At the 2008 EMI All-Hazards Higher Education Conference, Professor Dennis Mileti Delivered

Applications of Theory: Public Warnings Experienced While Returning from EMI Higher Education Conference 2008

Jeffery A. Hartle, CFPS, MIFireE which read “I-70 Closed Flooding at Exit 41 Visiting Assistant Professor of Public —I-74 Open.” We were surprised by this Affairs information, but we had been in Hauptmann School for Public Affairs Emmitsburg, Maryland for a week and had Park University not been keeping up with the weather [email protected] situation between Maryland and our home in Missouri. As experienced travelers, we And immediately consulted the state road maps and road atlas we had in our vehicle and Dianna H. Bryant, CIH, CSP realized that Interstate 74 did not provide an Associate Professor of Health & Human alternative that led towards our destination. Services Our behavior was consistent with the social Executive Director science literature described by Mileti (2008) Institute for Rural Emergency during his conference presentation. Warned Management persons do not immediately change their University of Central Missouri plans, but often discuss the warning with [email protected] others and attempt to confirm the message and its meaning. At the 2008 EMI All-Hazards Higher The message we observed provided some Education Conference, Professor Dennis information for travelers, but offered only Mileti delivered a paper titled “Public one alternative route prior to our arrival at a Warnings That Foster Protective Actions.” decision-point on the west side of Mileti argued that social science research Indianapolis. We had been alerted to a provides “an evidence-based practice in disruption, but were uncertain about what delivering public warning messages” (2008). choice we should make. Because the This article describes our experiential alternative routing suggested by the sign did observations of a public warning event not match our plans, and because the which occurred during our return trip from message did not describe the extent of the the 2008 EMI All-Hazards Higher problem on Interstate 70, we decided to Education Conference. Adopting the continue westbound on our primary route disclaimer issued by Scanlon (2003), this and seek additional information as we paper provides our non-scholarly description traveled. Mileti (2008) observed that of how the theory described by Mileti was “alerts…will not stop ongoing life activity.” observed in action because of a flooding Like many people confronted with a event along an interstate highway. Although public warning, we attempted to verify the we would not be considered average information observed on the highway members of the public at large (because we signboard through various methods. Mileti are both academics teaching disaster and (2008) described that those receiving public emergency management), our behaviors warnings often attempt to confirm the were not dissimilar from others who information through additional sources. experienced the same event. First, we looked on all of our maps and On Saturday, June 7, 2008 we were atlases for a telephone number for the driving west on Interstate 70 approaching Highway Patrol. Unfortunately, none of the Indianapolis, Indiana. At 5:30 pm, we materials in our vehicle contained this observed a message board over the highway telephone number. Second, we turned on our

1 Applications of Theory: Public Warnings Experienced While Returning from EMI Higher Education Conference 2008 car radio and scanned through the AM and might provide an acceptable detour around FM stations looking for local news. We the flooding. Not knowing whether the were unsuccessful in this regard, perhaps flooding was a localized or regional because many radio stations no longer carry problem, we were unsure whether we should local news or are remotely programmed. attempt a northerly or southerly detour However, just a few miles west of around the problem. As we approached Exit Indianapolis on Interstate 70, we came to a 41, the only information provided to rest area. Thinking that additional motorists continuing west on Interstate 70 information might be available at the rest was that the highway was closed at the exit area, we pulled in, parked, and went inside and all traffic must exit. the building. What we found inside was a Like the other cars and large trucks, we group of people seeking information about exited in a long, slow line from the the closed highway and consulting a state Interstate. As we approached the bottom of highway map. As Mileti (2008) noted, the ramp, we sought out additional “milling involves people discussing the information on which way to turn, north or information with other people…and south. At the bottom of the ramp, we discussing the options that are available to observed an unidentified individual standing them.” We joined in the discussion, sharing in the roadway gesticulating in two what was known and unknown about the directions, north and south. Even at this road closure ahead. Not surprisingly, very point, there was no additional advice on the little additional information was known. most appropriate behavior for those exiting While at the rest area, we found a list of the Interstate. We decided that the large regional telephone numbers for the Indiana trucks exiting with us probably had more Department of Transportation (IDOT). information than we possessed, and they However, the list was constructed by were all turning north. We turned north also. counties, and as transients, we had no idea Our decision was apparently the correct which county contained the flooded one, as we soon were part of a procession roadway. After consulting the posted road heading first north to U.S. 40 Highway, and map, we identified two regional IDOT then west on this divided roadway. Traffic offices that might cover the affected was flowing at normal speeds for almost ten highway. When both of these regional miles, and then slowed and finally stopped, offices were called, we received a busy with both lanes moving at less than five signal. These numbers were tried several miles per hour with many stops and starts. It times, without success. In a last effort to find was difficult to tell how far the traffic was information, we called a family member in backed up, although bumper-to-bumper Dallas, Texas, and asked her to look at the traffic was visible as far as we could see. IDOT website for information. She reported Mileti (2008) suggests that warned that there was no information posted on the individuals rely on “social cues” to provide official website. So far, the only information additional meaning when public warnings we had was what had been posted on the do not provide clear directions on the signboard east of Indianapolis. desired behavior. Our decision to follow the We decided to continue west on Interstate trucks was one such example of this 70 while consulting our atlas. We knew that behavior. We soon observed and U.S. 40 Highway paralleled Interstate 70 to participated in several more examples. We the north, and wondered if that highway began to notice some cars with local plates

