Bridging the Communication Gap in Natural Disaster Information: An Exploratory Study of Extension Service Websites

Authors

Emmanuel Chisom Okolo, Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Rafael Landaverde, Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Laxmi Prasanna Kandi, Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Kim E. Dooley, Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Sarah McCord, Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Kelsi Opat, West Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Abdul Saboor Rahmany, Texas A&M UniversityFollow

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6489-0477

Abstract

Natural disasters are expected to become more frequent and severe, increasing the need for effective disaster management. Governments are emphasizing community awareness and local self-reliance, with the Cooperative Extension Services (CES) playing a vital role in distributing science-based knowledge and supporting preparedness efforts. This qualitative content analysis (QCA), guided by Framing Theory, examined how CES disseminated weather-related disaster preparedness and response information from 2003 to 2023 on Extension Service websites. We explored: (1) the frequency of information on natural disaster preparedness and response published on Extension Service websites, (2) dissemination methods, and (3) the quality of disaster preparedness and response information. Using a purposive sampling approach, we analyzed 23 documents from 20 U.S. Extension Service websites in disaster-prone regions. A qualitative deductive framing approach categorized information by frequency, dissemination methods (news features, spot features, blogs, guidelines), and quality (relevance, contextualization, professionalism, diversity). Findings indicate that CES primarily uses “guideline frames” in limited formats, with “contextualization frames” enhancing interpretation. We conclude that the dissemination of natural disaster information on Extension Service websites lacks consistency and standardization. We recommend forming a national task force—including CES, FEMA, and state emergency agencies—to develop a standardized disaster communication framework.

Recommended Citation

Okolo, E. C., Landaverde, R., Kandi, L. P., Dooley, K. E., McCord, S., Opat, K., & Rahmany, A. (2025). Bridging the Communication Gap in Natural Disaster Information: An Exploratory Study of Extension Service Websites. Journal of Human Sciences and Extension, 13(3), 17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55533/2325-5226.1590

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.