College Students and Hurricane Preparedness: Cluster Analysis of Factors Affecting Vulnerability and Coping Capacity

College students are especially vulnerable when faced with hazards and disasters. Adequate preparation and response are necessary to mitigate the effects. The present research addresses the following question: How does hurricane evacuation preparedness vary among college students? This chapter includes an analysis of factors that lead to student hurricane vulnerability and preparedness, an overview of the utilized conceptual framework, discussion of the methodology, and finally, an examination of the results and conclusion. Two hundred five students at Old Dominion University, a 4-year public university in Coastal Virginia, were studied. The Person-relative-to-Event theory of coping was using as the foundation of the conceptual framework, and four clusters emerged from the analysis: cluster 1—students who are somewhat prepared with adequate knowledge and resources (n = 35); cluster 2—students with no preparation, but significant knowledge and resources (n = 67); cluster 3—students with high preparation and planning, but with knowledge and resource gaps (n = 31); and cluster 4—students who are prepared, planned, knowledgeable, and resourced (n = 72). Factors such as full-time enrollment, level of study, race, and marital status had little effect on hurricane preparedness, while employment, income, access to information and resources, experiencing severe hurricanes, and being relied on by others were statistically significant.