Week 12 DB Foundation In Emergency Management Describe the role of the Public Information Officer in media relations and reporting during an incident. Why is this role so crucial? How can the PIO beneficially utilize the media for Risk Communication activities during the event? What pre-event activities lead to success in these relationships? ple, short words on/humor mental phrases eme speculation tion steps en tone C principles r message mitment wers ow athy essage Components Commit to stakeholders and public to continue communication Provide emergency courses of action (including how/ where to get more information Establish agency spokesperson credibility Explain and inform the public in simplest forms about the risk Acknowledge the event with empathy making Empower risk/ Explain emergency recommendations Listen to stakeholder and audience feedback; correct any misinformation Gain understanding and support for response and recovery plans Provide background/ information to those who need it Help public accurately understand risks Promote the activities and capabilities of the agency (reinforce corporate identity externally and internally) Encourage the public to support resource allocation and public policy Examine problems and mishaps; reinforce what worked Improve public response in future; similar events through education CRISIS AND EMERGENCY RISK COMMUNICATION 1. Verify situation. 2. Conduct notification. 3. Activate crisis plan. 4. Organize assignments. 5. Prepare information, obtain approvals. 6. Release information via pre-arranged channels. 7. Obtain feedback, conduct crisis evaluation. 8. Begin additional public education activities. 9. Monitor events. CERC NINE-STEP PLAN Test messages Develop consensus recommendations Foster alliances Be prepared actions to improve crisis systems or the crisis plan Document lessons learned Evaluate communication plan performance Empathy + Openness Speed of Release Accuracy of Information Credibility = + Trust Use personal pronouns for the org committed to . . .” or “We understa Create action steps in threes or rhy an acronym. Three is not a magic emergency, you should not expect y absorb more than three simple direc Repeat the message. Repetition refl durability. Give action steps in positives. Avoi Cut to the chase. Relevant information Don’t begin with a lot of backgrou Present a short, concise, and focus grade level). It’s difficult in a heighte or fear to take in copious amounts the bottom line out first. CREATING YOUR CER Crisis and emergency risk communication encompasses the urgency of disaster communication with the need to communicate risks an stakeholders and the public. CERC differs from risk communication in that a decision must be made within a narrow time constraint, t irreversible, the outcome of the decision may be uncertain, and the decision may need to be made with imperfect or incomplete inform CRISIS AND EMERGENCY RISK COMMUNICATION (CERC): For More Information about CERC: CERC_info@cdc.gov Resources Conduct the crisis risk assessment and implement assignments and hours of operation accordingly. Secure your pre-planned place in the EOC or adjoining area. Partners/Stakeholders Send a statement to partners and stakeholders using prearranged notification systems (preferably e-mail listservs). Engage your leadership to make important initial phone calls, based on your plan, to partners and key stakeholders. Use e-mail to notify employees that their agency is involved in the response and that updates will follow. Ask for their support. The Public Prepare your public information toll-free number operation now if you anticipate that the public will seek reassurance or information directly from your organization. (You may adjust hours of operation and number of call managers as needed.) Use your initial media statement as your first message to the public. Remind people that a process is in place to mitigate the crisis. Begin public call monitoring to detect trends or rumors. Media Provide a statement indicating that your agency is aware of the emergency and is involved in the response. Begin monitoring media for misinformation that must be corrected. Tell the media when and where to get updates from your agency. Give facts. Don’t speculate. Ensure partners are saying the same thing. Coordination Contact local, state, federal partners now. If there is potential for criminal investigation, contact your FBI counterpart now. Secure a spokesperson as designated in the plan. Initiate alert notification and call-in extra communication staff, per the plan. Connect with the EOC— make your presence known. Notification Use your crisis plan’s notification list to ensure that your leadership is aware (especially if it comes from the media and not the EOC) of the emergency and that they know you are involved. Give leadership your first assessment of the emergency from a communication perspective and inform them of your next steps. BE FIRST. BE RIGHT. BE CREDIBLE. The First 48 Hours Discuss what you know, not what you think. Avoid one-liners, cliches, and off-the-cuff comments. Don’t lead with messages about money. an i an i . Fail pr www.c