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Chapter 2 - Precrisis Planning Is Necessary for Public Information and Emergency Communications

Leveraging What You’ve Got

from Part I - Precrisis Planning

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2025

Kathleen G. V. Melville
Kathleen G. V. Melville
Affiliation:
Tulane University School of Medicine, Louisiana
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Summary

Health agencies that receive federal funding are required to have public information plans in place that meet specific functional criteria. Emergency risk communicators need to build upon those functional requirements of a crisis communication plan to ensure the plan can be used as a support for strategic communications. Communicators can do this by identifying segmented audiences and communication channels, and developing key messages in the precrisis phase as outlined by Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) principles. This chapter seeks to build upon the work health departments have already done and to offer insights into how to optimize and streamline communication plans that can be tailored to a health agency’s needs and resources. It explains why communication planning is a critical step in emergency risk communications and how to combine federal funding requirements and the CERC framework to ensure a functional emergency risk communication plan. The chapter outlines how to build sustainable crisis communications teams and how to test messages to assess whether your organization’s emergency risk communication messages will resonate with audiences. The chapter includes mini-case study examples of the Oregon Douglas Complex Fire and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome emergency responses to deepen learning related to adapting communication plans and to simple message testing with community stakeholders. A student case study analyzes the 2023 Norfolk Southern train derailment using the CERC framework. Reflection questions are included at the end of the chapter.

Keywords

public health preparednesspublic health emerency preparednessPHEPprecrisisprecrisis planningemergency support functionsESFcrisis communication teamscommuniation officerscommunication auditsJoint Information CentersJICscommunication planningNorfolk Southern train derailmentCERC analysisCERC case study
Type
Chapter
Information
Risk Communication in Public Health Emergencies
Practical Guidance Rooted in Theory
 , pp. 25 - 50
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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