Sara K McBride, PhD, MPA
Sara McBride is a research social scientist in the Geologic Hazards Science Center with the Earthquake Hazards Program.
Science and Products
Data Release for Latency Testing of Wireless Emergency Alerts intended for the ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system for the West Coast of the United States of America
ShakeAlert, the earthquake early warning (EEW) system for the West Coast of the United States, attempts to provides crucial warnings before strong shaking occurs. However, because the alerts are triggered only when an earthquake is already in progress, and the alert latencies and delivery times are platform dependent, the time between these warnings and the arrival of shaking is variable. The Shak
Filter Total Items: 34
Preliminary observations of the April 5th, 2024, Mw4.8 New Jersey earthquake
On 5 April 2024, 10:23 a.m. local time, a moment magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck Tewksbury Township, New Jersey, about 65 km west of New York City. Millions of people from Virginia to Maine and beyond felt the ground shaking, resulting in the largest number (>180,000) of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) “Did You Feel It?” reports of any earthquake. A team deployed by the Geotechnical Extreme Events R
Authors
Oliver S. Boyd, William D. Barnhart, James Bourke, Martin C. Chapman, Paul S. Earle, Guo-chin Dino Huang, Jessica Ann Thompson Jobe, Won-Young Kim, Frederick Link, Mairi Maclean Litherland, Andrew Lloyd, Maureen Long, Sara McBride, Andrew J. Michael, Walter D. Mooney, Gregory Moutain, Sissy Nikolaou, Alexandros Savvaidas, Felix Waldhauser, Cecily Wolfe, Clara Yoon
Modeling protective action decision-making in earthquakes by using explainable machine learning and video data
Earthquakes pose substantial threats to communities worldwide. Understanding how people respond to the fast-changing environment during earthquakes is crucial for reducing risks and saving lives. This study aims to study people’s protective action decision-making in earthquakes by leveraging explainable machine learning and video data. Specifically, this study first collected real-world CCTV foota
Authors
Xiaojian Zhang, Xilei Zhao, Dare Baldwin, Sara McBride, Josephine Bellizzi, Elizabeth S. Cochran, Nicolas Luco, Matthew Wood, Thomas J. Cova
USGS and social media user dialogue and sentiment during the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii
Responsive and empathic communication by scientists is critical for building trust and engagement with communities, which, in turn, promotes receptiveness toward authoritative hazard information during times of crisis. The 2018 eruption of Hawai‘i's Kīlauea Volcano was the first volcanic crisis event in which communication via the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) social media group, “USGS Volcanoes,”
Authors
Robert T. Goldman, Sara McBride, Wendy K. Stovall, David Damby
Social vulnerability and geographic access barriers to earthquake early warning education in museums and other free choice learning environments
Given the earthquake risk on the West Coast of the United States, individuals and communities require a basic understanding of ShakeAlert earthquake early warning technology, which may provide crucial seconds of warning. Free choice learning environments (FCLEs), such as museums, public libraries, and national parks, are uniquely positioned to expand the reach of earthquake early warning through e
Authors
Danielle F. Sumy, Oronde Oliver Drakes, Sara McBride, Mariah R. Jenkins
Hawai‘i residents’ perceptions of Kīlauea’s 2018 eruption information
The 2018 eruption of Kīlauea Volcano was notable for its variety of large and spatially distinct hazards, simultaneously affecting three geographically disparate, culturally diverse regions in Hawaiʻi. We conducted a pilot study, consisting of 18 semi-structured interviews, two survey responses, and several informal conversations with Hawaiʻi residents to learn which sources/messengers of eruption
Authors
Robert T. Goldman, Wendy K. Stovall, David Damby, Sara McBride
What to expect when you are expecting earthquake early warning
We present a strategy for earthquake early warning (EEW) alerting that focuses on providing users with a target level of performance for their shaking level of interest (for example, ensuring that users receive warnings for at least 95 per cent of the occurrences of that shaking level). We explore the factors that can affect the accuracy of EEW shaking forecasts including site conditions (which ca
Authors
Sarah E. Minson, Elizabeth S. Cochran, Jessie Kate Saunders, Sara McBride, Stephen Wu, Annemarie S. Baltay, Kevin R. Milner
Earthquake early warning: Toward modeling optimal protective actions
Over the past few years early earthquake warning systems have been incorporated into earthquake preparation efforts in many locations around the globe. These systems provide an excellent opportunity for advanced warning of ground shaking and other hazards associated with earthquakes. This study aims to optimize this advanced warning for individuals inside a building when the alert is received. A c
Authors
M. Wood, X. Zhang, X. Zhao, Sara McBride, Nicolas Luco, D. Baldwin, T. Covas
2018 M7.1 Anchorage and 2021 M7.2 Nippes, Haiti earthquake case studies for Virtual Earthquake Reconnaissance Team (VERT) activation protocols, policies, and procedures to gather earthquake response footage
