hazards: Natural hazards, Man-made non-intentional hazards or emergency situations, Man-made intentional hazards

Disaster Phases: Preparedness

Types of Actors Concerned: National civil protection body, Local authorities, Healthcare and emergency services

Recommendations:

• Social media can be a useful alternative communication channel in all stages of disaster management
• The use of new technologies (e.g. Bluetooth) can improve communication strategies in disaster management situations
• Use cultural factors to improve the effectiveness of disaster communication