garrett simonsen advanced practice center for emergency preparedness risk commun i cating ) ) ) ) )

GARRETT SIMONSENADVANCED PRACTICE CENTER FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

RiskCommunicating

) ) ) ) )

Session Overview

• Fundamentals of risk communication

• Vulnerable or at-risk populations

• Universal Design

• Promoting personal preparedness

• Communicating in presence of risk

• Practice, practice, practice

i) ) ) ) )

Cambridge Health Department

City of Cambridge• 101,000 residents• 250,000 on work days• Higher Ed & Biotech• Diverse population

with diverse needs

Public Health• Cambridge Health

Alliance• 70 staff

– Public Health Nursing– Health Promotion– Environmental Health– Emergency

Preparedness

i) ) ) ) )

Regional Planning

i) ) ) ) )

Risk Communication

Be First. Be Right. Be Credible.

• Before, during, and after emergency

• Trusted sources of information

• Positive, reassuring, factual

• Supports coping

• Reestablishes sense of order

i) ) ) ) )

Risk Messaging

Know your audience

• Internal communication

• External communication

• Communication styles & preferences

• Modalities & redundancies

i) ) ) ) )

Communication Barriers

Reaching Vulnerable Populations

• Communicating risk– Those vulnerable to the hazard– Those with increased vulnerability

• Communication in the presence of risk– Increased anxiety– Impaired perception

i) ) ) ) )

Universal Design

• Considers needs of wide array of users

• Improves access to physical space

• Improves access to messaging through:– Simply-stated messages– Use of visual images– Use of language translation– Distribution through trusted sources

i) ) ) ) )

i) ) ) ) )

Personal Preparedness

i) ) ) ) )

Communicating Preparedness

• Overcome barriers to planning

• Understand perception of risk

• Consider presentation of message– Hazards– Response options

• Validate personal experience

i) ) ) ) )

All-Hazard Planning

• Applies to a range of emergencies

• Identifies common tools & resources

• Efficient & effective• Response options

– Shelter-in-place– Evacuate

i) ) ) ) )

Motivators

• Actual Events– Katrina– Floods in Massachusetts– House fire

• Public Information– National Preparedness Month– Preparedness campaigns– Media coverage

i) ) ) ) )

31%Percentage of Americans with a basic family emergency plan.

Source: Columbia University Annual Preparedness Survey, July 2007

Personal Experience

i) ) ) ) )

47%Percentage of Americans who believe they will experience major disaster in next 5 years.

Source: Columbia University Annual Preparedness Survey, July 2007

Perception of Risk

i) ) ) ) )

43%Percentage of Americans not planning to do anything to prepare.

Source: Columbia University Annual Preparedness Survey, July 2007

Perception of Risk

i) ) ) ) )

92%Percentage of Americans who wouldn’t evacuate (most common reason: care of a dependent)

Source: Columbia University Annual Preparedness Survey, August 2006

Vulnerable Populations

i) ) ) ) )

26%“I haven’t had time to do it.”

Barriers to Planning

21%“I’m not sure where to begin.”

Source: Columbia University Annual Preparedness Survey, July 2007

i) ) ) ) )

ActivityPersonal Preparedness as a Health Intervention

i) ) ) ) )

Shelter-in-Place

i) ) ) ) )

Evacuation & Communication

i) ) ) ) )

Review & Support Others

i) ) ) ) )

Dissemination

Improve Response Capacity

• City Hall & Hospital Employees

• MRC Volunteers

Reach Vulnerable Populations

• Social Service Providers (Workshop)

• Media

i) ) ) ) )

In the Presence of Risk

i) ) ) ) )

Buffalo, February 2008

i) ) ) ) )

Emergency Mass Dispensing

• 100% of population in 48 hours (Anthrax)

• Flu clinics; Hep A in food handler

• Emergency Dispensing Sites (EDS)

• Points of Dispensing (POD)

• Staffing– Clerical & Clinical– Professional & Volunteer

i) ) ) ) )

ActivityCommunicating with clients

in an Emergency Dispensing Site

i) ) ) ) )

Activity – Background

Setting

• Seasonal flu clinic

• School cafeteria

Situation

• 1st clinic of season

• High turnout

i) ) ) ) )

Activity – Roles

Client

• Obtain flu shot

• Running late to pick up kids

i) ) ) ) )

Activity – Roles

Greeter

• Welcome clients to clinic

• Instruct clients to:– Remove their coats– Complete the registration form– Present their form to the registration desk for

review

i) ) ) ) )

ActivityCommunicating with clients

in an Emergency Dispensing Site

i) ) ) ) )

Communicating Through Signage

• Outlines service & process information

• Identifies station purpose

• Improves efficiency

• Decreases anxiety

• Expands usability

• Increases access to service

i) ) ) ) )

Universal De-SIGN

Communicate through trusted sources

Identify station purpose with a picture

Simple one-wordstation description

Provide language translation

i) ) ) ) )

Interpersonal Communication

Worker to client Internal

communication tool Clerical & clinical

functions Does not replace

other forms of communication

i) ) ) ) )

Service Barriers

Language Needs

• Identifies barriers early

• Provides client with visual reassurance

Translation supports

• Translators

• Written materials

• Pictograms

i) ) ) ) )

Service Barriers

Behavioral Health

• Addresses increased anxiety levels

• Refocuses impaired perceptions

• Removes anxious clients from the main service area

i) ) ) ) )

Navigation of Service

“Please go to the blue Children area.”

i) ) ) ) )

Key Concepts

i) ) ) ) )

Bi-directional Communication

I need water

i) ) ) ) )

Dissemination

Emergency Response Community

• Massachusetts Dept of Public Health

• NACCHO/CDC

Lower-Risk Events

• Flu clinics

• Household hazardous waste

Practice Communicating Risk

• Use lower risk incidents– Forecasted events (heat wave, blizzard)– Consumer alerts

• Enhance relationships with vulnerable population groups

• Establish credibility with media & public• Identifies issues & solutions• Increases credibility• Improves response time

i) ) ) ) )

i) ) ) ) )

ActivityFood Recall Alert

Toothpaste Recall

i) ) ) ) )

Universal Design

Pictures of key concepts

Simply-stated means more easily and quickly translated

Distribution through trusted sources

Veggie Booty

i) ) ) ) )

i) ) ) ) )

Dissemination

Media

• General & specialized

• Blogs

Vulnerable Persons thru Service Providers

• Frequent & direct interactions

• Trusted sources

GARRETT SIMONSENADVANCED PRACTICE CENTER FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Questions) ) ) ) )

?