11- EXPLORING RISK ATTENUATION AND CRISIS COMMUNICATION AFTER A PLAGUE DEATH IN GRAND CANYON - Justin Ross

Justin E. Ross

EXPLORING RISK ATTENUATION AND CRISIS COMMUNICATION AFTER A PLAGUE DEATH IN GRAND CANYON

Reference: EXPLORING RISK ATTENUATION AND CRISIS COMMUNICATION AFTER A PLAGUE DEATH IN GRAND CANYON. (2011). Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, 1-30.

Theme: Understanding how to explain risk effectively, and how to manage the line between crisis communications and risk communications.

Summary:

• ·         It's necessary to combine psychological and sociological approaches to help in explaining

risk perception.

• ·         Some incidents produce more visceral responses than other, depending on what the circumstances of the event are.

• ·         The message really only felt important to people in which dealt directly with the risk, and therefore the information did not gain traction to a wide audience.

• ·          While the event itself did not draw a lot of media attention, professionals in the field developed a heightened interest.  This came to fruition based on future studies and publications rather than media coverage.  

• ·         Local media coverage had some penetration that left knowledge of the event in the minds of people, but the national media hardly covered the story at all.

• ·         Media coverage was fair.  There was no embellishment of the events and the outlets stuck very close to the actual press releases. 

• ·         The crisis communications that followed the event included adding signs that there were hazards in the area associated with animals.  This increased the communities understanding of the risk.

Application to the lesson topic:

This is a great case study on how some events might seem to be very important to a sizable population but still not gain any traction with the media as a whole.  Regardless of the impact the story could have on the community.

Application to emergency services:

It is important to understand what kind of communications will be important and what ones won't.  Having this knowledge will help people in the emergency management realm understand what kind of reaction to expect from the general public or disaster professionals

Justin E. Ross
j_elliotte@yahoo.com
360 609-2839

11- Randy Rask- Risk and Crisis Communication

Reference:

Lachlan, Kenneth. Handbook of Risk and Crisis Communication. Journal of Communication; Sep2010, Vol. 60 Issue 3, pE8-E11, 4p

Theme: Overview of the Handbook of Risk and Crisis Communication written by Robert Heath and Dan O'Hair. 

Summary:

-          Disasters and crises in recent history have brought about a consideration of disaster in the general public along with in academics. 

-          Our generation is becoming much more aware on issues such as natural disasters, terrorism, wars, etc.

-          Consideration is being taken on preparation, response, and restoration disasters more now than it ever has before.

-          Robert Heath and Dan O'Hair write about risk and crisis communications that help with these consideration.

-          Risk research is the approach taken by the book to address crises.

-          The book has a large range of focus on disasters of our day

-          Section one of the book covers the definition of crisis and risk communication

-          Section two focuses on different frameworks that go along with crisis and risk communication efforts

-          It covers how to steer clear of message processing and learn to think more on an organizational scale.

-          Public media and its relation to crisis management is also addressed.

-          The last section takes everything covered in the previous sections and applies them to crisis and risk scenarios.

 

Application to Lesson Topic:

Risk and crisis communication is very important in dealing with a disaster.  Through this book, we can see how to approach certain scenarios and how to properly deal with crisis communication.

Application to Emergency Services:

Obviously we all know how important risk and crisis communication is during disasters.  Emergency service members need to be open to learning and studying different sources about crisis and risk communication.  This will help us learn and become better emergency service members for the public. 

 

Reading summary #11 - Crisis communication strategies - Author Unknown

Reference: Valvi, A. C., & Fragkos, K. C. (2013). Crisis communication strategies: a case of British Petroleum. Industrial & Commercial Training, 45(7), 383-391. doi:10.1108/ICT-04-2013-0026

Theme: With an oil spill in 2010 BP failed in it's communication during the crisis.

Summary:

• British Petroleum (BP) came face to face with a crisis on 20 April 2010 when an explosion in the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling rig caused a huge oil spillage in the Gulf of Mexico.
• The case study attempts to describe BP's serious communication mistakes managing a serious hit to BP's reputation.
• The case study attempts to provide a detailed outline of BP's communication failures by conducting in-depth investigation of newspapers, audiovisual material, social network sites.
• BP's crisis communication was a weak link in its crisis management strategy.
• Public Relations (PR) mistakes were made by BP and shouldn't be avoided in a crisis of their organization. They should select strategies that point out their organization's strengths and correct its weaknesses in order to take advantage of opportunities and counter external threats.
• This study could be valuable in communication, since BP's PR strategies during this oil spill have not been studied before this incident, now they have and suggestions have been made
• The communications solutions BP took during the crisis were examined and certain strategies BP should have followed in order to avoid its failed PR plan are outlined in the article.
• The suggestions can help both PIO's and researchers to learn from BP's mistakes and give more attention to communication strategies, which are critical to all crises.

Application to lesson topic: Good crisis communication is vital in any situation

Application to emergency management: In an emergency good crisis communication is vital. That is how information is passed onto the public. When crisis communication doesn't go well, there's enormous consequences.

11- Ashley Burningham- Risk and Crisis Communication

Reference:

Crutchfield, N. (2010). Risk & Crisis Communication. Professional Safety, 55(8), 8-9.

Theme:

Social networking analysis can help evaluate communication practices and help enhance effectiveness of risk and safety process development. 

