Disasters are prevalent worldwide and there is a need to engage high-risk populations in collaborative disaster management activities to improve resilience that is inclusive of the whole community (Enarson, & Walsh, 2007). It is clear from extant literature that awareness has a supportive influence on collaboration, however there is need for a better understanding of how this interaction activates action toward collaborative disaster management activities (Mendoza et al., 2014; Na, Okada, & Fang, 2009), especially for high-risk populations (Enarson, & Walsh, 2007). Thus the purpose of this study was to understand how awareness activated individuals to collaborate in the EnRiCH asset-mapping task, to engage high-risk populations in disaster management activities and improve community resilience in future disasters. In this study we used qualitative content analysis to analyze audio-recorded semi-structured interviews to identify concepts and emergent themes. Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2008) and the ED Model of Awareness (Kuziemsky & O’Sullivan, under review) were used as a framework for the study. Findings and elements of Self-Determination Theory were used to expand the ED Model of Awareness to demonstrate how awareness motivates collaborative action. This study concludes that awareness influences the psychological needs of competence and relatedness, both positively and negatively in different contexts, to motivate individuals toward collaboration and sustained action. This is depicted in the extended ED Model of Awareness and Action to demonstrate how awareness is situated in the interaction between the psychological needs, motivation, and collaborative action.