Expecting the Unexpected: Disaster Vulnerability and Evacuation Planning

While naturals disasters and extreme weather events continue to increase in both frequency and severity due to climate change, communities around the world continue to suffer major social, environmental and economic losses. However, rural communities in particular are struggling to develop adequate adaptation plans and perform risk reduction actions due to limited human and financial resources. As well, Indigenous communities continue to be disproportionately impacted by these events due to remoteness, dependence on the natural environment, and limited access to emergency services which highlights the need to build resilient capacity to reduce future disaster losses. This research project will run a trial vulnerability analysis in Siksika Nation, located in Southern Alberta, to determine what economic, cultural, social and geographic factors are needed to develop a comprehensive evacuation plan. It will also determine whether this strategy can be utilized in similar communities to facilitate knowledge sharing while creating disaster risk reduction plans.

Faculty Supervisor:

Conny Davidsen

Student:

Claire Hosford

Partner:

ATCO Frontec

Discipline:

Other

Sector:

University:

University of Calgary

Program: