How might NZers respond to an early earthquake warning?

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New Zealand
PHOTO:  Flickr/Martin Luff
PHOTO: Flickr/Martin Luff

Researchers surveyed Kiwis about their previous experiences and knowledge about earthquakes to see if this affects what they would do if they got a heads up from an early warning system. They found that doing exercises or drills did not seem to prompt the right actions for earthquake warnings, such as drop, cover, and hold. Instead, the more personally relevant a person's experiences were – like having a family member previously injured from a quake – the more likely they were to intend to take a useful action when they got an alert. Regional experiences with bigger quakes also seemed to play a part: people in Canterbury and Wellington reported a greater likelihood to mentally prepare for a quake if they got an early warning. The authors say early warning systems often offer only a couple of seconds of warning, so it’s important people respond correctly, and that this research could inform future public education initiatives.

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Research Frontiers, Web page
Journal/
conference:
Frontiers in Communication
Research:Paper
Organisation/s: Massey University
Funder: Earthquake Commission (EQC) Biennial Research Funding Programme (EQC 18/750—Social and sector-based benefits of an Earthquake Early Warning System); QuakeCoRE a Tertiary Education Commission initiative (QuakeCoRE publication number 0703); and Kia manawaroa—Ngā Ākina o Te Ao Turoa (Resilience to Nature's Challenge—National Science Challenge).
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