Advanced Risk Communication

Advanced Risk Communication


Session:
There are currently no more sessions scheduled.

Description:
If you were the voice for your organization in an emergency, do you know how you would respond to tough questions and what actions you would want people to take?  Do you know how to craft critical key messages to reduce fear and encourage compliance?

The perception of risk in emergencies by the public at large is influenced by many things. It’s not just a matter of the facts, but also how those facts are presented to the general public. In emergencies, issues are fraught with uncertainty and emotion which often creates conflict, mistrust and challenges the ability of emergency managers to influence the public’s response to events. Understanding why some risks are perceived as more frightening than others is essential for communicating risk effectively in order to reduce anxiety and help people keep their fears in perspective in an emergency.  The application of these concepts can support participants in communicating with the public in a manner that reduces fear and encourages appropriate responses. 

It is strongly recommended that participants attend a Basic Risk Communication course before attending this Advanced Risk Communication course. This course will particularly explore the unique challenges of communicating in a crisis, tactical tools to meet that challenge, and how to work with the media using on-camera exercises to develop skills.

Educational Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Summarize key factors vital to understanding why some risks are perceived as more frightening than others in an emergency
  • Use this information to craft messaging and respond to public concerns appropriately
  • Identify factors important to working with the media in an emergency
  • Apply course content to simulated emergency scenario including working with the media
  • Realize strengthened expertise in crisis communication and media interactions
                                                                       
Target Audience:
EMS (public and private), Hospitals, Community Health Centers, Long-term Care Facilities, particularly Public Information Officers, Department Heads, Directors, Senior Leaders, Superintendants, Chiefs, etc. who may be involved in communicating to the public during a crisis will be given priority.

Faculty:
David Ropeik is an author, award-winning television reporter, teacher, consultant, and public speaker.  For the past decade, his focus has been on understanding and applying a better framework for how people perceive risk, to the challenge of risk communication and overall risk management in emergencies. Mr. Ropeik is the author of “How Risky Is It, Really?: Why Our Fears Don’t Match the Facts,” published by McGraw-Hill in 2010. He is co-author of “RISK, a Practical Guide for Deciding What’s Dangerous and What’s Safe in the World Around You,” published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2002. 
                                               
Mr. Ropeik was a television news reporter in Boston for 22 years, specializing in coverage of environmental and science issues. He is the winner of two DuPont-Columbia Awards, often cited as the television equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize. Mr. Ropeik has taught courses on media coverage of risk issues at Harvard School of Public Health, Kennedy School of Government, Neiman Fellowship Program at Harvard, Knight Science Journalism Fellowship program at MIT, Boston University’s Program in Science Journalism, Emerson College program in Health Communication, and to the National Association of Science Writers, the Council for the Advancement of Science Writers, and the Society of Environmental Journalists. Mr. Ropeik has appeared on significant television newscasts and numerous regional radio stations nationwide. Mr. Ropeik has also worked with the Office of the White House Communications Director and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security among many other Federal agencies and hundreds of businesses nationally and internationally.

Accreditation:
Applications have been made for MA OEMS and Nursing Contact Hours.

The DelValle Institute for Emergency Preparedness is supported by The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), with funding from the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Hospital Preparedness Program.  The DelValle Institute is the Eastern Massachusetts Emergency Preparedness Education and Training Center. This funding supports trainings for Emergency Medical Services, Hospitals, Community Health Centers, and Long Term Care organizations in over 180 cities and towns in the MDPH Emergency Preparedness Regions 3, 4, and 5. Our partner Emergency Preparedness Education and Training Center for Massachusetts is the UMass Medical School Center for Excellence for Emergency Preparedness (CEEPET). 

 
 

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