The collection of online videos and imagery to use in disaster reconnaissance is increasing in frequency, due to accessibility of platforms and the ubiquitous nature of smartphones and recording devices. In this short article, we explore the processes, goals, and utility of Virtual Emergency Reconnaissance Teams (VERTs) to collect footage and imagery of geohazards (earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis
Authors
Sara McBride, J. Bellizzi, S. Gin, G. Henry, D. F. Sumy, D. Baldwin, E. Fischer
#TheSmoreYouKnow and #emergencycute: A conceptual model on the use of humor by science agencies during crisis to create connection, empathy, and compassion
Studies from a variety of disciplines reveal that humor can be a useful method to reduce stress and increase compassion, connection, and empathy between agencies and people they serve during times of crisis. Despite this growing evidence base, humor's use during a geohazard (earthquake, volcanoes, landslides, and tsunami) to aid scientific agencies' crisis communication response has been rarely st
Authors
Sara McBride, Jessica L. Ball
Earthquakes and tsunami
Earthquakes occur as a burst of sudden ground shaking created by the release of accumulated stress along a fault, often influenced by movement of the world’s tectonic plates. Ground shaking from an earthquake can generate additional hazards, including landslides, liquefaction, and tsunami. According to the 2019 “Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction”, earthquakes combined with tsunam
Authors
Julia S. Becker, Sara McBride, Lauren Vinnell, Wendy Saunders, Graham S. Leonard, Timothy J. Sullivan, Ken Gledhill
Considerations for creating equitable and inclusive communication campaigns associated with ShakeAlert, the earthquake early warning system for the West Coast of the USA
PurposeThe 2019 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR) cites earthquakes as the most damaging natural hazard globally, causing billions of dollars of damage and killing thousands of people. Earthquakes have the potential to drastically impact physical, social and economic landscapes; to reduce this risk, earthquake early warning (EEW) systems have been developed. However, these
Authors
Mariah Ramona Jenkins, Sara McBride, Meredith Morgoch, Hollie Smith
Prospective and retrospective evaluation of the U.S. Geological Survey public aftershock forecast for the 2019-2021 Southwest Puerto Rico Earthquake and aftershocks
The Mw 6.4 Southwest Puerto Rico Earthquake of 7 January 2020 was accompanied by a robust fore‐ and aftershock sequence. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has issued regular aftershock forecasts for more than a year since the mainshock, available on a public webpage. Forecasts were accompanied by interpretive and informational material, published in English and Spanish. Informational products incl
Authors
Nicholas van der Elst, Jeanne L. Hardebeck, Andrew J. Michael, Sara McBride, Elizabeth Vanacore
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Data Release for Latency Testing of Wireless Emergency Alerts intended for the ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system for the West Coast of the United States of America
ShakeAlert, the earthquake early warning (EEW) system for the West Coast of the United States, attempts to provides crucial warnings before strong shaking occurs. However, because the alerts are triggered only when an earthquake is already in progress, and the alert latencies and delivery times are platform dependent, the time between these warnings and the arrival of shaking is variable. The Shak
Filter Total Items: 34
Preliminary observations of the April 5th, 2024, Mw4.8 New Jersey earthquake
On 5 April 2024, 10:23 a.m. local time, a moment magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck Tewksbury Township, New Jersey, about 65 km west of New York City. Millions of people from Virginia to Maine and beyond felt the ground shaking, resulting in the largest number (>180,000) of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) “Did You Feel It?” reports of any earthquake. A team deployed by the Geotechnical Extreme Events R
Authors
Oliver S. Boyd, William D. Barnhart, James Bourke, Martin C. Chapman, Paul S. Earle, Guo-chin Dino Huang, Jessica Ann Thompson Jobe, Won-Young Kim, Frederick Link, Mairi Maclean Litherland, Andrew Lloyd, Maureen Long, Sara McBride, Andrew J. Michael, Walter D. Mooney, Gregory Moutain, Sissy Nikolaou, Alexandros Savvaidas, Felix Waldhauser, Cecily Wolfe, Clara Yoon
Modeling protective action decision-making in earthquakes by using explainable machine learning and video data
Earthquakes pose substantial threats to communities worldwide. Understanding how people respond to the fast-changing environment during earthquakes is crucial for reducing risks and saving lives. This study aims to study people’s protective action decision-making in earthquakes by leveraging explainable machine learning and video data. Specifically, this study first collected real-world CCTV foota
Authors
Xiaojian Zhang, Xilei Zhao, Dare Baldwin, Sara McBride, Josephine Bellizzi, Elizabeth S. Cochran, Nicolas Luco, Matthew Wood, Thomas J. Cova
USGS and social media user dialogue and sentiment during the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii
Responsive and empathic communication by scientists is critical for building trust and engagement with communities, which, in turn, promotes receptiveness toward authoritative hazard information during times of crisis. The 2018 eruption of Hawai‘i's Kīlauea Volcano was the first volcanic crisis event in which communication via the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) social media group, “USGS Volcanoes,”
Authors
