The assessment of earthquake preparatory knowledge and activities of lebanese engineering students

Abstract

Lebanon is one of the most urbanized countries in the East Mediterranean region and is highly vulnerable to earthquake disasters. Such a fact necessitates a proactive role of Lebanese engineering institutions and an active engagement of the engineering community in planning and preparing for future earthquakes. Senior students attending engineering colleges in Lebanon (n=378) were surveyed to: Assess their awareness and preparedness to earthquakes, to ascertain whether there is a link among their awareness and preparedness, and to determine how engineering educational programs have affected their current awareness and preparedness. Although the findings indicate satisfactory seismic risk awareness across the majority of participants, a poor level of earthquake preparedness was revealed. The role of engineering institutions and organizations has insignificant influence on both awareness and preparedness of participants. This article calls for the incorporation of earthquake preparatory knowledge and practice into engineering programs across Lebanon and for the engagement of the Lebanese engineering sector in earthquake disaster risk reduction efforts. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2014.