Assessing Reverse 911®: A case study of the 2007 San Diego wildfires

Authors

  • Tonya T. Neaves, ABD, MPPA
  • Stacey C. Mann, PhD
  • Laura B. Myers, PhD
  • Arthur G. Cosby, PhD

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.2014.0182

Keywords:

Reverse 911®, warning, evacuation, wildfire, San Diego

Abstract

In October 2007, 250,000 residents of San Diego County were forced to evacuate as wildfires burned 62 miles2 in 24 hours. In 2005, the Sheriff’s Department invested in Reverse 911® to contact residents upon emergencies. The system was used during this wildfire, and by the following midday, had made 394,915 calls. Shortly thereafter, 1,210 residents were surveyed to investigate the effectiveness of this technology. Findings reveal that 42 percent of respondents received their first warning from a Reverse 911® call while an additional 7 percent received the same call, but not as their first warning, as compared to all other methods used.

Author Biographies

Tonya T. Neaves, ABD, MPPA

Department of Public and International Affairs, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia.

Stacey C. Mann, PhD

Department of Emergency Management, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, Alabama.

Laura B. Myers, PhD

Center for Advanced Public Safety, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Arthur G. Cosby, PhD

Social Science Research Center, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi.

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Published

02/19/2016

How to Cite

Neaves, ABD, MPPA, T. T., S. C. Mann, PhD, L. B. Myers, PhD, and A. G. Cosby, PhD. “Assessing Reverse 911®: A Case Study of the 2007 San Diego Wildfires”. Journal of Emergency Management, vol. 12, no. 4, Feb. 2016, pp. 315-2, doi:10.5055/jem.2014.0182.