Using risk and early warning system perceptions to increase self-protective behaviour in the Caribbean

The Eastern Caribbean region experiences at least one major disaster yearly. Since 1990, the approximate cost of all disaster-related damage is an estimated US$160 billion. These disasters produce heightened concerns about the Caribbean and the importance of building disaster awareness and resilience, using integrated and systematic approaches for risk management, including analysing the perceptions of disaster. This multi-dimensional study analyses the perceptions of hazards, risks, and early warning systems across the Caribbean. A 40-item questionnaire was distributed in Jamaica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago to 600 persons; 416 completed questionnaires were collected. The results identified a gap between the high perception of risk and the lack of self-protective measures. This high perception, threat, and impact of disasters are not translating into sufficient disaster preparedness or mitigation measures, especially those related to creating a household emergency plan, building an emergency kit, heeding advisory warnings, and adopting other preparedness activities. One notable finding was that most respondents reported having greater confidence in disaster communications and information shared by university institutions compared to information received from government agencies. Additionally, there is a concerning dependence on social media for distributing disaster advisories, which may impact the effectiveness and reliability of the information being disseminated. Further, the data analysis offers recommendations to address the weaknesses of the current early warning system (EWS) in the Caribbean and proposes more integrative community-based outreach initiatives, coupled with media campaigns to underscore the significant value of non-economic measures for safeguarding lives and livelihoods.