www.b www.h www.f www.r www.n www.n RES To request CERC training tools: CERC request@cdc.gov o Longer is not better; your plan is a reference tool not a step-by-step guide. Update the plan at regular intervals. Important Reminders About Your CERC Plan Ask more of people. (share risk) Don’t over-reassure. Give people things to do. Stay in your lane (scope of responsibilities). Acknowledge uncertainties. Stay on message. Don’t assume you’ve made your point. Ask whether you’ve made yourself clear. Use positive terms. Know your organization’s policies. Tell the truth. Refute negatives without repeating them. Avoid jargon; use humor cautiously. Show commitment/dedication. Display honesty/openess. Express empathy and caring. Quick Tips CRISIS EMERGENCY RISK COMMUNICATION Example 1 Public information Officer (PIO) is at the forefront of managing the inflow and outflow of communication, especially in the wake of an emergency situation. According to Gluckman et al (2015), the PIO oversees the generation and dissemination of crucial information related to the incident. He/she coordinates the other groups to ensure that all the messages are accurate and prompt to avoid potential breakdown. As such, their role is central to the entire response process as it facilitates critical decision-making that determines the outcomes of the exercise. Public Information Officers rely heavily on the media to execute their mandate effectively. The media is a vital platform through which the organization reaches out to the public and other stakeholders affected by the crisis (Gluckman et al. 2015). When it comes to risk communication activities, PIOs utilize the media in various ways. First, PIO should inform the media of the organization’s awareness of the crisis. This message should also indicate the agency is actively involved in the response process(DeVine Jr, 2008). Additionally, the PIO should monitor the media to ensure that all the information relayed to the public is accurate and in tandem with the proceedings on the ground. Lastly, providing regular updates will ease the tension and erase any prospective misconceptions. Even before the actual incident, the PIO should establish and maintain a positive relationship with the media (DeVine Jr, 2008). The primary way through which this can be achieved is becoming a resource for local media outlets. In this context, regular press releases highlighting the agency’s undertakings can increase visibility. Similarly, inviting the media to provide coverage for organizational events will boost the collaboration. Lastly, corporate partnerships can also enhance the relationship. For example, coming together in corporate social responsibility activities meant for benefiting the community can foster the chemistry between the two parties and ease cooperation when an emergency arises. References DeVine Jr, J. C. (2008, July). The Nuclear Accident at Three Mile Island a Practical Lesson in the Fundamental Importance of Effective Communications. WM Symposia, 1628 E. Southern Avenue, Suite 9-332, Tempe, AZ 85282 (United States). Gluckman, W. A., Weinstein, E. S., Dilling, S., & Paul, J. S. (2015). Public information management. In Ciottone’s Disaster Medicine (pp. 143–148). Ciottone (2016) states that, “the PIO is responsible for developing and releasing information to the news media, incident personnel, and other appropriate agencies and organizations” (p. 252). During an incident, the PIO has a crucial role of collecting data, analyzing data, confirming the validity of the data, and eventually disseminating the data to all the stakeholders. From the data collected and analyzed, pivotal decisions will be made that will impact response and recovery efforts. Because accurate and expeditious information can mitigate an event, while inaccurate and dilatorius information can aggravate the event, all information needs to be cleared by the IC prior dissemination. Inaccurate information can cause mass hysteria. The PIO can utilize the media for risk communication activities during an event by having the media transmit accurate information expeditiously. The media becomes the bridge between the public and the disaster management authorities. The media can inform the public of an incident, therefore heightening awareness and influencing public opinion. For example, water restriction advisories, road closures, downed power lines, and so forth can be quickly disseminated through the media. The establishment of working relationships between PIOs and the media prior crises, facilitates the dissemination of information during crises. By including members of local media to participate during the planning stage, preparedness and awareness campaigns can be established that will address the needs of the community, especially those with special needs (elderly, children, disabled, non-English speaking, etc.). Exercises that include the media can also identify communication gaps that may need to be ironed out. Reference: Ciottone, G.R. (2016). Ciottone’s Disaster Medicine 2ndedition. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier. 
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