National Center for Food Protection

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National Center for Food Protection
DefenseRisk CommunicatorTraining
For Food Defense Preparedness, Response
Recovery
Date Presenters
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Risk Communication Team
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Risk Communicator Training Modules

• Module 1
• An Introduction to Risk Communication
• Module 2
• Food Defense the Psychology of Terrorism
• Module 3
• Message Development Delivery
• Module 4
• Risk Communication Preparedness Planning
• Module 5
• Media Relations Practice

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(No Transcript)
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Module OneAn Introduction to Risk Communication
National Center for Food Protection
Defense Risk Communicator Training
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An Introduction to Risk Communication

• topic one
• Defining Risk Communication What It IS What
  It Isnt
• topic two
• Risk Perception Facts Feelings
• topic three
• Were All Risk Communicators It Is
  Your Job!

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Module OneLearner Outcomes

• Apply the risk communication goals to a foodborne
  outbreak.
• Describe the function of risk communication
  within the risk management model.
• Identify the factors that drive perceptions of
  risk.
• Compare and contrast communicator roles from
  various segments of the food system.

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module one An Introduction to Risk
Communication

• topic one
• Defining Risk Communication
• What It Is What It Isnt

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Risk communication defined

• An open, two-way exchange of information and
  opinion about risk leading to better
  understanding and better risk management
  decisions.

Source USDA, 1992
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Risk communication goals

• Tailor communication so it takes into account the
  emotional response to an event.
• Empowers audience to make informed
  decision-making.
• Prevent negative behavior and/or encourage
  constructive responses to crisis or danger.

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"The best way to guard against the flu is to get
vaccinated, which helps to protect you, your
loved ones, and your community."
CDC official Seasonal flu vaccination September,
2006
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We are very concerned for those who became ill
and our thoughts are with them as we continue to
work closely with health officials as they try to
determine the root cause of this. While the
authorities do not know the source of this
contamination, they have said there haven't been
any new cases since Nov 29, so they are confident
that it is most likely no longer a threat."
State emergency response spokesperson Pandemic
preparedness October, 2006
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The idea that salad greens have become a
source of E. coli is very shocking, and it means
we have a real problem in the food system. This
is very serious."
University Food Studies Public Health
Specialist E. coli spinach outbreak September,
2006
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We have not with certainty traced the illness to
any specific product or source. But people in
high-risk groups for developing listeriosis,
particularly pregnant women, the elderly and
persons with compromised immune systems should
take precautions.
CDC spokesperson Re Listeriosis - hot dogs
outbreak December, 1998
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Spinach is high in antioxidants, which can
protect against heart disease and cancer. If
youre having a hard time finding spinach, there
are lots of other greens with nutritional value.
We should not forget about mustard greens, bok
choy, kale and chard, broccoli and Brussel
sprouts. I would suggest things like romaine
lettuce and arugula.
County Dietitian Following E.coli spinach
outbreak, October, 2006
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Concerning restoring public trust following the
outbreak "Farmers approach it as the most
serious concern that they have. The most
important commodity that we have is the public
trust."
Industry association spokesperson E. coli
spinach outbreak September, 2006
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Communication models

• Basic Communication Model
• Uni-directional or we tell them approach
• Who says - what - when - to whom - through what
  channel - with what effect
• Risk Communication Model
• Multi-directional
• Actively involves the audience as an information
  source

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Risk Communication elements

• Multi-directional actively involves the
• audience as an information source

• Logistics
• Metamessaging
• Listening
• Self-assessment
• Evaluation

• Audience assessment
• Audience involvement
• Message

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Risk communication outcomes

• Decrease illness, injury deaths
• Build support for response plan
• Assist in executing response plan
• Prevent misallocation wasting of resources
• Keep decision-makers well informed
• Counter or correct rumors
• Foster informed decision-making concerning risk

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Contributing disciplines
Risk Communication is trans-disciplinary
Love Canal (78) Three Mile Island (79)

