2023 Theses Master's

Exploring the Effectiveness of 311 Data in Disaster Recovery and Response: A Case Study of Hurricane Sandy in New York City

Johnson, Dmitri Armand

This paper investigates the relationship between 311 complaint data and FEMA damage inspection data during Hurricane Sandy in New York City. A two-step research approach is employed: (1) correlational analysis to explore relationships between complaint counts by location type and FEMA-defined damaged housing units during Hurricane Sandy, and (2) linear regression analysis to identify significant predictors of total damage caused by incidents.

The study reveals a strong correlation between Public Health and Environmental Hazards complaints and total damaged housing units, indicating their potential value in disaster recovery and response efforts. However, weak correlations and limited significance of certain complaint types highlight the need for caution when relying solely on 311 data. The findings suggest that integrating 311 data with traditional data sources can lead to more informed decisions and effective disaster recovery and response efforts.

Practical implications include prioritizing Public Health and Environmental Hazards related complaints, utilizing 311 data alongside traditional sources, promoting timely reporting of relevant complaints, improving data collection processes, and implementing training programs for local authorities and emergency responders.