RISK AND REACTION: RISK PERCEPTION AND RESPONSE BEHAVIOR IN BOSTON

Abstract

Boston, Massachusetts has never issued a large-scale mandatory evacuation order, but is facing increased risks of sea level rise, extreme weather events, and flooding, which may necessitate such an order. The lack of evacuation experience, combined with the city’s linguistic and cultural diversity, could present challenges in both the public’s understanding of and compliance with an evacuation order. This thesis synthesizes how Boston can apply findings from literature on risk perception, evacuation behavior and crisis communication to improve its evacuation and emergency public information plans and policies. The research design included a literature review, evaluation of the City of Boston’s Evacuation Support Annex and Emergency Public Information Support Annex, and a focus group with representatives from City of Boston departments. Themes from the literature were used to guide the plan analysis and focus group discussion, integrating both theoretical insights and practitioner perspectives. The analysis found that the evaluated City of Boston plans lack strategies to address emotional responses, cultural influences, and trusted community networks that shape public risk perception and evacuation decisions. This thesis recommends actionable strategies for more effective emergency communication in Boston, including increased pre-incident community engagement, culturally tailored messaging, and the integration of community voices into public messaging.