Disaster PrepWise (DPW) is a theory-based program developed through collaborations between researchers at the University of Iowa College of Public Health and community partners in Iowa. It is the first program of its kind to provide a tool and personalized assistance to help households develop disaster management plans.
DPW consists of five interactive modules and two supplemental sections (special topics and additional resources on various types of disasters). The five modules are: (1) Complete a Personal & Household Assessment, (2) Develop a Personal Emergency Network, (3) Develop Emergency Information & Gather Important Documents, (4) Keep a 3-5 Day Supply of Medications & Medical Supplies, and (5) Build an Emergency Supply Kit. Each module has a brief video, key information for that topic, and form(s) that you can complete. After completing all modules, you can download a personalized emergency management plan as a PDF document from the Homepage.
Funding: The development of this program was supported by the University of Iowa National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (CDC: #1R49CE002108-01) and the RRF Foundation on Aging (RRF#2017-018; RRF Grant #2021066). Development of the Disaster PrepWise-Caregiver version was funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA R01-AG077436).
Previous Work: Through a pilot study, DPW was shown to improve preparedness and emergency support among our participants. Participants also reported high levels of acceptability and usability of this program.
- Ashida, S., Robinson, E.*, Gay, J., & Ramirez, M. (2015). Motivating rural older residents prepare for disasters: Moving beyond personal benefits. Ageing and Society, 36(10), 2117-2140.
- Ashida, S., Robinson, E.*, Gay, J., Slagel, L.E.*, & Ramirez, M. (2017). Personal disaster and emergency support networks of older adults in a rural community: Changes after participation in a disaster preparedness education program. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 11(1), 110-119.
