Research Article | | Peer-Reviewed

Community Resilience Project: An Exploration of Emergency Weather Preparedness in Mississippi

Received: 25 June 2024     Accepted: 17 July 2024     Published: 26 September 2024
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Abstract

Historically Black Colleges and Universities have often been at the forefront of emerging movements and social changes. Continuing this tradition Jackson State University has developed Community Resilience Project to address community issues relevant to both the city and the state. The first undertaking of the Community Resilience Project was partnering with the National Weather Service (NWS and several departments across Jackson State University (JSU) to examine awareness and preparedness about weather emergencies. In June 2020, the Community Resilience Project hosted a town hall to gauge residents’ awareness about weather emergencies. Tornados, hurricanes, and floods are common in Mississippi; therefore, individuals must be prepared. The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze demographics to develop themes regarding weather emergencies. The participants were 87 Mississippi residents. Participants were issued the demographic survey before the town hall. Frequency analyses were conducted on the responses found several themes. Most respondents, 59.8%, feel prepared for a weather emergency, however, 51.7% denied having an emergency preparedness plan. Participants were also asked do they felt prepared for an emergency since the pandemic began. Most respondents reported the same or increased levels of preparedness. Findings showcase the importance of not only the Community Resilience Project but also the need for community collaborations. The strength of a community is quantified by its ability to build and maintain bonds for all its citizens' well-being and advancement. Jackson State’s Community Resilience Project has taken an inimitable role in providing services, resources, and support to its local and state communities.

Published in Higher Education Research (Volume 9, Issue 5)
DOI 10.11648/j.her.20240905.13
Page(s) 110-115
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Community, Disaster Psychology, Emergency, Emergency Management, Preparedness, Resilience, Weather

References
[1] Aburn, G., Gott, M., & Hoare, K. (2015). What is resilience? An integrative review of the empirical literature. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 72(5), 980-1000.
[2] Booth, R. & Barr, C. (2020). Black people four times more likely to die from COVID-19, ONS finds. The Guardian.
[3] Cole, E. R. (2009). African American women at historically Black colleges during the Civil Rights Movement. Journal of the Student Personnel Association at Indiana University, 20-28.
[4] Conway, J. (2020). Hurricane season in Mississippi: A historical perspective. WJTV. Retrieved from
[5] Cummins, R. (2020). Stemming COVID-19: ‘What we are doing is not working’. University of Mississippi Medical Center.
[6] Dixon, P. G., Mercer, A. E., Choi, J., & Allen, J. S. (2011). Tornado risk analysis: Is Dixie alley an extension of tornado alley? Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 92(4), 433-441.
[7] Freiberg, H. J. (1993). A school that fosters resilience in inner-city youth. The Journal of Negro Education, 62(3), 364-376.
[8] Jackson State University. (n.d.). Gibbs-Green Shooting: May 15, 1970. University Communications. retrieved from
[9] McElwee, N. (2007). A focus on the personal and structural: Resilience explored. Child & Youth Services, 29(1), 57-69.
[10] Minor, J. T. (2008). A contemporary perspective on the role of public HBCUs: Perspicacity from Mississippi. The Journal of Negro Education, 323-335.
[11] Moser, B. (2020). How Mississippi’s governor undermined efforts to contain the coronavirus. The New Yorker.
[12] Mustain, A. (2011). What is to blame for Mississippi Floods? Live Science. Retrieved from
[13] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2020). Busy Atlantic hurricane season predicted for 2020. NOAA. Retrieved from
[14] O'Brien, M. J. (2013). We Shall Not be Moved: The Jackson Woolworth's Sit-in and the Movement it Inspired. Univ. Press of Mississippi.
[15] Rutter, M. (1987). Psychosocial resilience and protective mechanisms. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 57(3), 316-331.
[16] Rutter, M. (2012). Annual research review: Resilience – clinical implications. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 54(4), 474-487.
[17] WLBT. (2011). Mississippi named worst place for certain tornadoes. WLBT. Retrieved from
[18] Tusaie, K., & Dyer, J. (2004). Resilience: a historical review of the construct. Holistic nursing practice, 18(1), 3–10.
[19] United States Census Bureau (n.d.) Jackson, MS.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Harris, C. H., Murphy, J., McLin, D., Barner, Y. (2024). Community Resilience Project: An Exploration of Emergency Weather Preparedness in Mississippi. Higher Education Research, 9(5), 110-115. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.her.20240905.13

