1. COMMUNICATION IN TIMES OF CRISIS

2. Communication cycle in times of crisis Maintenance Pre-crisis Start
Resolution
Assessment
Help the public to understand their own risk
Provide background information to those who need it
Seek support for response and recovery plans
Listen to the decision-makers and the audience for feedback and rectification
Explain the emergency recommendations
Improve risk-benefit decision-making
Recognize the event with empathy
Explain the risk in simple terms
Establish the credibility of the speaker
Provide guidelines for implementation of the actions
Obtain the decision-makers’ commitment to continue with the communication
Be prepared
Make alliances
Seek consensus for applying the recommendations
Try out your messages
Improve public responses through education
Examine the problems and reinforce what worked well
Persuade the public to support the public policy and the availability of resources
Promote activities and capabilities
Assess the communication plan
Document the lessons learned
Determine specific actions that improve the system or the crisis plan
Source: CDC, September Crisis Emergency + Risk Communication

3. Role of risk communication in crisis and emergency situations
Communication during a crisis cannot be handled by mobilizing more people and materials. The communication itself will have to change.
Risk communication in emergency and crisis situationshould take into account certain harmful conducts that appear during these events.
Source: CDC, September Crisis Emergency + Risk Communication

4. Response of the health sector
The response of the public health sector during a crisis should aim to reduce and prevent diseases, lesions, and deaths, and should try to get individuals and communities to return to their normal lives in the shortest possible time.

5. Human conduct during an emergency: What can communication do?
Most individuals are able to act reasonably during an emergency.
They may also exaggerate communicative responses, as well as adopting rudimentary, instinctive reasoning.
If this is the first emergency of its type (man-made or natural), the communication challenges will be greater.
Source: CDC, September Crisis Emergency + Risk Communication

6. Stress and psychological manifestations during a crisis
Vicarious rehearsal
Victimization
Emotional-physical
Negation
Refusal to take good advice
Stigmatization
Separation from the group
Denial and fear
Irrational conduct
Withdrawal, hopelessness, abandonment
Paralysis
Cognitive-interpersonal
Source: CDC, September Crisis Emergency + Risk Communication

7. How to communicate effectively in a crisis
It is important to remember that your goal is not to over-assure the public. People need to be vigilant, although at the beginning they may be hyper-vigilant.
It is recommended to give the good news in subordinate clauses, with the more alarming news in the first clause. For example: “It is too early to say that we are safe, although we have had no more eruptive processes for x days now.”
Source: CDC, September Crisis Emergency + Risk Communication

8. How to communicate effectively in a crisis (Continued)
What leads to panic is not the bad news, but anything doubtful in the message received. Individuals feel panic when they cannot rely on what they are being told or when they feel abandoned in dangerous territory.
When people are frightened, the worst thing is to pretend that they are not, and the next worst thing is to tell them not to be afraid.
Even if the fear is completely unjustified, it is wrong to ignore it, criticize it, or make fun of it.
Source: CDC, September Crisis Emergency + Risk Communication

9. Admit uncertainty
Admitting uncertainty is effective when the communicator expresses it honestly to the audience, using words like: “I really wish I could give a definitive answer to that.”

10. risk communication and its importance in the crisis phase
Principles of
risk communication and its
importance in the crisis phase
When they are the most effective
Crisis phase
Pre-crisis
Initial
Mainte-nance
Resolu-tion
Principles of risk communication
in a crisis
Do not try to calm the fear
Emphasize that there is a process being carried out
Do not over-assure
Admit uncertainty
Recognize the people’s dread
Express wishes
Give instructions to people
Recognize the problem as something that is shared
Give guidance in advance
Re-direct awkward questions such as “What would happen if . . .?”
Be a model, ask people more questions
Apologize whenever necessary
Source: CDC, September Crisis Emergency + Risk Communication

11. Relationship of the audience with the event
International * Exchange /Industry * Community /Nation * Elected officers
Face the public immediately * Media * Families of victims
First persons to respond * Victims * Public health * Doctors
CRISIS
Action
Messages
Safety
Immediate action not required
Interest in safety
and real situations
Vicarious rehearsal
Interest in safety
and over-assurance
Source: CDC, September Crisis Emergency + Risk Communication

