Risk Communication

Charles Yoe, PhDcyoe1@verizon.net

Institute for Water Resources2009

National Center for Food Protection & Defense

Risk CommunicatorTraining

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!

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

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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

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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 ServiceHurricane Ike Warning for GalvestonSeptember, 2008

"PERSONS NOT HEEDING

EVACUATION ORDERS IN

SINGLE FAMILY, ONE OR TWO

STORY HOMES WILL FACE

CERTAIN DEATH. ."

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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

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Risk Communication Elements

Multi-directional & actively involves the

audience as an information source

• Logistics• Metamessaging• Listening• Self-assessment• Evaluation

• Audience assessment

• Audience involvement

• Message

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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

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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

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Unpacking Unpacking thethe

MessageMessage

Unpacking Unpacking thethe

MessageMessage

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

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Interpreting Risk• Communicating about risk is

difficult because of the way people interpret risk

• Involves competing perspectives: objective vs subjective

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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

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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

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Scientist - Consumer Disconnect

SCIENTISTEXPERT

knowsthinks

CONSUMER PUBLIC

feelsbelieves

Fact-based:

hazard, probabilityValue-based:

consequences, value

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Peter Sandman

“The risks that upset people are completely different than the

risks that kill people.”

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Perceptions of Risk

Risk = Risk = Hazard + OutrageHazard + 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

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A variety of risk comm approaches

Hazard (danger)

High

Low High

Outrage Management

Crisis /

Emergency Communication

Public

Relations

Precaution

Advocacy

Outrage(fear, anger)

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Goal: Reduce outrage so people don’t take unnecessary precautions

Hazard (danger)

High

Low High

Crisis /Emergency

Communication

Public Relations

PrecautionAdvocacy

Outrage

Management

Outrage(fear,anger)

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Goal: Increase concern for a real hazard to motivate preventive action

Hazard (danger)

High

Low High

Outrage Management

Crisis /Emergency

Communication

Public Relations

PrecautionAdvocacy

Outrage(fear,anger)

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Hazard (danger)

High

Outrage(fear,anger)

Low High

Outrage Management

Public Relations

PrecautionAdvocacy

Crisis /

Emergency

Communication

Goal: Acknowledge hazard, validate concern, give people ways to act

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Applying the concepts

Hazard +Outrageand Your

Organization

Hazard +Outrageand Your

Organization

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

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Prevailing Model

Risk communication is centralized in PIO or spokesperson functions

– Industry CEO– Organization or agency head– Communications director– Other “official spokespersons”

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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

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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

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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

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for EffectiveMessage Development

• Risk & crisis communication is an ongoing process• Communicate all of the risk

– Existing risk– Residual risk– Transformed risk– Transferred risk

For EffectiveRisk CommunicationBestBest

Practices

PracticesBestBest

Practices

Practices

Flood Risk Management

Time in floodplain

Probability of 1 or more floods

10 years 65.132%25 years 92.821%30 years 95.761%75 years 99.963%100 years 99.997%

10-yr Floodplain Occupant

Risk in Perspective

Risk in Perspective

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

https://maps.crrel.usace.army.mil/AFC/

Questions?