Risk Communication Charles Yoe, PhD Institute for Water Resources 2009

National Center for Food Protection & Defense Risk Communicator Training We would like to acknowledge the NCFPD for the bulk of the material in this presentation Defense, Response & Recovery

Risk Communication Team

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!

5 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.

DEFINING RISK COMMUNICATION: WHAT IT IS & WHAT IT ISN’T

7 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

8 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.

National Weather Service Hurricane Ike Warning for Galveston September, 2008 " PERSONS NOT HEEDING EVACUATION ORDERS IN SINGLE FAMILY, ONE OR TWO STORY HOMES WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH.."

10 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

11 Risk Communication Elements Multi-directional & actively involves the audience as an information source Logistics Metamessaging Listening Self-assessment Evaluation Audience assessment Audience involvement Message

12 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

Risk Communication is Trans-Disciplinary Environmental Sciences Social Psychology Philosophy Political Science Communication Engineering Economics Public Health Natural Sciences

14 Crisis Response –Spontaneous –Post-event –Uni-directional –Reactive –Equivocal Risk & Crisis Communication Preparedness & Recovery –Planned, tested, strategic –Pre-event activities –Multi-directional –Proactive –Certain

Applying the concepts 15 UnpackingtheMessageUnpackingtheMessage

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

Is This Risk Communication?

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

RISK PERCEPTIONS FACTS AND FEELINGS

Risk Analysis Paradigm Everything we do involves risk Zero risk is unachievable Options exist for managing every risk

21 Interpreting Risk Communicating about risk is difficult because of the way people interpret risk Involves competing perspectives: objective vs subjective

22 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

23 Scientist - Consumer Disconnect SCIENTIST EXPERT knows thinks CONSUMER PUBLIC feels believes Fact-based: hazard, probability Value-based: consequences, value

24 Peter Sandman “The risks that upset people are completely different than the risks that kill people.”

25 Perceptions of Risk Risk = Hazard + Outrage SOURCE: Peter Sandman

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

27 A variety of risk comm approaches Hazard (danger) High Low High Outrage Management Crisis / Emergency Communication Public Relations Precaution Advocacy Outrage (fear, anger)

28 Goal: Reduce outrage so people don’t take unnecessary precautions Hazard (danger) High Low High Crisis / Emergency Communication Public Relations Precaution Advocacy Outrage Management Outrage (fear,anger)

29 Goal: Increase concern for a real hazard to motivate preventive action Hazard (danger) High Low High Outrage Management Crisis / Emergency Communication Public Relations Precaution Advocacy Outrage (fear,anger)

30 Hazard (danger) High Outrage (fear,anger) Low High Outrage Management Public Relations Precaution Advocacy Crisis / Emergency Communication Goal: Acknowledge hazard, validate concern, give people ways to act

31 Applying the concepts Hazard +Outrage and Your Organization Hazard +Outrage and Your Organization

WE’RE ALL RISK COMMUNICATORS. IT IS YOUR JOB!

33 Prevailing Model Risk communication is centralized in PIO or spokesperson functions –Industry CEO –Organization or agency head –Communications director –Other “official spokespersons”

34 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

35 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

36 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

37 for Effective Message Development Risk & crisis communication is an ongoing process Communicate all of the risk –Existing risk –Residual risk –Transformed risk –Transferred risk For Effective Risk Communication BestPractices

Flood Risk Management 10-yr Floodplain Occupant

Risk in Perspective

Participation Continuum Inform the public Listen to the public Engage in problem solving Develop agreements Know what you want to do!

Some “To” Techniques Briefings Exhibits and displays Feature stories Repositories Mailings Media interviews Media kits Talk shows News conferences Newsletters News releases Newspaper inserts and advertisements Panels Presentations PSA’s Symposia

Some “From” Techniques Advisory group or task force Charette Coffee Klatch Computer simulation Consensus building Field trip Focus groups Hotlines Interviews Large group/small group meetings Shared Vision Planning MCDA

Internet To –Information repository Data, models, reports –Publish information about events –Hotline –Up-to-minute information –Chatroom, discussion boards –Multi-media –Interactive –Downloads From –Web conferencing –Wiki spaces –Virtual communication –Interactive websites –Listserv –Shared spaces

Learn Online

Chat Rooms

Baltimore Croatia Cameroon Rome

Anyone can contribute A Wiki World

Young people grow up working this way. You may read the newspaper, watch TV and listen to radio but they blog, , IM, text message, send photos, Podcast, use the Internet, learn online, file share, work collaboratively. This is not the future it is the present. Web 2 is interactive, it is a global shared workspace. Why not CorpsSolvers? Put a problem “out there” and ask people to solve it. Ask for data, ideas, Offer prize money for a solution you use. Seek feedback in a running discussion board or chatroom.

We wrote an article collaboratively in the wiki

It took 52 tries over six months.

It was published here this spring

The Way People Work Is Changing Open-all are welcomed Peered-no one is in charge Shared-communal ownership Global-worldwide

Open and Shared

Experiment, Innovate, Collaborate Spread your wings and fly Experiment with new technologies Vary your approach

Risk in Perspective

To learn more about Actions for Change visit us on the web at Questions?