Hurricane Maria Emergency Communications Investigation: Final Household Survey

NIST Hurricane Maria Investigation
Emergency Communications Household Survey
TELEPHONE Part 1 - Intro, Consent, Screening

OMB Control #0693-0078
Expiration Date: 07/31/2022
Agency contact information may be found at the end of this survey.

Part 1: Introduction

Thank you for responding to the postcard you received. We are investigating
information sharing and emergency risk communication during Hurricane Maria in
Puerto Rico on behalf of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
We are interested in your experience with emergency communications before and
during Hurricane Maria on September 20, 2017. Since the hurricane was over three
years ago, we understand that you may not remember everything perfectly. That's
okay, please answer to the best of your ability. We expect findings from these
surveys will lead to recommendations for policy, procedures, and codes that
benefit life safety during future hurricanes.

With your permission, our conversation will be audio recorded and transcribed into
a written record for this purpose and for future research. 
Do you give us permission to record and use your information for this purpose?
Yes (Proceed with recording)
No

This survey poses no risks or benefits to you personally. Your participation is
voluntary and without compensation. You may refuse to answer any question
raised. The survey will take approximately 25 minutes. Any sensitive or personal
information that you provide will be kept confidential to the extent permitted by
law. We will not release information such as your name, phone number, or address.

You will remain anonymous, and the information collected will be combined or
aggregated with information that we obtain from other individuals. Information
collected in this survey may be shared by NIST with researchers at NIST or with
researchers outside NIST. The information that you provide may be used in future
research. Any future research will include protections to ensure that both the
sharing and use of the information complies with the conditions just described.
Do you consent to our using the information that you provide in the way that was
described?

Please confirm your consent to participate in this survey by selecting one of the
following:
Consents
Does not consent

Part 2: Screening Questions

Are you at least 21 years of age?
Yes
No

Were you living on Puerto Rico in 2017 and on the island during Hurricane Maria?
Yes
No

Were you involved in household preparations for Hurricane Maria?
Yes
No

Lastly, do you still live at the same location as before Hurricane Maria?
Yes
No

Is there someone else in your household who is:
at least 21 years of age?
was living on Puerto Rico in 2017 and on island during Hurricane Maria?
was involved in household preparations for Hurricane Maria?
and still lives at this location?

If so, select yes, and please have them take the survey. Thank you.
Yes
No

Part 3: Background & Previous Experience Questions

Part 3: Background & Previous Experience Questions

We would like to learn about your experiences with hurricanes and other natural
hazards before Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.

Q6. Before Hurricanes Irma and Maria, how many hurricanes had you
experienced? (Select only one)
Interviewer - Read List
None; Irma and Maria were the first hurricanes I experienced
1-2
3-4
5 or more
I don't know

Q7. Before Hurricanes Irma and Maria, how many times had you evacuated from a
hurricane? Evacuation is defined as leaving your home or location to go to a safer
place, including a public shelter. (Select only one)
Interviewer - Read List
None; I never evacuated before Hurricanes Irma and Maria
1-2
3-4

5 or more
I don't know

Q8. Before Hurricanes Irma and Maria, had you ever experienced any of the
following from a hurricane? (Select one response for each item)
Interviewer - Read List

a. Damage to my
home

b. Loss of utilities at
my home for more
than 48 hours

c. Flooding affecting
my home or property

Yes

No

I don't know

d. Landslides affecting

my home or property

Q9. Before Hurricanes Irma and Maria, how long had you lived in your home?
(Select only one)
Interviewer - Read List
Less than 1 year
1-4 years
5-9 years
10 or more years
I don't know

Q10. Before Hurricanes Irma and Maria, was your home owned or rented (by
yourself or others)? (Select only one)
Interviewer - Read List
Owned
Rented
I don't know

Q11. Before Hurricanes Irma and Maria, had you done any of the following to
prepare for a hurricane? (Select one response for each item)
Interviewer - Read List

a. Signed up for alerts
or warnings

b. Made a plan for
evacuation (such as
where to go)

c. Set aside food,
water, medicine, or
other supplies

d. Took steps to
protect home from
winds, rain, or debris

e. Attended training
on hurricane
preparedness

f. Talked with others
about hurricane
preparation

Yes

No

I don't know

g. Had insurance
coverage for a natural   
hazard (any)

Q12. Before Hurricanes Irma and Maria, how safe did you think your home would be
to stay in during a hurricane? (Select only one)
Interviewer - Read List
Very safe
Somewhat safe
Somewhat unsafe
Very unsafe
I don't know

Part 4 - Communication Questions

Part 4: Communication Questions

We would like to learn about emergency communication and messages you
received before Hurricane Maria. This includes evacuation messages and other

kinds of information.

