Dissemination strategies to instil a culture of safety on earthquake hazard and risk

Abstract

Dissemination of knowledge should be a core objective for scientists who work with communities exposed to natural disasters. This task requires the spread of knowledge, to make the public aware in a simple, easy-to-understand, manner, yet without any loss of accuracy. ‘Urban Disaster Prevention Strategies using Macroseismic Fields and Fault Sources’ (UPStrat-MAFA) was a European project devoted to the implementation of strategies for urban disaster prevention of several aspects of seismic hazard, including the damage state and the earthquake impact. The project carried out numerous outreach activities for the public and stakeholders, to encourage the development of a bottom-up strategy towards disasters mitigation. Here we provide a description of actions that have been aimed at: (i) ensuring effective dissemination and communication of the project outcomes, also after its completion; and (ii) raising public awareness and understanding in countries exposed to earthquake hazard.