Geography & Environment Publications
The Social Construction of Risk in a Rural Community: Responses of Local Residents to the 1990 Hagersville (Ontario) Tire Fire
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-1993
Volume
13
Issue
3
Journal
Risk Analysis
First Page
281
Last Page
290
URL with Digital Object Identifier
doi: 10.1111/j.1539-6924.1993.tb01080.x
Abstract
Presents the findings of research relating to the 1990 Hagersville (Ontario) tire fire. After reviewing the literature on risk and risk perception, the fire and the community in which it occurred are described. The practical, conceptual, and methodological reasons for adopting a qualitative research design are then established. 43 residents' accounts of the fire, evacuation, and aftermath in terms of concerns, anxieties, and responses are described. Five themes emerged: economic, community, health, environmental, and governance. A case study-derived model of risk appraisal and management is discussed.
Notes