Enhancing emergency kit preparedness of Indonesia’s poor community through insight from behavioral economics

Flood disasters are becoming more frequent, deadly, and costly due to climate change. Experts predominantly agreed that within the first 3 days after a disaster, people will need to be partially or completely self-sufficient. However, only a few people prepare emergency kits before a disaster occurs, especially poor people. Behavioral economics has been used to promote many behaviors, but rarely in disaster preparedness and response. Providing emergency supplies to everyone after a disaster is essential to prepare for disaster. Thus, an automatic enrollment for having an emergency kit can be an effective way. This study aims to increase emergency kit preparedness via different enrollment strategies. A random sample of 241 respondents in Kademangan village was divided into two groups (voluntary enrolment and automatic enrollment). We provide emergency kit purchases through voluntary enrollment. The automatic enrollment group was automatically enrolled in the emergency kit program through a village charge fee. Predictor variables included age, gender, family size, home ownership, income, education level, perceived flood risk protection, perceived flood risk level, flood experience, and perceived likelihood of flood at home. We then compare the characteristics and the number of participants who enrolled between voluntary versus automatic enrollment approaches using a multivariate logistic regression model, ANOVA t-test, and binary logit regression analysis. Overall, 43% of individuals were enrolled by the automated enrollment strategy, compared to 19% through voluntary enrollment. Young females with higher incomes are likely to enroll in acquiring emergency kits. Because women who make fewer decisions may be more likely to have emergency kits, while young individuals with greater incomes are more prepared for disasters. Furthermore, to reduce the burden on poor village communities it is essential to implement a system that offers incentives from the village fund program to access emergency kits.