Q13. In the days before Hurricane Maria, did you receive evacuation related
information from the following sources? (Select one response for each item)
Interviewer - Ask "Did you receive information from. . ." for each source

a. National Hurricane
Center or National
Weather Service

b. National TV, radio,
or internet
broadcaster (for
example, David
Begnaud)

c. Governor

d. Fire department or
police

e. Puerto Rico
Emergency
Management Agency
or local emergency
manager

f. Mayor (of your
municipality)

Yes

No

I don't know

g. Local/regional TV,
radio, or internet
broadcaster (for
example, Ada Monzon,   
Deborah Martorell,
John TooheyMorales)
h. Family member,
neighbor, co-worker,
or friend

Q14. In the days before Hurricane Maria, did you receive any evacuation-related
information through the following information channels (Select one response for
each item)
Interviewer - Ask "Did you receive information from. . ." for each channel

Yes

No

I don't know

a. Cell phone (calls or
texts)

b. Landline phone
(calls or automated
messages)

c. Government,
agency, organization,
or news websites

d. Social media (such
as Facebook or
Twitter)

e. Television

f. Newspaper

g. Radio

h. Public address
system, megaphones,
messages or signage

i. Face-to-face / inperson

Yes

No

I don't know

Q15. Before Hurricane Maria, did you consider the following sources to be
trustworthy for providing accurate evacuation-related and emergency information
about hurricanes? This question uses a response scale of 1 to 5 where 1 signifies
"Not at all trustworthy" and 5 signifies "Extremely trustworthy". (Select one response
for each item)
Interviewer - Read List of sources

a. National Hurricane
Center or National
Weather Service

b. National TV, radio,
or internet
broadcaster (for
example, David
Begnaud)

c. Governor

d. Fire department or
police

Not at all
trustworthy

Slightly
trustworthy

Moderately
useful

Very
trustworthy

Extremely
trustworthy

Not at all
trustworthy

Slightly
trustworthy

Moderately
useful

Very
trustworthy

Extremely
trustworthy

e. Puerto Rico
Emergency
Management Agency   
or local emergency
manager
f. Mayor (of your
municipality)

g. Local/regional TV,
radio, or internet
broadcaster (for
example, Ada
Monzon, Deborah
Martorell, John
Toohey-Morales)

h. Family member,
neighbor, co-worker,
or friend

Q16. Before Hurricane Maria, was this channel one of your preferred ways for
getting hurricane or evacuation-related information? (Select one response for
each item).

a. Cell phone (calls or
texts)

b. Landline phone
(calls or automated
messages)

c. Government,
agency, organization,
or news websites

d. Social media (such
as Facebook or
Twitter)

e. Television

f. Newspaper

g. Radio

h. Public address
system, megaphones
messages or signage

Yes

No

I don't know

i. Face-to-face / inperson

Yes

No

I don't know

Q17. Leading up to Hurricane Maria's landfall, do you recall needing more
information about any of the following topics? (Select one response for each item)
Interviewer - Read list of topics

a. Hurricane
characteristics
(strength, windspeed,
etc.)

b. Potential to affect
utilities (power, water,
etc.)

c. Risk for flooding or
landslides at my
location

d. Potential to affect
my home

Yes

e. Actions to keep safe   
f. Where to get
supplies to prepare

g. Emergency plans
for medical care,
medication, and/or
hospitals

h. Emergency plans for
workplace or

school/childcare
i. Transportation

options for evacuation
j. Location of open
nearby shelters

k. Location of shelters
that would accept
pets

Part 5 - Evacuation Decision Questions

No

I don't know

Part 5: Evacuation Decision Questions

We would now like to learn more about your decision on whether or not to
evacuate from Hurricane Maria.

