Hurricane Charley and Changing Vulnerability: An Analysis of Spatial and Temporal Changes

Abstract

Vulnerability has been a concern of hazards researchers and emergency managers for some time, as they seek to understand the patterns, dynamics, and implications of populations and areas at risk. Identifying particularly vulnerable locations and populations can facilitate emergency responses and can help set priorities for longer term recovery. While areas at risk can be identified based on topographic and Ioeational factors, the geophysical characteristics of events can vary significantly over time and from place to place, The situation becomes much more complicated when characteristics and patterns of vulnerable populations are included, but it is these populations that are the primary concern in evacuation, response, and recovery efforts.