ABSTRACT
Using bounded rationality as a theoretical framework, this chapter explores the decision to apply for federal disaster assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Through the use of focus groups with New Jersey residents, I observed how asymmetries in official disaster recovery information influenced an individual’s decision to apply for disaster assistance and forced disaster survivors to take advantage of other sources of information, including personal social networks and social media. This chapter provides policy recommendations on how to reduce asymmetries in disaster recovery information through the use of decentralized network-based systems so that future disaster survivors have a greater potential of accessing this needed information.