Q18. Whether or not you evacuated, how much did the following pre-storm
considerations influence your decision about whether or not to evacuate from
Hurricane Maria? This question uses a response scale of 1 to 5 where 1 signifies "Did
not influence" and 5 signifies "Influenced a very great deal". (Select one response
for each item)
Interviewer – Read each consideration, Repeat scale as necessary

a. Announcement of
hurricane "watch" or
"warning"

1
Did not
influence

2
Slightly
influenced

3
Moderately
influenced

4
Influenced a
great deal

5
Influenced a
very great
deal

1
Did not
influence

2
Slightly
influenced

3
Moderately
influenced

4
Influenced a
great deal

5
Influenced a
very great
deal

b. Previous experience

with hurricanes
c. Observing others

preparing to evacuate
d. Observing others
preparing to stay

e. Recommendations
or orders to evacuate

f. Lack of physical
resources to evacuate   
(no car, etc.)
g. Physical or medical
impediments for
yourself or others you
care for

h. The expense of
evacuation

i. Traffic accidents or
traffic jams during
evacuation

1
Did not
influence

2
Slightly
influenced

3
Moderately
influenced

4
Influenced a
great deal

5
Influenced a
very great
deal

Q19. Whether or not you evacuated, how much did the following storm impact
considerations influence your decision whether or not to evacuate from Hurricane
Maria? This question uses a response scale of 1 to 5 where 1 signifies "Did not
influence" and 5 signifies "Influenced a very great deal". (Select one response for
each item)
Interviewer – Read each consideration, Repeat scale as necessary

a. The forecasted
intensity of the storm

b. Concern that your
home would be
severely damaged or
destroyed by the
hurricane

c. Damage from
floods or landslides

d. Protecting your
home from storm
damage

e. Protecting your
home from looters

f. Your
home/neighborhood

being isolated by road

1
Did not
influence

1
Did not
influence

2
Slightly
influenced

2
Slightly
influenced

3
Moderately
influenced

3
Moderately
influenced

4
Influenced a
great deal

5
Influenced a
very great
deal

4
Influenced a
great deal

5
Influenced a
very great
deal

g. Lost income from
your job or losing your
job

1
Did not
influence

2
Slightly
influenced

3
Moderately
influenced

4
Influenced a
great deal

5
Influenced a
very great
deal

Q20. Whether or not you evacuated, at the moment you decided on evacuating
(or not), how likely did you think each of the following impacts were? This question
uses a response scale of 1 to 5, where 1 signifies "Not at all likely" and 5 signifies
"Extremely likely". (Select one response for each item)
Interviewer – Read each impact, Repeat scale as necessary

1
Not at all
likely

2
Somewhat
likely

3
Moderately
likely

4
Very likely

5
Extremely
likely

1
Not at all
likely

2
Somewhat
likely

3
Moderately
likely

4
Very likely

5
Extremely
likely

a. Hurricane would be

a Category 3 or above
b. Eye of hurricane
would pass over
island

c. Home would be
flooded

d. Home would be
impacted by
landslides

e. Home would be
damaged by wind

f. Myself or household
members would be
injured or killed

g. Pets or farm
animals would be
injured or killed

h. Utility services at
home would be
disrupted

i. Myself or household
members would be
prevented from
working due to
hurricane
damage/impacts

1
Not at all
likely

2
Somewhat
likely

3
Moderately
likely

4
Very likely

5
Extremely
likely

Q21. Did you or anyone in your household evacuate in advance of Hurricane
Maria? (Select only one)
Interviewer – Read list. "Would you say . . ."
Yes, all of us.
Yes, I evacuated, but some in my household did not.
Yes, others from my household evacuated, but I did not.
No, no one from my household evacuated.

