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National Center for Food Protection & Defense
Risk CommunicatorTraining
We would like to acknowledge the NCFPD for the bulk of the material
in this presentation
Defense ,
Response & Recovery
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Risk Communication Team
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An Introduction to Risk Communication
1. Defining Risk Communication: What It Is & What It Isn’t
2. Risk Perception: Facts & Feelings
3. We’re All Risk Communicators: It Is Your Job!
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Learner Outcomes
• Apply the risk communication goals to a flood or storm event.
• Describe the function of risk communication within the risk management model.
• Identify the factors that drive perceptions of risk.
• Compare and contrast communicator roles from various segments of the affected community.
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DEFINING RISK DEFINING RISK COMMUNICATION:COMMUNICATION:WHAT IT IS & WHAT IT WHAT IT IS & WHAT IT ISN’TISN’T
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Risk Communication Defined
An open, two-way exchange of information and opinion about risk leading to better understanding and better risk management decisions.
Source: USDA, 1992
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Risk Communication Goals Tailor communication so it takes into account
the emotional response to an event. Empowers stakeholders and public to make
informed decisions. Prevent negative behavior and/or
encourage constructive responses to crisis or danger.
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National Weather ServiceHurricane Ike Warning for GalvestonSeptember, 2008
"PERSONS NOT HEEDING
EVACUATION ORDERS IN
SINGLE FAMILY, ONE OR TWO
STORY HOMES WILL FACE
CERTAIN DEATH. ."
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Communication Models
Basic Communication Model• Uni-directional or we tell “them” approach• Who says - what - when - to whom - through
what channel - with what effect
Risk Communication Model• Multi-directional• Actively involves the audience as an
information source
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Risk Communication Elements
Multi-directional & actively involves the
audience as an information source
• Logistics• Metamessaging• Listening• Self-assessment• Evaluation
• Audience assessment
• Audience involvement
• Message
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Risk Communication Outcomes
• Decrease illness, injury & deaths• Reduce property and economic losses• Build support for response plan• Assist in executing response plan• Prevent misallocation & wasting of resources• Keep decision-makers well informed• Counter or correct rumors• Foster informed decision-making concerning
risk
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Risk Communication is Trans-Disciplinary
• Environmental Sciences
• Social Psychology
• Philosophy
• Political Science
• Communication• Engineering• Economics• Public Health• Natural Sciences
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Crisis Response
– Spontaneous– Post-event– Uni-directional– Reactive– Equivocal
Risk & Crisis Communication
Preparedness & Recovery
– Planned, tested, strategic– Pre-event activities– Multi-directional– Proactive– Certain
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Applying the concepts
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Unpacking Unpacking thethe
MessageMessage
Unpacking Unpacking thethe
MessageMessage
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What Risk Communication is Not
• Spin• Public relations• Damage control• Crisis management• How to write a press release• How to give a media interview• Always intended to make people “feel
better” or reduce their fear
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Is This Risk Communication?
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What Risk Communication IS
• Considers human perceptions of risk• Multi-directional communication among
communicators, publics and stakeholders• Activities before, during and after an event • An integral part of an emergency response
plan• Empowers people to make their own
informed decisions
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RISK PERCEPTIONS FACTS AND FEELINGS
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Risk Analysis Paradigm
• Everything we do involves risk• Zero risk is unachievable• Options exist for managing every risk
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Interpreting Risk• Communicating about risk is
difficult because of the way people interpret risk
• Involves competing perspectives: objective vs subjective
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What Shapes Perceptions of Risk?
• Hazard – something that can go wrong• Probability – likelihood of it happening• Consequences – implications of hazard • Value – subjective evaluation of the
relative importance of what might be lost
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What Shapes Perceptions of Risk?
• Hazard – something that can go wrong• Probability – likelihood of it happening• Consequences – implications of hazard • Value – subjective evaluation of the
relative importance of what might be lost
FEELING
THINKING
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Scientist - Consumer Disconnect
SCIENTISTEXPERT
knowsthinks
CONSUMER PUBLIC
feelsbelieves
Fact-based:
hazard, probabilityValue-based:
consequences, value
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Peter Sandman
“The risks that upset people are completely different than the
risks that kill people.”
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Perceptions of Risk
Risk = Risk = Hazard + OutrageHazard + Outrage
SOURCE: Peter Sandman
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Outrage Factors Affecting Acceptability
• Catastrophic potential• Familiarity• Understanding• Controllability• Voluntary exposure• Effects on children• Manifestation of
effects• Victim identity
• Dread• Trust in institutions• Media attention• Accident history• Equity• Benefits• Reversibility• Origin
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A variety of risk comm approaches
Hazard (danger)
High
Low High
Outrage Management
Crisis /
Emergency Communication
Public
Relations
Precaution
Advocacy
Outrage(fear, anger)
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Goal: Reduce outrage so people don’t take unnecessary precautions
Hazard (danger)
High
Low High
Crisis /Emergency
Communication
Public Relations
PrecautionAdvocacy
Outrage
Management
Outrage(fear,anger)
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Goal: Increase concern for a real hazard to motivate preventive action
Hazard (danger)
High
Low High
Outrage Management
Crisis /Emergency
Communication
Public Relations
PrecautionAdvocacy
Outrage(fear,anger)
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Hazard (danger)
High
Outrage(fear,anger)
Low High
Outrage Management
Public Relations
PrecautionAdvocacy
Crisis /
Emergency
Communication
Goal: Acknowledge hazard, validate concern, give people ways to act
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Applying the concepts
Hazard +Outrageand Your
Organization
Hazard +Outrageand Your
Organization
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WE’RE ALL RISK COMMUNICATORS. IT IS YOUR JOB!
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Prevailing Model
Risk communication is centralized in PIO or spokesperson functions
– Industry CEO– Organization or agency head– Communications director– Other “official spokespersons”
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Water Resource System Risk Communicators
Official spokespersons– Elected officials, industry CEO,
agency director, District Engineer, community organization leaders
Communication staff members– Public information officers, technical
writers, web managers
Subject matter experts– Scientists, engineers, social
psychologists, technical experts, public safety officials
FEMA
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Water Resource System Risk Communicators
Educators & outreach specialists– Extension staff, community
educators, outreach workers, public health educators, public safety educators, community hotline staff
Public health & safety specialists– Agency directors, Corps, police, fire
and emergency response workers, physicians, nurses, sanitarians, all first responders
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Alternative model:We’re ALL risk communicators
Including informal channels & networks
– Neighbor to neighbor– Rumor mill– Online blogs– “Person on the street” interviews– Talk radio– Corps employees– Others???
CSREES
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for EffectiveMessage Development
• Risk & crisis communication is an ongoing process• Communicate all of the risk
– Existing risk– Residual risk– Transformed risk– Transferred risk
For EffectiveRisk CommunicationBestBest
Practices
PracticesBestBest
Practices
Practices
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Flood Risk Management
Time in floodplain
Probability of 1 or more floods
10 years 65.132%25 years 92.821%30 years 95.761%75 years 99.963%100 years 99.997%
10-yr Floodplain Occupant
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Risk in Perspective
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Risk in Perspective
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To learn more about Actions for Change visit us on the web at
https://maps.crrel.usace.army.mil/AFC/
Questions?