Combination of school evacuation drill with tsunami inundation simulation: Consensus-making between disaster experts and citizens on an evacuation strategy

Abstract

This paper aims to introduce an effective methodology for communicating a science-based tsunami risk scenario to non-expert citizens through consensus-making between disaster experts and non-experts, with the aid of four-way split-screen movie clips depicting evacuation scenarios. Action research on tsunami education in Zihuatanejo, Mexico found that a perception of tsunamis as catastrophic together with the one-directional nature of risk communication resulted in inaction on the part of non-experts in disaster preparedness, contrary to the expectations of experts. In other words, non-experts did not think that they could cope with a tsunami disaster and they perceived that as non-experts they themselves could not affect the tsunami risk scenario communicated to them by the experts. In response, movie clips simultaneously displaying a school evacuation drill and tsunami inundation simulation were developed. These movie clips are intended to serve as a tool in the process of establishing a school tsunami evacuation strategy by promoting consensus-making between experts and non-experts about the risk scenario, thereby helping to change the perception of a tsunami from a catastrophe that cannot be dealt with by non-experts to a realistic perception that non-experts can indeed help by engaging in their own tsunami risk preparedness activities. The developed movie clips were used at a workshop for stakeholders, including academics, local government, and teachers, with the aims of establishing scenario-based evacuation strategies and promoting the proactive implementation of preparedness activities by non-expert teachers. The study will contribute to establishing a mechanism for applying scientific knowledge to solving societal issues.