Q22. Did you or others evacuate due to official evacuation instructions or
recommendations? (Select only one)
Interviewer – Read list.
Yes, we complied with evacuation instructions or recommendations for our
area or home
No, we decided on our own to evacuate without being aware of any specific
evacuation instructions or recommendations

Q23. How long was it between when you decided to evacuate and when you
actually evacuated? (Select only one)
Interviewer – Read list.
Less than 5 hours
6-12 hours
13-24 hours
25-48 hours
More than 2 days
I don't know

Q24. After deciding to evacuate, did you or others evacuating with you do any of
the following before leaving? (Select all that apply)
Interviewer – Read list. "Did you . . ."
Travel home from somewhere (work, etc.)
Travel elsewhere from home (to get gas, medicines, food/water, etc.)
Pack items to take or load vehicle
Attend to pets or farm animals
Protect home/property from hurricane (boarding windows, shutting off utilities,
etc.)
Gather people evacuating with you
Communicate plans to other friends or family
I did not do anything, I left immediately
I don't know

Q25. On which of the following dates did you or others evacuate from Hurricane
Maria? If there were separate evacuation times, please select the time closest to
the hurricane’s landfall. (Select only one)
Interviewer – Read list. "Did you evacuate . . ."
Before or on Monday September 18 (2 days before)
Tuesday September 19 (day before)
Wednesday September 20 (day of hurricane)
Thursday September 21 (day after)
On or after Friday September 22 (2 days after)
I don't know

Q26. Where did you evacuate to, and stay, during Hurricane Maria? (Select only
one)
Interviewer – Read list.
Home of friend, relative, or neighbor
Hotel, motel, or rental property
Emergency shelter location (public or private)
I don't know

Part 6 - Impacts & Health Related Questions

Part 6: Impacts & Health Related Questions

We would like to learn about how you and your household were impacted by the
hurricane, including: damage to your home, deaths, injuries, and healthcare
needs.

Q27. Whether or not you evacuated, did you or anyone in your household need
medical assistance in order to evacuate from Hurricane Maria (such as physical
assistance by medical staff or special equipment such as oxygen)? (Select only
one)
Interviewer – Read list.
Yes they did, and got assistance
Yes they did, but did not get assistance
No, no one needed assistance

Q28. How was your house affected by Hurricane Maria? Please tell us which of the
following conditions apply. (Select one response for each item)
Interviewer – Read list.

a. My home was not
damaged

b. Rain or flood waters
entered home

c. Landslide on
property or that
impacted home

d. Loss of any utilities
such as power, water,
or
telecommunications

e. Damage to outside
of building (windows,
doors, roof, etc.)

f. Considerable
damage to roof; more
than 50% destroyed

Yes

No

I don't know

g. Collapse of
house/home, or
completely destroyed

Yes

No

I don't know

Q29. Please indicate the number of people in your household who died because of
direct or indirect impacts from Hurricane Maria in the following categories. (Please
insert numbers in all categories, even if "0")
Interviewer – Read list.
a. wind-borne debris, floodwater, or landslides

0

b. failure of buildings such as broken windows or roof collapse

0

c. loss of power, water, transportation or other utilities

0

d. lack of medical care or necessary medication

0

e. activities related to clean-up or hurricane recovery

0

f. other causes

0

Total

0

Q30. Please indicate the number of people in your household who were injured or
sickened because of direct or indirect impacts from Hurricane Maria in the
following categories. If someone was injured and then died, please include them
here as well. (Please insert numbers in all categories, even if "0")
If someone was injured in more than one category, please include them in each
category.
Interviewer – Read list.
0

a. wind-borne debris, floodwater, or landslides

0
b. failure of buildings such as broken windows or roof collapse
0

c. loss of power, water, transportation or other utilities

0

d. lack of medical care or necessary medication

0

e. activities related to clean-up or hurricane recovery

0

f. other causes

Q31. Which of the following items did you and household members need within 72
hours of Hurricane Maria, but did not have? (Select all that apply)
Interviewer – Read list.
Safe drinking water and / or food
Utilities such as water, power, gas or electric
Phone or Internet connection
Medication; medical supplies or equipment (oxygen, wheelchair, etc.)
Cash; means to purchase needed items
Critical documents for identity, banking, insurance, etc.
Emergency power source (generator, etc.)
Gasoline (for vehicles or generator)
Ice
We had all the supplies and services we needed

Q32. Did you continue to live in your home after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico?
(Select only one)
Interviewer – Read list.
Yes, my home sustained no, or minimal, damage.
Yes, we lived there despite damage or loss of utilities.
No, the house was destroyed or in a non-livable state, and we had to relocate
due to damage or lack of utility service
No, the house was potentially livable, but we chose to relocate due to damage
or for repairs to take place.

