Application of Communications Principles to Four Phases of Emergency Management

1. Application of Communications Principles to Four Phases of Emergency Management Session 17 Slide Deck Session 17 Slide 17-

2. Session Objectives 17.1 Review the four phases of emergency management and discuss the nine communications principles. 17.2 Discuss communicating mitigation messages. 17.3 Discuss emergency preparedness communications. 17.4 Discuss communicating during a disaster response. 17.5 Discuss communicating during the disaster recovery phase. Session 17 Slide 17-

3. Four Phases of Emergency Management Source: FEMA, http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/downloads/is10_unit3.doc Session 17 Slide 17-

4. Communications Principles • Focus on the needs of your customers. • Make a commitment to effective communications. • Make communications an integral part of all planning and operations. • Be transparent in your communications. • Ensure that your information is accurate. • Release information in a timely manner. • Make yourself, your staff and others, where appropriate, available and accessible. • Create an emotional connection with your audience. • Build a partnership with the media and the “first informer” community. Session 17 Slide 17-

5. Objective 17.2: Discuss communicating mitigation messages • Timing of messages – before and after disasters • Four steps for building a community mitigation program • Marketing mitigation • Media partnership • Components of a mitigation communications strategy Session 17 Slide 17-

6. Building a Hazard Mitigation Program • Establish a community partnership that involves all members of the community in developing a community-based hazard mitigation plan. • Identify the community risks (i.e., floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.). • Identify potential mitigation actions to address these risks and develop a prioritized plan. • Generate the funding, political and public support needed to implement the plan. Session 17 Slide 17-

7. Marketing Project Impact • Engage the public. • Partner with the media. • Take advantage of policy windows. Session 17 Slide 17-

8. Guidelines for Marketing Project Impact • Keep the message simple and understandable. • Stick to the message or point. • Explain what’s in it for the public. • Educate the media on mitigation. • Involve partners. • You are the message. Session 17 Slide 17-

9. Media Partnership and Marketing Project Impact • USA Today Op/Ed section • Parade magazine • Today Show Session 17 Slide 17-

10. Policy Windows and Marketing Project Impact • FEMA spokespeople promoted Project Impact. • An animated video on mitigation steps. • Pre-prepared press releases. Session 17 Slide 17-

11. Components of a Mitigation Communications Strategy • Include communications staff. • Archive all information. • Identify audiences and collect data. • Craft messages that will connect. • Employ an array of communications mechanisms including: • Town hall meetings and workshops • Television, radio, and print interviews • Internet and printed materials • Paid advertising • Public Service Announcements (PSAs) • Grassroots communications • Social networking • Monitor and Update. Session 17 Slide 17-

12. Communicating Preparedness Messages • Preparing for the next disaster • Providing warning information Session 17 Slide 17-

13. Communicating Preparedness Messages • Similar to mitigation messaging. • Heavily reliant on communicating messages to the general public and to targeted audiences. • Programs include public awareness and education, training and exercise elements. • Best implemented at the local level. Session 17 Slide 17-

14. Communicating Preparedness Messages Tasks include: • Full participation of communications staff in program design and implementation, collection, and presentation of all information. • Identification of target audiences. • Message development. • Use of a broad range of communications mechanisms. • Monitoring and updating communications strategies and tactics. Session 17 Slide 17-

15. Case Study – Red Cross • Trusted source of information • Lack of reliable and consistent information • Local chapters producing their own materials • Factually inaccurate • More “don’ts” than “do’s” Session 17 Slide 17-

16. Case Study – Red Cross • Folklore • Risk Communications • Other agencies • What kind of messages are given here? Session 17 Slide 17-

17. Case Study – Red Cross • “Talking About Disasters: Guide for Standard Messages” • Reviewed, vetted, and grounded disaster advice • Culture of educating educators • Jointly produced • Consistent, accurate, and appropriately worded for risk-based communications Session 17 Slide 17-

18. Case Study – Red Cross • Decline in co-branding • Variability and inconsistency • Search engines • Won’t happen to me • Growing interest in risk communications Session 17 Slide 17-

19. Elements of an effective disaster warning and evacuation communications Information Collection • Recognize importance • Dedicate staff and resources • Traditional and new sources of information • Process information • Verify information Session 17 Slide 17-

20. Elements of effective disaster warning and evacuation communications • Information Dissemination • Course of action • Evacuation • Shelter-in-place • Communicating course of action to the public • Traditional media – television, radio, print • New media (Internet, online news services, bulletin boards, cell phones, PDAs) Session 17 Slide 17-

21. Elements of an effective disaster warning and evacuation communications Additional factors for consideration: • Messengers • Functional needs populations • Non-English speakers Session 17 Slide 17-

22. Communicating During the Response Phase • Timely and accurate information • Situation reports • What happened • Impact • What is being done Session 17 Slide 17-

23. Communicating During the Response Phase • Ways to Communicate • Traditional media • First informers • Community-based networks Session 17 Slide 17-

24. Communicating During the Response Phase • Collect and Analysis Information • Timeliness and accuracy • Traditional partners • First informers and neighborhood networks Session 17 Slide 17-

25. Communicating During the Response Phase • Disseminate Information • Goal of disaster communications • Regular media briefings • Involve agency leaders • This is what we did yesterday. • This is what we are doing today, and • This is what we hope to do tomorrow. • Elected officials • Public Information Officer Session 17 Slide 17-

26. Communicating During the Response Phase • Make your response staff available to the media • Discuss actions being taken • Do not discuss actions being taken by others • Media training Session 17 Slide 17-

27. Communicating During the Response Phase • Provide media with images and words they need to communicate your information • Images, words, and sound bites • Access to disaster zone • Situation reports • Access to leadership • Facts and statistics • What is being done to help public Session 17 Slide 17-

28. Communicating During the Response Phase • Respond to Media Inquiries • Rumors and misinformation • Basic communications principles apply • Don’t lie • Don’t talk about what you don’t know Session 17 Slide 17-

29. Communicating During the Response Phase Work with the New Media: • Bloggers • Bulletin Boards • Facebook • YouTube • Twitter Session 17 Slide 17-

30. Communicating During the Response Phase • Monitor the Media • Tape TV and radio programs • Read newspapers • Read and track comments on new media sites • Reach out to correct misinformation and rumors Session 17 Slide 17-

31. Communicating During the Response Phase • Media Training • Leadership • Operations staff • Prior to events • Raise comfort and capabilities of speakers Session 17 Slide 17-

32. Communicating During the Recovery Phase • Focus on types of and access to recovery assistance • Many forms of assistance • Media interest beginning to wane • Rumors and misinformation Session 17 Slide 17-

33. Communicating During the Recovery Phase • Elements of effective communications in the recovery phase • Information Clearinghouse • Bigger disaster - the larger the number of organizations involved • A lot of information to share • One-stop shops • Recovery Information Clearinghouse • Pre-disaster planning • Hotline Session 17 Slide 17-

34. Communicating During the Recovery Phase • Communicating recovery information • Many media outlets • Television and radio • Internet and newspapers • New Media • Community communications networks • Community relations teams • Monitor media Session 17 Slide 17-