Flood risk perceptions among SME’s in Zeeland

1. Flood risk perceptions among SME’s in Zeeland Preliminary results Dr. Teun Terpstra terpstra@hkv.nl

2. Flood Aware (province of Zeeland, Safety Region) Flood awareness among SMEs? “Forgotten group” Recovery vital to local economy and society SME Survey Perceptions of flooding Resilience Input for flood risk communication (spring 2013)

3. Data (TNS-NIPO) • Telephone 457 • Online questionnaire 348 • Owners/managers 75% • Located on ground floor 85% Employees 1 - 4 5 - 9 10 + industry / construction 6% 6% 7% wholesale / agriculture 6% 6% 7% retail / hospitality 8% 5% 7% auto / transport 6% 5% 6% bank / insurance 8% 7% 10%

4. Flooding Wateroverlast urban flooding due to heavy rainfall Overstromingen failure of sea defences during heavy storm

5. Company at risk? Wateroverlast urban flooding due to heavy rainfall 51% says: location is “not risky” or “hardly risky” Overstromingen failure of see defences during heavy storm 58% says: location is “not risky” or “hardly risky”

6. 58%: “not risky” or “hardly risky”

7. Perceptions of likelihood ... in your environment, in the next 10 years • rainfall : 39% • heavy storm: 6% estimated percentual chance (gut feeling) rainfall heavy storm

8. True Elevation versus Perceived Elevation (NAP) Of 322 responses ... 20% underestimate risk ... 13% perceived risk = true risk ... 67% overestimate risk (based on NAP)

9. Perceptions of consequences • Building poorly accessible 78% • Damage to • walls, floors 76% • furniture 74% • stockpile 66% • administration 35% • Failure of utility services • electricity 70% • internet 53% • gas 52% • water 52% • phones 30% • Failure of • supply chains 60% • transport means 50% • personnel 47% • machines 33%

10. Effective preparedness measures? • Flood insurance 52% (because insurance covers all kinds of damage? delicate subject!) • Raise electricity 50% • Electricity generator 45% • Business evacuation plan 38% • Information from authorities 33% • Water pump 31% • Helping each other 30% • Flood risk on MKB agenda 26% • Tiles on ground floor 21% • Sand bags 19%

11. Barriers in flood preparedness • Feel not responsible • Heavy storm 56% • Rainfall 35% • Complex 51% • Time and effort 51% • Financially not feasible 47% • Finding the right info 28%

12. Helping each other (community resilience) Can you help other businesses … • pump water out /clean mess 21% • repair damage to • Automobiles 12% • Buildings 11% • Utility services 7% • ICT 6% • transport of • light weight goods 33% • heavy weight goods 19% • provide people with • overnight, meals 19% • social meeting place 21% Feel responsible to help others? 80%

13. 1 Currently well prepared 22% 2 Important to be informed 57% Pay attention to information 57% 3 Willing to insure 50% If at risk, take measures 45% 4 Actively information seaking 16% Discuss risk with others 10%

14. What kind of info? 1 Warning procedure 55% 2 Riskiness location 40% Flood likelihood 36% Evacuation possibilities 36% 3 Damage 29% Measures 27% Who should provide info? 1 Rijkswaterstaat 72% Water Board 71% 2 Province 57% Safety region 54% Fire department 49% Municipality 46% 3 Police department 24% Hogeschool 16% MKB 16%

15. Rainfall different from Heavy storm flooding • 50-60% perceives hardly any flood risks • … but perceiving flood risk is not easy • perceived consequences realistic • overestimate risk based on probabilities and NAP • … nor is preparing for floods • Few effective preparations (electricity, insurance?) • Complex, Financially not feasible, Not responsible • Helping others • 80% feels responsible to help other SMEs • Capacities differ between branches • Risk communication • Open attitude towards information • Content: warning procedures, risk locations • Source: involvement of flood authorities

16. Thoughts about floods cause emotions ... • Connected 53% (positive emotion) • Worried 49% (negative emotions) • Disappointed 35% • Helpless 26% • Angry 24% • Fear 17%