2 Applications of Theory: Public Warnings Experienced While Returning from EMI Higher Education Conference 2008 were turning around and heading east on through Indiana’s farmland seeking the road U.S. 40 Highway, as if they knew of another back to the Interstate highway. There were way to reach their destination. We were not several low areas on this road where mud so fortunate, so we continued moving, was encroaching on the pavement, slowly, west. suggesting that there had recently been After several miles, we observed a flooding throughout the region. As we gentleman on a four-wheeler driving slowly proceeded west about six miles, the area down the median and stopping to talk with became more built-up, suggesting that we each car in the left lane. Just beyond the were approaching a town. gentleman, vehicles were turning south onto After going through several stop signs, a narrow county road. As we reached the we encountered a traffic signal at an gentleman, he asked, “Want to get back to I- intersection with a major road. At this 70? Just follow those cars in front of you!” intersection, a police officer from the Brazil, He quickly moved past us to the next Indiana Police Department was directing vehicle. We shared a quick discussion about traffic and directing all vehicles to turn the appropriateness of following the advice south. Recognizing that Interstate 70 was of a local person who certainly was NOT south of us, we gladly followed the passing on official information. As Mileti directions of the police officer. After several (2008) noted in his presentation, the public miles, we came to the Interstate highway receiving the warning information may and were able to continue our trip homeward “query the message and the person without incident. delivering the warning.” But the effect of the After arriving at our home, we used the “social cues” of watching cars drive off internet to find out the cause of our public from the traffic jam suggested that the idea warning experience. More than ten inches of of an alternative, although unknown and rain fell on central Indiana during the undescribed, route was very appealing. evening of June 6, 2008 (National Weather As we drove south into the rural Indiana Service 2008). Interstate 70 was flooded countryside, we realized that we had no idea with enough water Saturday morning at the where we were going, or where the act of 30 mile marker to wash a semi-truck off the following the car in front of us might lead. highway (Jackson and Jacobs 2008). IDOT We joked that we might all end up in closed Interstate 70 on Saturday morning someone’s front yard, or that we might reach because of the flooding. The highway was a dead-end with no outlet. But we continued opened on Sunday, June 8, 2008 for a few on as a member of a long line of vehicles hours, but floodwaters washed out the united in our desire to work around the roadbed, cutting the westbound lanes and flooding and the road congestion. requiring a substantial repair (Jackson and We soon came to a stop sign. Ahead, Jacobs 2008). The resulting detours required there was a sign reading “Road Closed 2 law enforcement officers and volunteer Miles Ahead—High Water.” Beneath this firefighters to assist in directing traffic sign was a hand-lettered sign on a cardboard because of the congestion (Jackson and box which read, “To I-70 →” which had Jacobs 2008). caused the cars in front of us to turn right on Looking back on this experience, we another county road. Following the “social observe the following, based upon Mileti’s cues” of the hand-lettered sign and the (2008) presentation at the 2008 EMI Higher continuing line of cars, we turned west again Education Conference:

3 Applications of Theory: Public Warnings Experienced While Returning from EMI Higher Education Conference 2008

1. Warnings may get the public’s attention, 5. Emergency managers must consider the but may not provide enough information impact of public warnings on transient for the public to comply with desired populations who are unfamiliar with behaviors. In our case, we understood local conditions, including geography the warning on the highway signboard, and transportation networks. This is but rejected the suggested alternate route especially important when emergencies because it didn’t lead in the desired impact on Interstate or regional direction. highways. 2. Warned individuals will seek out 6. Emergency managers must consider that additional information from official the public, once partially informed of a sources to confirm the parameters of the problem, will seek out additional problem. Mileti (2008) suggests that information, overwhelming routine multiple messages utilizing “numerous communication networks. The failure to types of communication channels” are adopt mass communication strategies necessary to guide the desired behavior will exceed the capacity of limited of the public. staffing or limited phone lines, 3. Warned individuals will adopt “milling especially when the event occurs on a behavior” (Mileti 2008) to seek out weekend. additional information from unofficial sources, including those who are part of References the warned community. This behavior may also include adoption of an “informal alert system” whereby individuals receive information from Jackson, Ivy, and Jason Jacobs. 2008. Major others who are aware of the warning. flood hits county, damages many roads. 4. Social cues (Mileti 2008) are powerful The Brazil Times, June 8, 2008. and can lead to desired or undesired Merton, Robert K. 1936. The unanticipated behaviors. In our example, social cues consequences of purposive social action. included the actions of other vehicles, American Sociological Review:894-904. the suggestions of unofficial Mileti, Dennis S. 2008. Public warnings that communicators, and the presence of foster protective actions. Paper read at hand-lettered signs. However, the 2008 EMI All-Hazards Higher Education adoption of the informal detour leaving a Conference, June 2-5, 2008, at major highway and moving to county Emmitsburg, MD. roads can lead to “unintended National Weather Service. 2008. June 2008: consequences” (Merton 1936), which led Indiana flood event. National Weather to the need for police officers to direct Service. traffic at an intersection that probably Scanlon, Joseph. 2003. Observations on the was not identified as a problem area August 2003 Power Blackout. when the official detour on U.S. 40 International Journal of Mass Highway was established. Without Emergencies and Disasters 21 (2):81-88. specific information provided about desired traffic flows, individuals will find their own solutions to avoid congestion.