Role of Mass Media in the Disaster Preparedness and Sustainable Development Society

Reading Summary 6

Rob Letterman

Reference

Seid-Aliyeva, D. E. (2006). Role of Mass Media in the Disaster Preparedness and Sustainable Development Society. AIP Conference Proceedings.

Theme

               The ability of a population to prepare and recover from natural disasters relies on the effective communication skills of the mass media.

Summary

·        Despite the assumption that the United States was one of the more prepared countries when it comes to natural disasters, Hurricane Katrina illustrated the importance of vigilant disaster preparedness.

·        Population growth and the accompanying encroachment to areas prone to natural disasters has increased the necessity to become prepared.

·        The mass media have responsibility to educate cultures who are living in at risk areas for natural disasters.

·        The media needs to check the facts of the disaster thoroughly for accuracy to avoid disseminating false information.

·        In response to an earthquake in Azerbaijan, "The mass media activity should be directed to the increase of the public awareness on risk due to natural hazards and should promote disaster management" (Seid-Aliyeva, 2006).

·        There were very few educational materials available from the mass media regarding the threat of earthquake.

·        Following the earthquake in the Caspian Sea many media outlets stopped translating as the public needed critical information regarding the incident.

Application

As PIO or someone responsible for communicating preparedness and recovery to natural disaster we must be prepared for any kind of natural disaster to our communities.  As someone who plans to work in private sector emergency management I must be able to identify the threats and how to recover so that my company can continue business, which will assist the community as a whole in recovery.