On April 27, 2014 an EF-2 tornado touched down in Baxter Springs, Kansas, USA. There were no fatalities, however 69 homes and various businesses were heavily damaged or destroyed. Nevertheless, almost two years after the disaster, the town has made incredible strides toward recovery and has not since experienced another major tornado event. This research, which took place during the summer of 2015, sets out to evaluate the town’s preparedness for future tornado disasters. Qualitative data was collected through the use of interviews and ‘pledges’ – cards on which community members pledged their responsibility in terms of preparing for future disasters – and data analysis is still underway. Through the use of GIS software, the results will be mapped in an attempt to visually demonstrate the town’s preparedness for future tornadoes. Preliminary findings suggest that the community has remained vigilant in their preparations for future disasters, for example with the installation of three n
Hamilton, Alexandra
Supervisors: Walkington, Helen
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Year: 2016
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