| dc.description.abstract | Within the UK, flooding is a major concern and can cause significant impacts for communities. Attempts are being made to reduce the impacts of UK flooding and flood hazard and risk communication is an essential part of these efforts. Currently, communication efforts are failing to reach audiences and are not causing the desired behavioural changes that will keep individuals safe from flooding. It is vital therefore, that novel and innovative approaches are taken to address the failings of flood hazard and risk communication.
Story Maps present a novel mixed media approach to flood hazard and risk communication by combining maps, videos, images and text into a simple online interface. To investigate whether Story Maps could be useful communication resources, a case study approach was taken, which focussed on the St Blazey area, Cornwall, that is regularly flooded. Telephone and face-to-face interviews were conducted with key individuals involved in St Blazey and to a wider extent Cornwall’s flood risk management. This provided detailed accounts of St Blazey’s flooding issue and the problems interviewees faced when dealing with flooding and the communication of its risks. They also presented opportunities and failings of Story Maps and examples of how they could be utilised for flood hazard and risk communication. These insights were combined with feedback from Exeter students and St Blazey community members to help create a rounded picture of the usefulness of Story Maps.
This study concluded that Story Maps would be useful tools for flood hazard and risk communication. There are however, several considerations that must be made before and whilst a Story Map is utilised. These considerations must be conducted to avoid the failings that are associated with previous flood hazard and risk communication methods. | en_GB |