Robert T. Goldman, Sara McBride, Wendy K. Stovall, David Damby
Social vulnerability and geographic access barriers to earthquake early warning education in museums and other free choice learning environments
Given the earthquake risk on the West Coast of the United States, individuals and communities require a basic understanding of ShakeAlert earthquake early warning technology, which may provide crucial seconds of warning. Free choice learning environments (FCLEs), such as museums, public libraries, and national parks, are uniquely positioned to expand the reach of earthquake early warning through e
Authors
Danielle F. Sumy, Oronde Oliver Drakes, Sara McBride, Mariah R. Jenkins
Hawai‘i residents’ perceptions of Kīlauea’s 2018 eruption information
The 2018 eruption of Kīlauea Volcano was notable for its variety of large and spatially distinct hazards, simultaneously affecting three geographically disparate, culturally diverse regions in Hawaiʻi. We conducted a pilot study, consisting of 18 semi-structured interviews, two survey responses, and several informal conversations with Hawaiʻi residents to learn which sources/messengers of eruption
Authors
Robert T. Goldman, Wendy K. Stovall, David Damby, Sara McBride
What to expect when you are expecting earthquake early warning
We present a strategy for earthquake early warning (EEW) alerting that focuses on providing users with a target level of performance for their shaking level of interest (for example, ensuring that users receive warnings for at least 95 per cent of the occurrences of that shaking level). We explore the factors that can affect the accuracy of EEW shaking forecasts including site conditions (which ca
Authors
Sarah E. Minson, Elizabeth S. Cochran, Jessie Kate Saunders, Sara McBride, Stephen Wu, Annemarie S. Baltay, Kevin R. Milner
Earthquake early warning: Toward modeling optimal protective actions
Over the past few years early earthquake warning systems have been incorporated into earthquake preparation efforts in many locations around the globe. These systems provide an excellent opportunity for advanced warning of ground shaking and other hazards associated with earthquakes. This study aims to optimize this advanced warning for individuals inside a building when the alert is received. A c
Authors
M. Wood, X. Zhang, X. Zhao, Sara McBride, Nicolas Luco, D. Baldwin, T. Covas
2018 M7.1 Anchorage and 2021 M7.2 Nippes, Haiti earthquake case studies for Virtual Earthquake Reconnaissance Team (VERT) activation protocols, policies, and procedures to gather earthquake response footage
The collection of online videos and imagery to use in disaster reconnaissance is increasing in frequency, due to accessibility of platforms and the ubiquitous nature of smartphones and recording devices. In this short article, we explore the processes, goals, and utility of Virtual Emergency Reconnaissance Teams (VERTs) to collect footage and imagery of geohazards (earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis
Authors
Sara McBride, J. Bellizzi, S. Gin, G. Henry, D. F. Sumy, D. Baldwin, E. Fischer
#TheSmoreYouKnow and #emergencycute: A conceptual model on the use of humor by science agencies during crisis to create connection, empathy, and compassion
Studies from a variety of disciplines reveal that humor can be a useful method to reduce stress and increase compassion, connection, and empathy between agencies and people they serve during times of crisis. Despite this growing evidence base, humor's use during a geohazard (earthquake, volcanoes, landslides, and tsunami) to aid scientific agencies' crisis communication response has been rarely st
Authors
Sara McBride, Jessica L. Ball
Earthquakes and tsunami
Earthquakes occur as a burst of sudden ground shaking created by the release of accumulated stress along a fault, often influenced by movement of the world’s tectonic plates. Ground shaking from an earthquake can generate additional hazards, including landslides, liquefaction, and tsunami. According to the 2019 “Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction”, earthquakes combined with tsunam
Authors
Julia S. Becker, Sara McBride, Lauren Vinnell, Wendy Saunders, Graham S. Leonard, Timothy J. Sullivan, Ken Gledhill
Considerations for creating equitable and inclusive communication campaigns associated with ShakeAlert, the earthquake early warning system for the West Coast of the USA
PurposeThe 2019 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR) cites earthquakes as the most damaging natural hazard globally, causing billions of dollars of damage and killing thousands of people. Earthquakes have the potential to drastically impact physical, social and economic landscapes; to reduce this risk, earthquake early warning (EEW) systems have been developed. However, these
Authors
Mariah Ramona Jenkins, Sara McBride, Meredith Morgoch, Hollie Smith
Prospective and retrospective evaluation of the U.S. Geological Survey public aftershock forecast for the 2019-2021 Southwest Puerto Rico Earthquake and aftershocks
The Mw 6.4 Southwest Puerto Rico Earthquake of 7 January 2020 was accompanied by a robust fore‐ and aftershock sequence. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has issued regular aftershock forecasts for more than a year since the mainshock, available on a public webpage. Forecasts were accompanied by interpretive and informational material, published in English and Spanish. Informational products incl
Authors
Nicholas van der Elst, Jeanne L. Hardebeck, Andrew J. Michael, Sara McBride, Elizabeth Vanacore
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.