Risk and Crisis Communication CERC

www.SlideShare.net/AhmedRefat Risk Communication in Crisis Dr.Ahmed-Refat 00/04/2013
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Crisis and Emergency Risk
Communication
CERC
‫التواصل‬‫المخاطر‬ ‫بشأن‬
‫الطوارئ‬ ‫و‬ ‫االزمات‬ ‫أثناء‬
Dr.Ahmed-Refat AG Refat
04/2013

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Contents
Definition and Goals of CERC
Populations' Behaviors During Crises
The 6 Principles of CERC
Useful Templates

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Crisis & Emergency Risk
Communication –CERC
CERC is a term used to cover both the urgency of
crisis communication and the need to explain risks
and benefits to the public and stakeholders.
CERC is a process of immediate and credible
communication in real time during a crisis
response.
CERC is a science-based approach for
communicating effectively during a crisis

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Rationale of CERC
• Community may be scared, angry, and want answers
• Community may be distrustful
• Community may have difficulty processing
information
• Disaster situations change the rules of
communication.

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Successful CERC is based
upon
Anticipation,
Preparation
& Practice

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Goals of CERC
• Inform and educate
• Build or regain trust
• Achieve agreement/consensus
• Elicit actions

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How Do We Communicate
About Risk in an Emergency?
All risks are not accepted equally
_ Voluntary vs. involuntary
_ Controlled personally vs. controlled by others
_ Familiar vs. exotic
_ Natural vs. manmade
_ Reversible vs. permanent
_ Statistical vs. anecdotal
_ Fairly vs. unfairly distributed
_ Affecting adults vs. affecting children

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Core
Concepts

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When people are stressed or concerned,
they typically:
• …have difficulty, hearing,
understanding, and remembering
information
• …want to know that you care before
they care what you know.

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When people are stressed they typically:
• …focus most on what they hear first
and last.
• …they focus much more on negative
information than positive information.
• …they process information at well
below their education level.
• …they actively seek out additional
sources of credible information.

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Harmful Behaviors during crises
By using CERC principles, your communication can
work to counter some of the harmful behaviors and
perceptions that are common during a public health
crisis.
The potentially harmful individual, group, organizational,
or community behaviors may include:

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Harmful Behaviors during crises
 Demands for unnecessary treatment
 Needless social and organizational disruption
 Disorganized and occasionally destructive group
behavior
 Reliance on special relationships for favors and
treatment
 Increased drug, alcohol, and tobacco use
 Increased multiple unexplained physical symptoms
 Unreasonable trade and travel restrictions

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Potentially harmful practices to avoid include the
following:
 Mixed and conflicting messages from multiple
sources
 Late release of critical information
 Overly reassuring and unrealistic communication
 Advice without a reality check
 Paternalistic approach to communication
 Unaddressed or uncorrected myths and rumors

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Good communication can reduce harmful human
behavior. Trained communicators will do the following:
 Develop messages following CERC principles
 Reduce high levels of uncertainty
 Use an effective crisis communication plan
 Be the first source for information
 Express empathy and show concern
 Exhibit competence and expertise
 Remain honest and open
 Coordinate with other response officials

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Basic Principles of
Effective
Risk
Communication

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Always adhere to the six principles of
CERC:
1. Be First.
2. Be Right.
3. Be Credible.
4. Express Empathy.
5. Promote Action.
6. Show Respect.

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CERC 6 principles
Effective Risk Communication
1. Be First: Crises are time-sensitive. Communicating
information quickly is almost always important. For
members of the public, the first source of information
often becomes the preferred source.
2. Be Right: Accuracy establishes credibility.
Information can include what is known, what is not
known, and what is being done to fill in the gaps.
3. Be Credible: Honesty and truthfulness should not be
compromised during crises.

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CERC 6 principles
Effective Risk Communication-Cont's
4. Express Empathy: Crises create harm, and the
suffering should be acknowledged in words.
Addressing what people are feeling, and the
challenges they face, builds trust and rapport.
5. Promote Action: Giving people meaningful things to
do calms anxiety, helps restore order, and promotes a
restored sense of control.
6. Show Respect: Respectful communication is
particularly important when people feel vulnerable.

