Disaster risk awareness and preparedness of the EU population: The Netherlands

A survey on disaster risk awareness and preparedness in the Netherlands shows that citizens feel most vulnerable to extreme weather events (45%), followed by cybersecurity threats (39%) and critical infrastructure disruptions (36%). Citizens are well-informed about disasters and have fewer difficulties accessing information. They primarily rely on national media, public authorities, and emergency management services for information, indicating effective government communication. However, the preparedness measures they've undertaken are focused on specific areas, apart from that, they adopt fewer solutions than the EU average. Despite this, fewer people feel the need for more information, and they demonstrate a high level of trust in public authorities regarding disaster response.

This serial survey assesses the awareness of EU citizens about the disaster risks that could affect them, their preparedness to face various disaster risk scenarios, and the reliance they place on a range of actors in disaster situations. The survey also explores the engagement of EU citizens in voluntary work to increase disaster resilience.