Crisis Communications Audiences

1. Crisis CommunicationsAudiences Session 18 Slide Deck Session 18 Slide 18-

2. Objectives 18.1 Identify four critical audiences targeted for crisis communications. 18.2 Discuss crisis communications with the general public. 18.3 Discuss communicating is a crisis with elected officials and community leaders. 18.4 Discuss communicating with partners and stakeholders during a crisis. 18.5 Discuss communicating with the media in a crisis. Session 18 Slide 18-

3. Communicating in Four Phases of Emergency Management • Mitigation • Preparedness • Response • Recovery Session 18 Slide 18-

4. Basic Emergency Management Audiences • General public. The largest audience of which there are many subgroups, such as the elderly, the disabled, minority, low-income, youth, and others of which all are potential customers. • Disaster survivors. Those individuals affected by a specific disaster event. • Elected officials. Governors, mayors, county executives, state legislators, and members of Congress. • Community officials. City/county managers, public works, department heads. • First responders. Police, fire, and emergency medical services. • Volunteer groups. American Red Cross, Salvation Army, NVOADs, etc. that are critical to first response to an event. • Business community. Often ignored by emergency managers but critical to disaster recovery, preparedness, and mitigation activities. • Media. An audience and a partner critical to effectively communicating with the public. Session 18 Slide 18-

5. Primary Audiences for Crisis Communications • The General Public • Elected Officials and Community Leaders • Partners and Stakeholders • The Media Session 18 Slide 18-

6. General Public Audience • Individuals with cognitive and physical disabilities • Individuals with functional and access needs • Children • Residents in disadvantaged neighborhoods • Tourists and visitors • Homeowners • Families without cars • Others Session 18 Slide 18-

7. Elected Officials and Community Leaders • Critical audience for disaster information • Communicators of disaster-related information • Constituent information providers • Trusted leaders in the community Session 18 Slide 18-

8. Partners and Stakeholders Include: • First responders • Voluntary agencies • Community groups • Non-governmental organizations • The business community • Others Session 18 Slide 18-

9. The Media • Historic role of telling the disaster story • New media are new information providers • New media capable of distributing information Session 18 Slide 18-

10. Audience: The General Public • Traditional media – TV, radio, and newspapers • Relied on emergency managers for: • Current information • Access to disaster site • Progress reports on relief efforts • Traditional media provided broadest reach to the General Public Session 18 Slide 18-

11. Audience: The General Public • Arrival of the Internet • New media emerges in recent disasters • 2004 Asian Tsunami • 2005 Hurricane Katrina • 2007 London bombings • 2008 Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar (Burma) • 2008 Sichuan earthquake in China • 2011 Joplin, Missouri, tornado • 2011 Hurricane Irene • New media surpasses traditional media Session 18 Slide 18-

12. Audience: The General Public • Information collection and distribution • Public key players • Design system to collect information from the public • Emergency officials must share information with the public • Public distributes information Session 18 Slide 18-

13. Audience: The General Public • Low-to-Moderate-income populations • Limited access to web • Trust issues • Trusted leaders • Community emergency networks • Distribute and report information • Mitigation and preparedness messages Session 18 Slide 18-

14. Audience: The General Public • Special Needs Population • Additional needs in functional areas, including but not limited to: • Maintaining independence • Communication • Transportation • Supervision • Medical care Session 18 Slide 18-

15. Audience: The General Public • Special Needs Populations • Individuals in need of additional response assistance may include: • Those with various disabilities • Those who live in institutionalized settings • Elderly • Those who are from diverse cultures • Those with limited English proficiency or who are non-English-speaking • Children • Those who are transportation disadvantaged Session 18 Slide 18-

16. Audience: The General Public • Challenges for communicating with Special Needs Populations • Recognize the challenge • Consider communications barriers • Consider different communications mechanisms • Use a combination of communications mechanisms Session 18 Slide 18-

17. Audience: Elected Officials and Community Leaders • Role in a crisis • Information requirements • Applying for Federal assistance • Official visits to disaster site • Staff resources • Spokespeople • Community leaders Session 18 Slide 18-

18. Audience: Elected Officials and Community Leaders • Receive and deliver critical information • Keep informed • Credible spokespeople • All four phases of emergency management Session 18 Slide 18-

19. Audience: Elected Officials and Community Leaders • Information Requirements • Regular briefings and updates • Disaster-related information: • Conditions at the disaster site • Status of evacuees • Number of dead and injured • Impact of the disaster on community infrastructure and environmental resources • Appeal for State and Federal resources Session 18 Slide 18-

20. Audience: Elected Officials and Community Leaders • Applying for Federal Assistance • State officials • Governor • Members of Congress Session 18 Slide 18-

21. Audience: Elected Officials and Community Leaders • Official Visits to the Disaster Site • Officials will make visits • Communications opportunity • Staff and support resources Session 18 Slide 18-

22. Audience: Elected Officials and Community Leaders • Staff Resources • Information source • Relationship-building • Communications Specialists Session 18 Slide 18-

23. Audience: Elected Officials and Community Leaders • Spokespeople • Well-informed and credible • Media savvy • Practice in non-disaster times Session 18 Slide 18-

24. Audience: Elected Officials and Community Leaders • Community Leaders • Neighborhood communications networks • Preparedness and mitigation messages • Dual purpose • Disseminate disaster information • Collect and report disaster impact information Session 18 Slide 18-

25. Audience: Partners and Stakeholders • Other government emergency management organizations • State emergency management agencies • Local emergency management agencies • Regional agencies involved in emergency management such as Council of Governments (COGs) • Voluntary Agencies – VOADs • Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) • Business sector • First responders • Volunteers and service providers Session 18 Slide 18-

26. Audience: Partners and Stakeholders • Sources of information • Messengers disseminating information • Communications protocols Session 18 Slide 18-

27. Audience: Partners and Stakeholders • Work in recovery phase • Deliver information • Collect information • Joint Information Center (JIC) • Communications Specialists • Preparedness and mitigation campaigns • Relationship-building Session 18 Slide 18-

28. Audience: The Media • Most effective way to reach the general public • Media needs: • Timely and accurate information • Access to the disaster site • Access to emergency officials Session 18 Slide 18-

29. Audience: The Media • Share information with media • Briefings • Access to site • Interviews with emergency officials • Scheduling Session 18 Slide 18-

30. Audience: The Media • Media does not need to be an advisory • Potential partner • Sharing information with media is a must • Include new media Session 18 Slide 18-