12. Elements of successful communication
Accuracy of the information
Credibility +
Trust
Speed of delivery
Successful communication =
Empathy +
Openness

13. Preparing the main points in a presentation
Type of presentation
Purpose of the presentation
Recommended method of organization
Persuasive
Get the audience to accept ideas
Get the audience to act
Inductive pattern: teach specific examples or lines of reasoning that lead to general conclusions.
Problem-solution pattern : describe the problem in order to create a need and then offer a solution.
Criterion-application pattern : describe the criterion that is the most appropriate to the possible case. Then compare options and select the best solutions.
Informative
Inform or teach the audience
Deductive pattern: present the conclusion first and then explain the details.
Chronological pattern: Indicate how the events succeeded each other during a given period.
Increasing difficulty pattern: start with something that the audience knows, then add more complex concepts.
Progress report
Inform or update knowledge
Chronological pattern
Deductive pattern
Importance pattern: start with the most important findings and then go up or down in order of importance.
Source: CDC, September Crisis Emergency + Risk Communication

14. Development of the message
Audience:
Purpose of the message:
Method of delivery:
Relationship with the event
Demography (age, language, education, culture)
Outrage levels (based on the risk principles)
Inform and update about the facts
Be ready for action
Clarify the state of the event
Point out rumors
Meet the requirements of the media
Print press releases
Post information in Internet
Through spokespersons (television or public appearances)
Radio
Others (prerecorded messages, telephone messages)

15. Crisis phase and communication plan
There is no second chance to correct what is done in the initial phase of the crisis.
The communication plan is an information resource; it is the place where information should be found.
The key to a reply is to have all the information on the topic as clearly set out as possible.
Emergencies can occur outside working hours; learn to use the back doors of the scenario to arrive at the same time as the news editors.
Source: CDC, September Crisis Emergency + Risk Communication

16. Nine steps in crisis response
Organize activities
Obtain information and
acceptance
Do the assessment
(activate the crisis plan) 4 3
Conduct the
notification 5
Give information to the media and the public 2 6
Verify the
situation 1
The crisis
occurs
Obtain feedback and conduct crisis assessment 7 8 9
Conduct education of the public
Monitor events
Source: CDC, September Crisis Emergency + Risk Communication

17. The communicator should be the first to
speak, say the right thing, and have credibility
The planning of crisis communication should be designed to manage the first 48 hours of the emergency. During that time the communication will be scrutinized by the media and the public.
The communicator not only reads the statement: he is the statement.
Every organization has its own identity, and the communicator should personify that identity.
Source: CDC, September Crisis Emergency + Risk Communication

18. Be the first to inform, say the right thing, and be credible
The spokesperson: What should
he or she know?
Be prepared to answer these questions
Are my family and I safe?
What can I do to protect myself and my family?
Who is in charge?
What can we expect?
Why did this happen?
Did they know this would happen?
Why wasn’t it prevented?
What else might happen?
How long have you been working in this?
What does this information mean?
Inspire confidence and trust
Be emphatic and show interest
Show competence and experience
Be honest and open
Show commitment and dedication
Recommendations
Do not over-assure
Admit uncertainty
Express wishes (I wish I had an answer)
Explain the process
Recognize the people’s fear
Give instructions to the people
Look for more people (share the risk)
Stick to the objective of your message
“It is important to remember...”
“I can’t answer that question, but what I can tell you is that ...”
“Before I forget, I want to tell you...”
“Let me put this in perspective...”
As a spokesperson
Be familiar with the policies of your organization
Keep inside the framework of your responsibilities
Tell the truth, be transparent
Personify your agency’s identity
Be the first to inform, say the right thing, and be credible
Consistent messages are vital
Source: CDC, September Crisis Emergency + Risk Communication

19. Work with the mass media
“To declare war on the media, though tempting, is a game you will never win”
Stratford P. Sherman
Source: CDC, September Crisis Emergency + Risk Communication