The State of Youth Knowledge and School Education in the Context of Civilian Safety in the Face of Flood Risk

<ns3:p>Natural hazards such as floods are a permanent part of the human living environment, present in human history since ancient times. From the point of view of prevention and promoting patterns of behavior in emergency situations such as floods, it is important to educate the public from an early age. The aim of this article is to assess the level of knowledge of young people on the principles of safety and appropriate behavior, as well as to identify the sources of information from which young people draw their knowledge in this area. The article conducts a content analysis of the available materials classifying concepts and performs a review of current scientific studies on human adaptation to flood risk and motivational determinants influencing the taking (or not taking) preventive action. A qualitative study was also conducted among pupils aged 14-15 years attending primary and secondary schools in Warsaw. The results revealed varying levels of preparation of young people to respond to flood situations and underutilisation of educational potential in both school and home environments. The conclusion on this matter is the systematic education in civil protection and flood risk management, especially in the context of the growing threat of natural disasters such as flooding.</ns3:p>