Strengthening Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation through Citizen Education and Technologies

This chapter highlights the importance of disaster literacy and the vital task of equipping citizens with the necessary disaster knowledge and skills. Key components of disaster education include risk communication, basic skills, emotional resilience, collaboration, and resource management. To better understand public needs, essential skills are examined using the literature, disaster education programs, and brief case studies. Additionally, drawing on qualitative insights from disaster researchers, the chapter identifies and thematically classifies basic preparedness skills. Findings are discussed within the framework of disaster literacy and educational science, and recommendations are made to create more effective disaster education programs that integrate both cognitive and community-based competencies. Examples of best practices highlight the importance of technology and interdisciplinary collaboration in disaster education. The chapter concludes that people should strengthen their disaster literacy skills through lifelong learning and that disaster literacy is indispensable for building a more resilient society.