Form 434 FEMA_Questionn 434 FEMA_Questionn 434 FEMA_Questionnaire_Public_4_21_11

FEMA Citizen Questionnaire Revised April 2011

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

General Public Questionnaire – DRAFT VERSION

Phone Interview – Random Digit Dial of U.S. Households

Hello. My name is ( ) calling on behalf of FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency). We are conducting a national survey about flood awareness and would like to have your input.

CONFIRM RESPONDENT IS HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD

The survey should take about 10 minutes to complete. We will treat all information you provide as confidential. All information you provide will be combined with others’ for research and reporting purposes. Your individual responses will not be released. This survey is authorized by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget Control No 1090-0007. Would you be willing to participate in this survey?

NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: If questions arise that you cannot answer, refer respondents to the FEMA Mapping Information eXchange (FMIX) at 1-877-336-2627 after the interview.

Awareness of Flood Risk

1. Do you believe that your community is at risk for flooding?

1. Yes

2. No (Skip to question 3)

3. Not sure (Skip to question 3)

2. How would you characterize your community’s risk of flooding?

1. High risk

2. Moderate-to-low risk

3. Not sure

3. Do you believe that your home or apartment is at risk for flooding?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Not sure

4. Is your home or apartment located behind a levee?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Not sure

5. Is your home or apartment located behind a dam?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Not sure

6. Do you live within 5 miles of the Great Lakes, the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans, or the Gulf of Mexico?

7. What are the major sources of flooding in your community? (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY)

1. Heavy rains

2. Ice or snow thaws

3. Levees failing or overtopping

4. Other structures failing, such as drainage system, dams, or culverts

5. Coastal flooding, such as hurricanes or nor’easters

6. Tsunamis

7. Lack of regulation or poor planning by local government

8. New development/construction

9. Other

8. Have you reviewed your community’s flood map?

1. Yes

2. No (Skip to question 10)

9. Where did you see your community’s flood map? (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: READ LIST AND SELECT ALL THAT APPLY)

   1. Community’s website

   2. On a FEMA website (e.g., the Map Service Center, FloodSmart)

   3. Another website

   4. At a community meeting

   5. At a public building or a local official’s office

   6. Provided by your insurance agent, bank, or mortgage lender

   7. On the local news (e.g., newspaper, TV)

   8. Other (Specify)

10. Where do you get information about your risk of flooding? (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: READ LIST AND SELECT ALL THAT APPLY)

1. Your own experience with floods/history of flooding

2. Your community’s flood maps

3. Local officials

4. Insurance agent, bank, or mortgage lender

5. FEMA or FloodSmart

6. Local media (e.g., TV, radio, newspaper)

7. Neighbors or friends

8. Other (Specify)

11. Is flood damage covered by your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Not sure

12. Is flood insurance available to protect your home or apartment?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Not sure

13. Has your insurance agent talked to you about flood insurance?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Not sure

Communication about Flood Risk

14. How often do you hear about the risk of flooding in the local media, such as on the radio, on TV, or in the newspaper?

1. Several times a year a year

2. Annually

3. Once every few years

4. Never

5. Don’t know

15. How often do you hear about the risk of flooding from your local officials?

1. Several times a year

2. Annually

3. Once every few years

4. Never (Skip to question 17)

5. Don’t know (Skip to question 17)

16. How do you hear about your flood risk from your local officials?

1. Media stories

2. Community meetings

3. Mail sent to your home

4. Telephone calls/alerts

5. Signage

6. Website

7. Other

17. What types of flood risk information do your local officials share? (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: DO NOT READ – LISTEN TO RESPONSE AND CODE)

1. Steps to take to prepare for a flood

2. Changes to flood maps

3. New flood insurance requirements

4. Major local projects to reduce the risk of flooding (e.g., new levee, flood wall, drainage system)

5. Other (specify)

Satisfaction with local officials’ communication efforts

18. How satisfied are you with your local officials’ efforts to inform you about your community’s risk of flooding? Please use a 10-point scale, where 1 means “not very satisfied” and 10 means “very satisfied.”

