1. Concepts and challenges for communicating situation reports in Europe
© Matthias Heyde / Fraunhofer FOKUS | Google
Concepts and challenges for communicating
situation reports in Europe
Stefanie Wahl, Karolin Bauer & Lars Gerhold
March 14th, 2017
ICRC, Orlando, Florida

2. Background
Public authorities need to inform public about ongoing situation (Beneito-Montagut et al., 2013)
impact of social media on disaster management (Alexander, 2014; BBK, 2017)
lack of concepts, strategies (Beneito-Montagut et al., 2013; BBK, 2010)
What are good practices?
Wahl, Bauer & Gerhold | Concepts and challenges for communicating situation reports in Europe

3. Background Communication of situation reports
external, organisational communication
of public authorites
with the public
during diasaster events
about the situation
to inform and support disaster management
Wahl, Bauer & Gerhold | Concepts and challenges for communicating situation reports in Europe

4. Research Questions
RQ1: What concepts do European emergency agencies use for public communication of situation reports? RQ2: What challenges do arise when communicating situation reports? RQ3: How are these challenges addressed?
Wahl, Bauer & Gerhold | Concepts and challenges for communicating situation reports in Europe

5. Literature Review
Challenges for communicating situation reports (Alexander,
2014; IRGC, 2012; Wendling, Radisch, & Jacobzone, 2013, Lindsay, 2011, Watson
& Finn, 2013)
audience: e.g. media use, trust, rumors/ fake news
organisation: e.g. concepts, staff (skills), training
technology: e.g. power, cybersecurity, compability
legislation: e.g. liablity, data privacy
Wahl, Bauer & Gerhold | Concepts and challenges for communicating situation reports in Europe

6. Literature Review
Challenges for communicating situation reports (Alexander,
2014; IRGC, 2012; Wendling, Radisch, & Jacobzone, 2013, Lindsay, 2011)
audience: e.g. media use, trust, rumors/ fake news
organisation: e.g. concepts, resources, training
technology: e.g. power, cybersecurity, compability
legislation: e.g. liablity, data privacy
Wahl, Bauer & Gerhold | Concepts and challenges for communicating situation reports in Europe

7. Method Qualitative expert interviews semi-structured English, German
Denmark, the Netherlands, Austria
National Emergency Management Agencies, Meteorological Institutes, Ministries, Red Cross
Wahl, Bauer & Gerhold | Concepts and challenges for communicating situation reports in Europe

8. Findings (preliminary) | organisation
Communication concepts
proactive communication (NL, DK)
what area/who is (not) affected (DK)
refer to trustworthy sources (DK, NL, AT)
respond to people‘s emotions, concerns (NL)
inform about information availability (NL)
counter rumors, false information (DK, NL)
Wahl, Bauer & Gerhold | Concepts and challenges for communicating situation reports in Europe

9. Findings (preliminary) | audience
Preferred media channels
Organisation‘s website (DK, NL)
Wahl, Bauer & Gerhold | Concepts and challenges for communicating situation reports in Europe

10. Findings (preliminary) | audience
Preferred media channels
Organisation‘s website (DK, NL)
Twitter (DK, NL, AT) „
[…] we know that there is no one on Twitter, but those that are on Twitter are the journalists that reach the whole of the population. So it is like an open news agency for authorities.” (DEMA, DK)
Wahl, Bauer & Gerhold | Concepts and challenges for communicating situation reports in Europe

11. Findings (preliminary) | audience
Preferred media channels
Organisation‘s website (DK, NL)
Twitter (DK, NL, AT)
Disaster messages on radio, tv platforms (DK) „
[…] we have […] a deal with them [public broadcasting] that says that in specific emergency situations, where people's lives are at stake, we can actually dismantle the normal free press privilege. So we can launch unedited disaster information from their platforms. (DEMA, DK)
Wahl, Bauer & Gerhold | Concepts and challenges for communicating situation reports in Europe

12. Findings (preliminary) | audience
Preferred media channels
Organisation‘s website (DK, NL)
Twitter (DK, NL, AT)
Disaster messages on radio, tv platforms (DK)
(Warning) App (DK), text messages (NL)
, phone (NL, DK)
Sirens (DK, AT)
Wahl, Bauer & Gerhold | Concepts and challenges for communicating situation reports in Europe

13. Findings (preliminary) | organisation
Skills, training and networking
Knowing communication skills of organisation‘s members (DK)
Regular training (DK, NL)
Manual monitoring of social media channels (DK, NL, AT)
Responding equally to different journalists (AT)
Wahl, Bauer & Gerhold | Concepts and challenges for communicating situation reports in Europe

14. Takeaways Address not only facts, but also emotions.
Refer to trustworthy sources.
Know the communication skills of your staff.
Wahl, Bauer & Gerhold | Concepts and challenges for communicating situation reports in Europe

15. Thank you very much for your kind attention. stefanie. wahl@fu-berlin
Thank you very much for your kind attention.
Wahl, Bauer & Gerhold | Concepts and challenges for communicating situation reports in Europe

16. References
Alexander, D. E. (2014). Social Media in Disaster Risk Reduction and Crisis Management, Science and Engineering Ethics, 20, Beneito-Montagut, R., Anson, S., Shaw, D., & Brewster, C. (2013). Governmental Social Media Use for Emergency Communication. T. Comes, F. Fiedrich, S. Fortier, J. Geldermann, & T. Müller (Eds.). Proceedings of the 10th International ISCRAM Conference (pp ). Baden-Baden: KIT. Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe (BBK) (2017). Rahmenempfehlungen für den Einsatz von Social Media im Bevölkerungsschutz [Guidelines for Social Media Use in Civil Protection]. Retrieved from a_BevS.pdf?__blob=publicationFile . Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe (BBK) (2010). Neue Strategie zum Schutz der Bevölkerung [New Strategy for Civil Protection]. Bonn: BBK. International Risk Governance Council (IRGC). (2012). Social Media and Crisis Communication. Addressing the challenges of using social media to improve crisis communication and management. Geneva: IRGC. Lindsay, B. R. (2011). Social Media and Disasters: Current Uses, Future Options, and Policy Considerations. Retrieved from . Watson, H., & Finn, R. L. (2013). Privacy and Ethical Implications of the Use of Social Media during a Volcanic Eruption: Some Initial Thoughts. T. Comes, F. Fiedrich, S. Fortier, J. Geldermann, & T. Müller (Eds.). Proceedings of the 10th International ISCRAM Conference (pp ). Baden-Baden: KIT. Wendling, C., Radisch, J., & Jacobzone, S. (2013). The Use of Social Media in Risk and Crisis Communication. OECD Working Papers on Public Governance, 25, 1-41.
Wahl, Bauer & Gerhold | Concepts and challenges for communicating situation reports in Europe