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Risk Communication Public Education Warning/Emergency Information

Public Response 52% of families don’t have an emergency plan 51% would not know what to do if told to “shelter in place” 36% say they have done nothing to prepare

Public Response 3 out of 5 say they would not follow emergency instructions in a smallpox incident 2 out of 5 would not follow instructions in a dirty bomb incident

Aware Intend not to act Intend to act Action Information/ Warning given The Process

OfficialsPublic Provide informationReceive Understand Believe Awareness Reinforce w/ text, pictures, maps, sources Personalize Confirm with others Weigh credibility Assess own ability Intention Clear directions Expected consequences Outcome expectancy Cost/Benefit Trust Action

Intention 43% have disaster supply kit 31% intend to make a kit 26% do not intend, or had not considered making a kit

Factors People who do not trust public officials are half as likely to obey emergency instructions People who lack trust are often the same people who lack resources Caring/Empathy Honesty/ Openness Commitment/ Dedication Competence/ Expertise Factors in Public Trust

Factors The older someone is, the less likely they are to follow emergency instructions It takes three messages (or a message and two confirming sources) to move most people to action “Believing a warning message increases the likelihood of responding to it.” - Dennis Mileti

Effective Messages Specific Frequent Certain Delivered by multiple media Confirmed by other sources

Knowledge/ beliefs about disaster, disease & behaviors Information sources Perceptions of local ecology/ environment Actions of local government Individual’s Risk Perception Action Socio- economic status Race Education Gender Eve Gruntfest: Risky Business

“It isn’t what we don’t know that kills us, it’s what we know that ain’t so.” Mark Twain

Intention + Resources = Action Intend to actIntend not to act Intend to actIntend not to act Resources No resources WON’T CAN’T

Intend not to act Don’t believe they will be personally affected by disaster (54%) Preparedness won’t be effective (45%) Haven’t thought about it (52%)

Intend not to act Too expensive (37%) Too time consuming (35%) Don’t know how (44%)

Intend not to act PerceptionSolution Credibility Outcome expectancy Good public information principles Personalization Complacency Trust Participation Social justice Empowerment Hazard anxiety Helplessness Cost/benefit Pre-incident programs

For yourself, your family and your community

Resources University of Colorado Natural Hazards Center. (2005). Quick Response Research Report 178: Evacuation Behavior in Response to the Graniteville SC Chlorine Spill. Mileti, Dennis and Elwood Beck. (1975). “Communication in Crisis: Explaining Evacuation Symbolically.” Communication Research, 2, Center for Advancement of Collaborative Strategies in Health. (2004). “Redefining Readiness.” Hart Research Associates. (2005). “The Aftershock of Katrina: Public Not Moved to Prepare.” Covello, Vincent. (2006) “Risk Communication and Message Mapping.” Journal of Emergency Management, 4 (3), Green, Marc. The Psychology of Warning. Visual Expert Human Factors. Gruntfest, Eve. (2002). Toward Improved Understanding of Warning (Abstract). US WRP Warm Season Precipitation Workshop.

Resources Paton, Douglas, Leigh Smith and David Johnston. “When Good Intentions Turn Bad: Promoting Natural Hazard Preparedness.” Australian Journal of Emergency Management February Gordon, Rob. (2006). “Acute responses to emergencies: findings and observations of 20 years in the field.” Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 21 (1), Ripley, Amanda. (2006). “Floods, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Wildfires, Earthquakes…Why We Don’t Prepare.” Time 20 Aug Perry, Ronald, Michael Lindell, and Marjorie Greene. (1982). “Crisis Communications: Ethnic Differentials in Interpreting and Acting on Disaster Warnings.” Social Behavior and Personality, 10 (1), Tarrant, Michael. (2006). “Risk and Emergency Management.” Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 21 (1), Gruntfest, Eve. (2005). “Risky Business: Innovations in Natural Hazards Public Education Based on Research and Practice.”

Ronda Oberlin Lansing Emergency Management Contact Information