Select a recent public emergency (e.g. earthquake in Nepal; Amtrak derailment in

Question

Select a recent public emergency (e.g. earthquake in Nepal; Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia; recent tornados in Texas & Oklahoma, heat wave in India) and perform internet research to locate various forms of communication that are related to the event. Select one form of communication you found that does not fully adhere to risk communication directives. Then in your post, Briefly summarize the public health emergency you selected. Describe the format (video, press release, newspaper article, etc.) of the communication you are critiquing, and the issuing agency. Evaluate the effectiveness of the communication based on what you have read and learned about PHEP communications from this week’s materials, discussing the implications of the current message and its possible impact on decision making or public reaction. The Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication Wallet Card from your Readings will provide you will some succinct criteria to use in your evaluation. Make concrete suggestions for improving this message based on your learning of appropriate risk communication methods.

Explanation / Answer

Risk communication is the exchange of ideas, opinions, information among the people which are responsible for assesing,regulating and minimizing risks and those which are vulnerable to the consequences of risks. Risk communication is an effective way to communicate during emergencies based issued by public heatlh officers and professionals to people so that they can make proper decision for themselves for their safety and well being during emergencies.

Guiding principals of risk communication:

To warn the people about the potential harm of the risk

To inform the people that there is no need to panic or worry

improve effiency of the risk anaysis process

Exhange and communicate the risks among public effectively

Promote understanding and awareness of specific issues about risk among the people

To make joint effort by the people and decison makers for issues like safety, environmental concerns

Risk communication during earthquakes:

Risk communication during earthquakes is different from other hazards. SInce earthquake is a process which is long term and builds over a time and deals with great uncertainity. Also this type of hazard affects a large population. So these are the challenges we face during earthquake risk communication. However for this type of hazard we can be prepared and includes buildings of proper design and earthquake resistant and to teach the people about the proper behaviour during earthquakes like what to do and what not to do during earthqaukes, evaluation of the damage and cost during seismic hazard.

The communication for the earthquake warning or impending risks should be through a press release because media is a very powerful tool to effectively communicate through a large mass at the same time. It should be ensured that the message should be sent to create awareness and inforamtion about the risk and not threaten the public.

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