Enhancing Disaster Preparedness Education through

Mobile Applications

A recent report from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and the World
Meteorological Organization highlights a concerning reality: half of the world's countries remain
unprepared for disasters (2022). Throughout history, disasters like earthquakes, floods, and
wildfires have had a significant impact on humanity, consistently resulting in widespread
destruction. The consequences are even more devastating when communities are not prepared,
leading to higher mortality rates and more damage caused. This underscores the need for
widespread awareness regarding disaster preparedness.

Disaster preparedness education can help in mitigating the adverse outcomes of different
disasters. However, traditional methods of education often struggle in effectively reaching,
engaging, and educating vulnerable populations and there is a pressing need to reevaluate
existing approaches. In a modern technology-enabled society, integrating e-tools such as mobile
applications into disaster preparedness education could help in effectively engaging the public in
safety enhancement. The objective of this research is to conduct a social investigation in order to
determine the design and development of a mobile app for disaster preparedness education.

In recent times, the approach to disaster management has changed considerably. Previously,
communities were considered as helpless victims of disasters in need of aid. Now, it is believed
that disaster mitigation is best effective when communities are prepared, thus incorporating a
more holistic approach (Rahman, 2012: 88). It is important, therefore, to look into different
approaches to educate communities on disaster preparedness. In today’s technology-enabled
society, the mediums of education are rapidly advancing, and it is necessary to utilize such
emerging mediums for the purpose of disaster management. Mobile applications possess
significant potential, for both communication and education (Li et al 2010; Palumbo et al 2012;
Woodcock et al 2012). They could serve as a great tool for spreading disaster preparedness
knowledge due to their versatile features: they are small, portable, multifunctional, and allow
quick delivery of information and access to various online websites regarding disasters (Sweta
2014). Given the diverse nature of mobile apps, they can cater to various needs in disaster
management (Sung 2011). Hence, there are enough arguments in favor of the use of mobile apps
for disaster preparedness education for us to conclude that there is a need for such a purposeful,
functional and educational app.

For the development of the application, it is essential, firstly, to define a clear scope for the app.
Secondly, the app should impart information in an interesting and engaging manner, so the user
is able to understand it easily. Thirdly, the app should work fast, be reliable and meet the user’s
needs. Lastly, the design of the app holds great importance as it is the first thing a user interacts
with after installing the app. Thus, the design should be user-friendly, simple, and aesthetic.
Following the aforementioned steps would help in achieving the complete potential of the app.
Research has been conducted on various levels for the design and development of such an app.
In a study conducted in Queensland, scientists interview people living in disaster-prone areas.
The study reported that, according to them, an app developed for disaster management should
have both off-line features (information on how to prepare for disasters, checklists, etc.) and
online features (links to websites, social media component, etc.). It should also be user-friendly
and efficient.

Given all of the aspects discussed above, it remains quite clear that knowing the potential users’
needs for such an app is important before developing it in order to achieve a satisfying result.
Therefore, this paper employs the methodology of social investigation in order to determine the
design and development of a mobile app for disaster preparedness education. A survey was
prepared and sent out online. The survey consisted of three sections: The first section included
general questions related to the respondent’s age, education level and gender. The second section
in the survey questioned the user on their knowledge and perception of natural disasters. In the
last section, the user selected the features they thought would be useful in a mobile app for
disaster education. There were 20 respondents in all, and included individuals of different age
groups and educational levels.

The results from the survey gave some valuable insights into the general awareness of disasters
among people as well as what they think an educational disaster preparedness app looks like. In
the second section, respondents had to rate on a scale from 1 to 5 how strongly they agreed or
disagreed with certain statements, related to the respondents’ knowledge regarding disasters. The
results revealed that most people were aware of the type of disasters that could occur in their
area. However, only 57.1% knew what to do if a disaster ever struck, while only 42.9% had
knowledge about first aid. This shows that disaster education is not common among people. It is
quite alarming, as their lack of awareness would have prevented them from taking adequate
measures to protect themselves during an emergency. What was perhaps even more alarming
was that 60% of the respondents did not know the warning signals of disasters. If one is able to
identify the warning signs of a disaster, only then can one take the necessary precautions to
prepare oneself. Therefore, awareness is needed on this very important aspect of disaster
preparedness.

85.7% of respondents had not participated in disaster preparedness trainings or courses. This
indicates that such trainings might not be accessible for everyone, and therefore there should an
educational medium that can be accessed by anyone from anywhere, a requirement that an app
can easily fulfill. Moreover, 100% of respondents felt the need to inform themselves on disaster
preparedness in order to feel more confident and thought that a mobile app would be a great tool
to do so.