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    ACS Style

    Harris, C. H.; Murphy, J.; McLin, D.; Barner, Y. Community Resilience Project: An Exploration of Emergency Weather Preparedness in Mississippi. High. Educ. Res. 2024, 9(5), 110-115. doi: 10.11648/j.her.20240905.13

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    AMA Style

    Harris CH, Murphy J, McLin D, Barner Y. Community Resilience Project: An Exploration of Emergency Weather Preparedness in Mississippi. High Educ Res. 2024;9(5):110-115. doi: 10.11648/j.her.20240905.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.her.20240905.13,
      author = {Ce’Ne Harris Harris and Jessica Murphy and Dawn McLin and Yalanda Barner},
      title = {Community Resilience Project: An Exploration of Emergency Weather Preparedness in Mississippi
    },
      journal = {Higher Education Research},
      volume = {9},
      number = {5},
      pages = {110-115},
      doi = {10.11648/j.her.20240905.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.her.20240905.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.her.20240905.13},
      abstract = {Historically Black Colleges and Universities have often been at the forefront of emerging movements and social changes. Continuing this tradition Jackson State University has developed Community Resilience Project to address community issues relevant to both the city and the state. The first undertaking of the Community Resilience Project was partnering with the National Weather Service (NWS and several departments across Jackson State University (JSU) to examine awareness and preparedness about weather emergencies. In June 2020, the Community Resilience Project hosted a town hall to gauge residents’ awareness about weather emergencies. Tornados, hurricanes, and floods are common in Mississippi; therefore, individuals must be prepared. The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze demographics to develop themes regarding weather emergencies. The participants were 87 Mississippi residents. Participants were issued the demographic survey before the town hall. Frequency analyses were conducted on the responses found several themes. Most respondents, 59.8%, feel prepared for a weather emergency, however, 51.7% denied having an emergency preparedness plan. Participants were also asked do they felt prepared for an emergency since the pandemic began. Most respondents reported the same or increased levels of preparedness. Findings showcase the importance of not only the Community Resilience Project but also the need for community collaborations. The strength of a community is quantified by its ability to build and maintain bonds for all its citizens' well-being and advancement. Jackson State’s Community Resilience Project has taken an inimitable role in providing services, resources, and support to its local and state communities.
    },
     year = {2024}
    }
    

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    AB  - Historically Black Colleges and Universities have often been at the forefront of emerging movements and social changes. Continuing this tradition Jackson State University has developed Community Resilience Project to address community issues relevant to both the city and the state. The first undertaking of the Community Resilience Project was partnering with the National Weather Service (NWS and several departments across Jackson State University (JSU) to examine awareness and preparedness about weather emergencies. In June 2020, the Community Resilience Project hosted a town hall to gauge residents’ awareness about weather emergencies. Tornados, hurricanes, and floods are common in Mississippi; therefore, individuals must be prepared. The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze demographics to develop themes regarding weather emergencies. The participants were 87 Mississippi residents. Participants were issued the demographic survey before the town hall. Frequency analyses were conducted on the responses found several themes. Most respondents, 59.8%, feel prepared for a weather emergency, however, 51.7% denied having an emergency preparedness plan. Participants were also asked do they felt prepared for an emergency since the pandemic began. Most respondents reported the same or increased levels of preparedness. Findings showcase the importance of not only the Community Resilience Project but also the need for community collaborations. The strength of a community is quantified by its ability to build and maintain bonds for all its citizens' well-being and advancement. Jackson State’s Community Resilience Project has taken an inimitable role in providing services, resources, and support to its local and state communities.
    
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