Q33. Within the first two weeks after Hurricane Maria, did you or anyone in your
household have difficulty accessing healthcare services for any of the following
reasons? (Select all that apply)
Interviewer – Read list.
Transportation: roads closed, lack of public transportation; no ambulances
Communication: phone or 911 services unavailable
Hospital closed
Hospital not accepting patients or key services not available (x-rays, etc.)

Clinic or doctor's office closed
Dialysis center closed
Pharmacy closed or out of medicines
Lack of ability to pay for services
No one needed healthcare

Part 7 - Social and Demographic Questions

Part 7: Social and Demographic Questions

These questions will provide us with information about you and your household
and will help us to better understand how different types of people respond to
hurricanes.

Q34. Which category best describes your sex? (Select only one) You may skip this
question if you prefer not to answer.
Interviewer – Read list.
Female
Male

Q35. Which of the following Census categories best describes your ethnicity? The
U.S. Census Bureau defines "Hispanic or Latino" as an ethnic, rather than racial,
category. (Select only one)
Interviewer – Read list.
Hispanic or Latino
Not Hispanic or Latino

Q36. Please tell us which of the following Census categories best describes your
race? The U.S. Census Bureau does not consider “Hispanic or Latino” to be a racial
category, because people who identify as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish may be of
any race. (Select one or more)
Interviewer – Read list.
Black or African American
White

American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

Q37. How old were you in 2017, just before Hurricane Maria? (Select only one)
Interviewer – Read list.
18-29 years old
30-39 years old
40-49 years old
50-59 years old
60-69 years old
70 or older

Q38. What was your highest level of education completed in 2017, just before
Hurricane Maria? (Select only one)
Interviewer – Read list.
No schooling
Some schooling, but no high school diploma
High school diploma or equivalent
Some college, but no degree
Associate degree or Bachelor degree
Graduate degree (or professional degree beyond Bachelor's)

Q39. Which of the following categories best describes your employment status in
2017, just before Hurricane Maria? (Select only one)
Interviewer – Read list.
Employed full-time (working 37.5 or more hours per week)
Employed part-time (working fewer than 37.5 hours per week)
Retired
Disabled or not able to work
Not employed or other

Q40. Please tell us how many individuals in the following categories, including
yourself, lived in your household in 2017, just before Hurricane Maria. (Please insert

numbers in all categories, even if "0".)
Interviewer – Read list.
a. Infants and children 0 - 12 years old

0

b. Children and teens 13 - 17 years old

0

c. Adults 18 - 64 years old

0

d. Adults 65 and older

0

Total

0

Q41. Please provide an estimate for what you expected your total household
annual income for 2017 would be, just before Hurricane Maria. Please include all
sources, including yourself. (Select only one)
Interviewer – Read list.
Less than $5,000
$5,000 to $9,999
$10,000 to $19,999
$20,000 to $29,999
$30,000 to $39,999
$40,000 to $49,999
$50,000 to $59,999
$60,000 or more

Part 8 - Closing

Part 8: Closing

Thank you so much for taking the time to complete this survey. Your responses will
assist us in providing recommendations that can help reduce future hurricane
risks.

Q42. Do you have any comments or questions about the survey? Also, please let
us know if you would be interested in participating in a longer interview exploring
similar issues.

A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with an
information collection subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995 unless the information collection has a currently valid OMB Control
Number. The approved OMB Control Number for this information collection is
00693-0078. Without this approval, we could not conduct this survey. Public
reporting for this information collection is estimated to be approximately 45
minutes in total, per response, including the time for reviewing instructions,
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and
completing and reviewing the information collection. All responses to this
information collection are voluntary. Send comments regarding this burden
estimate or any other aspect of this information collection, including suggestions
for reducing this burden to the National Institute of Standards and Technology at:
100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, Attn: Katherine Johnson, Social
Scientist and National Construction Safety Team Member, NIST Engineering
Laboratory; or contact at katherine.johnson@nist.gov.

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