Citizens' first response in a disaster would be to call family and friends

54% of all participants in the Malta Citizen Summit indicated that in case there was a high risk of a disaster happening soon and they would feel this disaster may cause serious harm, the first thing they would do is call their family and friends; 32% would first call the emergency services.

Cultural Factors: Norms/values, Communication, Social networks

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

Disaster Phases: Response

Types of Actors Concerned: Healthcare and emergency services

Recommendations:

• Develop guidelines for disaster practitioners that take into consideration the different needs of and approaches to different ethnical groups
• Inform citizens about the risk they may face and about possible actions and measures, they can take to reduce vulnerability and better prepare themselves
• Use cultural factors to improve the effectiveness of disaster communication