By james art 
Ervine, California, January 29, 2025 – A study led by the University of California, Ervine Joe K. Ven School of Population and Public Health, emphasizes the need for improved readiness for fire, tailored to disadvantaged communities in unaccorporated areas of the Eastern Valley Coachela and determines the effective ways to overcome critical differences in the critical differences in Communication.
Recently published online in International Disaster Reduction MagazineStudies have found that people living in geographically isolated ECV regions can benefit from increased social interactions at the Community level to increase their awareness of the risk of wild fire.
“Residents in ECV face unique challenges, from language barriers to the limit of the government,” says the respective author June Wu, Professor of Ecological and Professional Health of UC Irvine. “Our discoveries show the importance of encouraging community relationships; Cooperation with emergency services; And the application of multilingual, culturally sensitive educational campaigns to increase the perception and readiness of risk. “
Between February and April 2023, the research team examined 115 persons in four unaccorpored EVC communities who had survived wild fires. Almost all of them are self -identified as Spanish eater/Latinos, and 60 percent report annual household incomes below $ 25,000.
The study gave an idea of the preferences of the communication channel among the various demographic groups, which emphasized the need for a multifaceted approach. Short text messages and television were preferred in all groups, while the younger adults bent strongly on social media. Adult adults and limited education trust their doctors for information, and agricultural workers rely on text messaging and personal observations of updates.
In addition, community level initiatives organized by residents using messaging applications to share emergency signals, resources and safety tips have proved to be very effective, demonstrating the potential for digital instruments to help strengthen local networks.
Researchers also recommend enhanced partnerships between the governments of the county and communities to strengthen sustainability, deal with gaps in readiness and empower citizens to take proactive steps against fires. Proposals include the education of residents to be the first response, forming neighborhood monitoring groups, conducting Spanish-language educational programs and the dissemination of easy-to-understand guides for risk and evacuation procedures.
“For regions such as ECV, where wild fires are a repetitive threat, promoting cooperation between emergency services and the community is essential,” said lead author Anqi Jiao, Doctor of UC Irvine. Candidate in environmental health and labor. “Adapted communications and active engagement can ensure that even the most profound population are equipped to face challenges and protected from devastating consequences.”
The research team also included teachers and graduates and students from the School of Population and Public Health and the Medical School of UC Irvine and the State University of Mississippi, as well as a leading organizer of the California New Education Fund communities. For a full list, click here.
This study was supported by the Grant Carb California Air Resources Council; #21rd003.
For the University of California, Ervine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious American Universities Association and is ranked among the top 10 public universities in the country than American News and World ReportS The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievements, premiere research, innovation and mascot for anteater. Guided by Chancellor Howard Gilman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degrees programs. It is located in one of the most secure and economic vital communities in the world and is the second largest employer of Orange County, contributing to $ 7 billion a year for the local economy and $ 8 billion across the country. For more information about UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.
Media access: Radio programs/stations can use a Campus studio with a Codek IP audio coder studio to interview the UC Irvine Faculty and experts subject to the university’s approval. For more UC Irvine News, visit News.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists can be found in