19. How well do your local officials’ efforts to inform you about your community’s risk of flooding compare to your expectations? Please use a 10-point scale where 1 means “did not meet your expectations” and 10 means “exceeds your expectations.”

20. How do your local officials’ efforts to inform you about your community’s risk of flooding compare with the ideal effort? Please use a 10-point scale where 1 means “falls short of expectations” and 10 means “exceeds expectations.”

21. Who would you expect to keep you updated about your community’s risk of flooding?

1. Mayor or other chief elected official

2. Floodplain manager or other local official

3. Mortgage lender

4. Real estate agent

5. Insurance agent

6. FEMA

7. Local media

8. A community group or association (e.g., homeowners’ association) (Specify)

9. Previous homeowner, landlord, or neighbor

10. Other (specify)

22. What are the top three ways that you would like to receive information about your risk of flooding? (CHOOSE THREE)
    
    

    1. Local media (e.g., newspapers, TV, radio)

    2. Mailings

    3. Community meetings, open houses, or other events

    4. Phone calls

    5. Emails

    6. Text message

    7. Social media (e.g., social networking site, blog)

    8. Your community’s website

    9. Signs or flood maps posted in prominent locations (e.g., libraries, schools)

    10. Other (specify)

23. When were you informed of your property’s risk of flooding? (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: READ LIST AND SELECT ALL THAT APPLY)

1. When you moved into your home or apartment

2. When you refinanced your home

3. After a flood event

4. At a community meeting

5. Other (specify)

6. I wasn’t informed. (Skip to question 25)

ASK Q23=1-5 ASK Q24

24. Who informed you of your property’s risk of flooding? (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: READ LIST AND SELECT ALL THAT APPLY)

1. Mayor or other chief elected official

2. Floodplain manager or other local official

3. Mortgage lender

4. Real estate agent

5. Insurance agent

6. FEMA

7. Local media

8. A community group or association (e.g., homeowners’ association) (Specify)

9. Previous homeowner, landlord, or neighbor

10. Other (specify)

Knowledge of Specific Ways to Mitigate Risk

25. Have you taken steps to prevent flooding or reduce the risk or impact of flooding to your home or property?

1. Yes

2. No (Skip to question 27)

3. Not sure (Skip to question 27)

26. Which steps have you taken to reduce the risk or impact of flooding? Please tell me which of the following you have done. (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: READ LIST)

1. Bought flood insurance

2. Elevated your home

3. Built or selected a home at a higher elevation

4. Improvements to your home or property, such changes to landscaping or yard drainage, installing sump pumps, or moving furniture, valuables, and important documents to a safe place

5. Other (Specify)

27. Which of the following best describes why you haven’t taken action to reduce the risk or impact of flooding? (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: READ LIST)

1. Cost

2. Not sure which actions to take

3. Do not believe that your home or apartment is at risk

4. Other (Specify)

Demographics

The following few questions are for categorizing purposes only.

28. What is your zip code?

29. Do you own or rent your home or apartment?

1. Own

2. Rent

3. Other (Specify)

30. What is your age? (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: READ LIST)

1. 18 – 29

2. 30 – 39

3. 40 – 49

4. 50 – 59

5. 60 – 69

6. 70 – 79

7. 80 and over

8. Prefer not to provide this information

31. Do you consider your race(s) as: (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: READ LIST)

1. White

2. Black or African American

3. American Indian or Alaska Native

4. Asian

5. Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

6. Other race

7. Don’t Know

8. Prefer not to provide this information

32. Are you of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Don’t Know

4. Prefer not to provide this information

33. What was your total annual income before taxes in 2009? (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: READ LIST STOP WHEN RESPONDENT INDICATES INCOME)

1. Less than $10,000

2. Between $10,000 and $24,999

3. Between $25,000 and $99,999

4. Between $100,000 and $249,999

5. $250,000 or more

6. Don’t Know

7. Prefer not to provide this information

Those are all of the questions I have for you. Thank you very much for your time.

14

CFI Group