Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication as an Integrative Model

Abstract

This article describes a model of communication known as crisis and emergency risk communication (CERC). The model is outlined as a merger of many traditional notions of health and risk communication with work in crisis and disaster communication. The specific kinds of communication activities that should be called for at various stages of disaster or crisis development are outlined. Although crises are by definition uncertain, equivocal, and often chaotic situations, the CERC model is presented as a tool health communicators can use to help manage these complex events.The anthrax attack of September 2001 was arguably one of the most public and disruptive public health emergencies of recent history. Although much larger and widespread health risks exist, such as the avian flu, the emergence of sudden acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the upswing in skin cancer, and the recent West Nile virus outbreaks, anthrax was new in terms of the perceived threat and the intentional nature of the attack. Moreover, because anthrax was connected in terms of time and perception to the 9=11 World Trade Center disasters, it created heightened public concern and widespread public outrage. The event placed significant pressure on the public health community to communicate effectively within a context of immediacy, threat, and high uncertainty.Health professionals, including those in the health communication domain, often frame their messages regarding the possibility of serious public health harm as risk communication

Improving Healthcare Systems’ Disclosures of Large-Scale Adverse Events: A Department of Veterans Affairs Leadership, Policymaker, Research and Stakeholder Partnership

“…Through a request for proposals and peer review process, our proposal was funded; it outlined four interlocking studies to examine past disclosures and consequences of these, guided by the Crisis and Effective Risk Communication (CERC) model. 7 We chose the CERC model because it combines effective crisis and effective risk communication principles into one model that views communication as a series of five developmental stages. These stages consist of precrisis (a research or strategy stage), initial event, maintenance, resolution and evaluation (Table 1).…”

Using Role-Play to Improve Students’ Confidence and Perceptions of Communication in a Simulated Volcanic Crisis

“…We differentiate between risk and crisis communication using criteria laid out by Reynolds and Seeger (2005 ; Table 1): Risk communication uses messages that focus on reducing the consequences of a known threat (i.e., risk is based on projections and long-term forecasts), occurring prior to an event in frequent or routine communication campaigns, relying on technical experts and scientists to deliver the message; while Crisis communication uses messages that focus on information regarding a disruptive event, occurring immediately following and in a response to an event, 2 relying on authority figures and technical experts to deliver the message. Reynolds and Seeger (2005) promote an integrated model where the scientific community can view communication as part of an ever-evolving cycle around risk factors that must adapt and match to the situation and context. This allows communicators to approach both risk and crisis communication with a set of tools (i.e., best practices) that must be carefully selected and suit the context and needs of the audience.…”

Cyber Crisis Management: A Decision-Support Framework for Disclosing Security Incident Information

“…[14] As part of incident management, incident information disclosure to stakeholders has been widely considered as the cornerstone activity during a crisis as it can have a significant impact on the timeliness and effectiveness of incident mitigation [36]. A lot of research has been done on discovering the role of information disclosure in incident management procedures, its benefits, drawbacks, and the challenges a company faces when developing their disclosure strategies [12,37,38,39].…”

“…Incident information disclosure, thus, is an essential part of crisis communications, which can, according to Reynolds and Seeger "reduce and contain harm, provide specific information to stakeholders, initiate and enhance recovery, manage image and perceptions of blame and responsibility, repair legitimacy, generate support and assistance, explain and justify actions, apologize, promote healing, learning, and change." [39] At the same time, incident information disclosure is a complex task since it depends on both organizational internal factors and external ones, such as "culture, legal system, and institutional background" [40].…”