In conclusion, according to the above findings, the majority of the respondents are vulnerable to
disasters due to their lack of knowledge on behavior during emergencies. They will most likely
benefit from such an app that will inform them on the necessary knowledge, skills and mindset
they need to survive disasters. It is very important for the information imparted through the
application to be presented in an interactive manner so that the users can actively engage with
and better understand the content. This creates a more dynamic learning experience. In addition,
the app should be able to reach as large an audience as possible and for this, it is essential to
work on the app’s marketing and introduce it in various educational institutions, businesses, and
corporations.

The third section of the survey enabled users to answer questions related to the features and
elements of a disaster preparedness app. One question in this section was whether the app should
include disasters specific only to Pakistan or not, and the majority strongly believed that the app
should include information on all kinds of different disasters and not just those that could occur
in Pakistan. In another question, respondents were provided with a list of features and were
required to select the ones they think would be most relevant for a disaster preparedness
application. The most selected features were those that educated users on appropriate emergency
behavior: 100% of respondents believed that it should include information on proper behavior in
case of a natural disaster, interactive quizzes, and emergency toolkit checklists, while 85.7%
opted for “Information on first aid”. Respondents also preferred other useful features: 71.4% of
people wanted there to be interactive maps, links to useful websites and GPS tracking. 85.7%
also felt the need for a volunteering platform on the app. Other features such as links to useful
social media sites and integration of hardware elements were shown less interest. The last
question asked respondents whether gamification would be effective in the learning process for
such an app and 100% agreed with this.

From the data collected through this research, certain design elements can be considered
important to add to the application. Firstly, it should include an educational section that informs
users of different disasters and how to remain prepared for them. This section should employ
interactive means to impart this information such as perhaps animations, games, quizzes, etc.
Another section could include a checklist for an emergency kit consisting of essential items to
keep on hand. A resources section can provide links to various other useful websites and social
media sites. Interactive maps that display potential disasters in a user’s vicinity could help users
become more aware and take the necessary measures to prepare for them. A volunteering
platform on the app could allow users to connect with local community initiatives or disaster
response organizations. Furthermore, an engaging and user-friendly interface is crucial to ensure
that the app is easy-to-use for people of all ages. By incorporating these design elements, the
application can not only educate users on disaster preparedness but also empower them to take
the necessary steps in protecting themselves and their communities.
Work Cited List:
1. Li, X., et al. "A Case for Smartphone Reuse to Augment Elementary School Education."
Green Computing Conference, 2010 International, 2010, pp. 459-466.
2. Palumbo, M. J., et al. "Harnessing Smartphones for Ecological Education, Research, and
Outreach." Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, vol. 93, 2012, pp. 390–393.
3. Rahman, A. B. "Issues of Disaster Management Preparedness: A Case Study of Directive
20 of National Security Council Malaysia." International Journal of Business and Social
Science, vol. 3, no. 5, 2012, pp. 85-92.
4. Sung, S. J. "How Can We Use Mobile Apps for Disaster Communications in Taiwan:
Problems and Possible Practice." 8th International Telecommunications Society (ITS)
Asia-Pacific Regional Conference, Taiwan, 26-28 June 2011: Convergence in the Digital
Age, 2011, pp. 15.
5. Sweta, L. O. "Early Warning Systems and Disaster Management Using Mobile
Crowdsourcing." International Journal of Science and Research, vol. 3, no. 4, 2014, pp.
356-365.
6. Woodcock, B., et al. "Considering the Smartphone Learner: An Investigation into Student
Interest in the Use of Personal Technology to Enhance Their Learning." Student
Engagement and Experience Journal, vol. 1, 2012, pp. 1-15.
7. World Meteorological Organization. "UN Warns That Half the World Is Not Prepared for
Disasters." WMO, 13 October 2022, https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/un-
warns-half-world-not-prepared-
disasters#:~:text=A%20new%20report%20from%20the,multi%2Dhazard%20early%20w
arning%20systems.
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Crowdsourcing." International Journal of Science and Research, vol. 3, no. 4, 2014, pp.
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Interest in the Use of Personal Technology to Enhance Their Learning." Student
Engagement and Experience Journal, vol. 1, 2012, pp. 1-15.
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Disasters." WMO, 13 October 2022, https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/un-
warns-half-world-not-prepared-
disasters#:~:text=A%20new%20report%20from%20the,multi%2Dhazard%20early%20w
arning%20systems.