Summary:

- Comprehensive review of definitions, concepts, and considerations for risk and crisis communication. 

- Plan must provide for timely, accurate, and helpful messages. 

- How can these be determined? Social networking. 

- Social Networking Analysis (SNA) has not been used effectively in risk/safety process development. 

- SNA can enhance potential effectiveness. 

- Communicating risk concepts is challenging. 

- Comprehensive plan is not enough. Additional tools and methods are needed. 

- This increases probability that message will get through. 

- SNA is a way to determine quality and scope of personal and organizational group interactions.

- SNA can show who talks to who, quality of the conversation, whether it is positive or negative, etc. 

- Map of interaction (building blocks):

1. Individuals or groups are "actors" or "nodes".

2. Contact between actors or nodes is a "link". 

3. Basic transfer element is a "dyad". 

- This can reveal strengths and weaknesses in a chain of communication. 

Application to lesson:

This lesson was on risk and crisis communication. This article discusses how social networking can improve both types of communication by determining how employees communicate with one another. 

Application to career:

In law enforcement, there will always be people who do not get along. One of the important necessities of law enforcement is having the ability to put aside your differences and work together to achieve a goal. SNA can help determine who lacks a strong communication basis and this can help improve relationships and crisis communication. 

11 - Emergency Management Planning and Communication - Michael Newland

Reference:

Heath, R. L., Lee, J., & Ni, L. (2009). Crisis and Risk Approaches to Emergency Management Planning and Communication: The Role of Similarity and Sensitivity. Journal of Public Relations Research, Vol. 21 Issue 2, Pg. 123-141.

Theme: This article examines whether multiple voices are best to supply crisis information, evaluation, and advice to make communities more fully functioning.

Summary:

·         Emergency management is a key to preventing and responding to risks, and managing related issues to make society more fully functioning.

·         An infrastructural approach to crisis and risk reasons that individual, expert, and community efficacy are focal points for determining whether a community is properly organized to plan and communicate about various risks.

·         Community theory postulates that planning and response compliance increase as multiple voices join to provide requisite diversity in planning and response.

·         The centerpiece of emergency management communication is the persuasiveness of the experts' advice: Willingness of people to receive and yield to advice - use it for personal response.

·         Diversity in public relations adds value to society's discourse because it increases the likelihood that concerns will be heard and given regard.

·         Emergency management planning and communication is less likely to experience crisis if diversity of opinions is brought into planning and communication that are sensitive to residents' perception of the world.

Application to the Lesson Topic: This week’s lesson topic is risk and crisis communication. This article shows that people are more likely to follow advice if information is communicated by multiple sources.

Application to Emergency Services: Risk and crisis communication is vital to emergency services. If information is communicated to the public there is going to be a lot more damage and fatalities. It is important for multiple sources to get information out in order to help mitigate losses.

Reading Summary 9 - Social Media Changing the Way FEMA Responds to Disasters - Chris Schippers

Chris Schippers

Reference:

SICARD, S., & THOMAS, S. (2013). Social Media Changing the Way FEMA Responds to Disasters. National Defense, 98(718), 17-18. Retrieved on September 18, 2013 from http://ezproxy.uvu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=91690098&site=ehost-live

Theme:

This article explains how today's society has evolved in communications during disasters.  The majority of people today use one form or another of social media to inform loved ones of their status during or after a disaster.  It also explains how the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is boarding this train as well to inform the public of up-to-date response information as well as safety and preparedness tips.

Summary:

·         According to a University of San Francisco survey, more than 70 percent of people in disaster situations use social media to let their families and friends know that they are OK.

·         The use of social media in responding to natural disasters is becoming crucial to emergency response agencies.

·         'Social media enables response organizations to quickly push information to the public'

·         FEMA now has three Facebook pages 34 Twitter accounts.

·         Leverage of such social media tools is imperative.

·         Millions of Americans use social media daily and for various reasons.

·         Social media can be a double-edged sword when misinformation is spread.

·         Since social media is open and anyone can use it, there is a need to establish common standards and procedures to help make the sharing of data more efficient.

·         FEMA is trying to mitigate the problem of misinformation by developing a rumor control webpage that acknowledges or denounces information spread through social media.

·         FEMA plans to continue engaging in online conversations, provide information to the public, and produce a better-informed public.

·         The University of San Francisco also found that 80 percent of Americans expect emergency response agencies to monitor social media sites.

·         One out of three expect help to arrive within an hour of posting a request online.

·         Social media can also be a source of information for agencies to keep tabs on disasters.

·         FEMA was the first to develop a shortcode that could be texted to receive information on open recovery disaster centers and it received 10,000 requests in one day from people searching for shelter.

·         FEMA also developed a smartphone app that provides disaster safety tips and maps to shelters.

Application to the Lesson Topic:

The use of social media for disaster agencies is an extremely helpful and advantageous tool. During this lesson we learned firsthand how well Twitter works for spreading information before, during, and after disasters.  The article explains how FEMA understands the importance of social media in spreading important information such as safety tips and shelters as well as combatting misinformation.

Application to Emergency Services:

This applies directly to emergency services, especially since FEMA is at the forefront of all Emergency Agencies and gets the most attention during a disaster. Emergency Service Agencies everywhere should follow the example left by FEMA and dive deep into the information highway that is social media.