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Initial Message
Must
_ Be short
_ Be relevant
_ Give positive action steps
_ Be repeated
Must Not
_ Use jargon
_ Be judgmental
_ Make promises that can’t be kept
_ Include humor

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Caring/Empathy Principle
“When people are stressed and
upset, they want to know that
you care before they care what
you know.”

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Elements of successful communication

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The STARCC Principle
Your public messages in a crisis must be:
Simple
Timely
Accurate
Relevant
Credible
Consistent

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Your public message in a crisis must be
Simple—Frightened people don’t want to hear big words
Timely—Frightened people want information NOW
Accurate—Frightened people won’t get nuances, so
give it straight
Relevant—Answer their questions and give action
steps
Credible—Empathy and openness are key to credibility
Consistent—The slightest change in the message is
upsetting and dissected by all

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Message Map:
What is meant by sheltering in place during a
radiological emergency?
Key Message 1: Sheltering in place is a protective
action which includes going indoors.
Key Message 2: People may be asked to shelter
in place rather than evacuate.
Key Message 3: Staying indoors for a short time
can protect people from exposure to radiation.

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Message Map for "West Nile Virus"

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Make the Facts Work in Your Message
Consider the following when creating your
initial communication to your audiences:
�Present a short, concise, and focused
message. Get the bottom line out first. In
time, the public will want more information.
� Cut to the chase—relevant information
only at this time. Don’t start with a lot of
background information .

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� Give action steps in positives, not
negatives (e.g., “ In case of fire, use stairs,” “Stay calm,” are
positive messages. Negative messages are “Do not use elevator”
and “Don’t panic.”) Use positives, not negatives.
� Repeat the message—repetition
reflects credibility and durability. Correct
information is correct each time you repeat
it. Reach and frequency,
� Create action steps in threes or
rhyme, or create an acronym.

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Make basic information easier to
remember, such as :
 “stop/drop and roll”
 “KISS—keep it simple, stupid.”
 Anthrax is a bacterium that is treated with antibiotics.
 Anthrax is not transmitted from person to person.
 Seek medical care if you believe you have symptoms
of anthrax
Symptoms of anthrax: fever, body aches, and
breathing problems.

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Use personal pronouns for the
organization. “We are committed to . . .”
or “We understand the need for . . .”
Avoid Technical jargon Cut the
professional jargon and euphemisms;
they imply insecurity and lack of honesty.
Attacks—Attack the problem, not the
person or organization.

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Promises/guarantees—only what you
can deliver. Otherwise, promise to
remain committed throughout the
emergency response.
Discussion of money —discussion of
the magnitude of the problem should be
in the context of the health and safety of
the public or environment. Loss of
property is secondary.

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Some Useful
Templates

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1- Mental Noise:
The Rule of 3
– Three Key Messages
– Repeat Messages Three Times
– Key Messages Supported by
Three Supporting Messages
or Three Credible Sources

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2- The 27/9/3 Template
 3 Messages
 9 Seconds
 27 Words

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Message Map for "West Nile Virus"

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3-Primacy/Recency
“When people are stressed and upset, they typically
focus most on that which is said first (primacy) and
last ( recency ).”
• Low Stress Situations:
Brain processes information based on
linear order (e.g., 1, 2, 3)
• High Stress Situations:
Brain processes information based on
primacy/recency (e.g., 1, 3, 2)

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mmunication
4-Negative Dominance
Principle
“When people are stressed and
upset, they typically focus more
on the negative than on the
positive.”
(?)

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(Negative Dominance)
• Avoid absolutes (e.g., never, always)
• Avoid Repeating Untrue Negatives or
False Allegations
• Balance bad news with positive,
constructive messages.

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5- I Don’t Know…….
• Repeat the question (optional)
• Say you don’t know/can’t answer/wish you
could answer
• Give the reason you don’t know or can’t
answer the question
• Indicate follow up
• Bridge to what you can say about the
issue

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Thank You
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Cited References
 http://institutionalized/cerc/pdf/cerc_guide_basic.pdf
 http://emergency.cdc.gov/cerc/
 http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/87/8/08-058149/

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