• Environmental Science
• Social Psychology
• Philosophy
• Political Science

• Communication
• Chemistry
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

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Risk crisis communication

• Crisis Response
• Spontaneous
• Post-event
• Uni-directional
• Reactive
• Equivocal

• Preparedness Recovery
• Planned, tested, strategic
• Pre-event activities
• Multi-directional
• Proactive
• Certain

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Applying the concepts
Unpacking the Message
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Summary

• What Risk Communication is NOT

• Spin
• Public relations
• Damage control
• Crisis management
• How to write a press release
• How to give a media interview
• Always intended to make people feel better or
  reduce their fear

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Summary
And what Risk Communication IS

• Considers human perceptions of risk
• Multi-directional communication among
  communicators, publics and stakeholders
• Activities before, during and after an event
• An integral part of an emergency response plan
• Empowers people to make their own informed
  decisions

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module one An Introduction to Risk
Communication

• topic two
• Risk Perception
• Facts Feelings

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Risk analysis paradigm

• Everything we do involves risk
• Zero risk is unachievable
• Options exist for managing every risk

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Risk management
All potentially effected parties are engaged in
Risk Communication
RISK MANAGEMENT
Hazard Identification
Risk Assessment
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Interpreting risk

• Communicating about risk is difficult because of
  the way people interpret risk
• Involves competing perspectives objective vs
  subjective

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Developed by a leading research university
U-phoria!

• Experience short term memory boost
• Enjoy pleasant feelings in times of stress

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• Developed by a leading research university
• 16 years in the making
• Provides short term memory boost pleasant
  feeling in times of stress 24-36 hours in
  duration
• Multiple trials examining potential short term
  long term side effects

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What shapes perceptions of risk

• Hazard something that can go wrong
• Probability likelihood of it happening
• Consequences implications of hazard
• Value subjective evaluation of the relative
  importance of what might be lost

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What shapes perceptions of risk

• Hazard something that can go wrong
• Probability likelihood of it happening
• Consequences implications of hazard
• Value subjective evaluation of the relative
  importance of what might be lost

THINKING
FEELING
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Scientist - Consumer disconnect
SCIENTIST EXPERT knows thinks
CONSUMER PUBLIC feels believes
Fact-based hazard, probability
Value-based consequences, value
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"In fact, probably getting out of your automobile
and walking into the store to buy beef, has a
higher probability than you'll be hit by an
automobile than ... the probability of any harm
coming to you from eating beef."
U.S. Agriculture Undersecretary Japanese import
ban on U.S. beef January, 2006
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Mad Cow, 2003
Scientists focus on danger - consumers on the
whole cow
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Peter Sandman

• The risks that upset people are completely
  different than the risks that kill people.

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Perceptions of risk

• Risk Hazard Outrage

SOURCE Peter Sandman
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A variety of risk comm approaches
Outrage Management Crisis / Emergency Communication
Public Relations Precaution Advocacy
High
Outrage (fear, anger)
Low
High
Hazard (danger)
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Goal Reduce outrage so people dont take
unnecessary precautions
Outrage Management
High
Crisis / Emergency Communication
Public Relations Precaution Advocacy
Outrage (fear,anger)
Low
High
Hazard (danger)
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Goal Increase concern for a real hazard to
motivate preventive action
Outrage Management Crisis / Emergency Communication
Public Relations
High
Precaution Advocacy
Outrage (fear,anger)
Low
High
Hazard (danger)
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Goal Acknowledge hazard, validate concern,
give people ways to act
Crisis / Emergency Communication
High
Outrage Management
Public Relations Precaution Advocacy
Outrage (fear,anger)
Low
High
Hazard (danger)
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Applying the concepts
Hazard Outrage and Your Organization
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module one An Introduction to Risk
Communication

• topic three
• Were All Risk Communicators
• It IS Your Job!

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Prevailing model

• Risk communication is centralized in PIO or
  spokesperson functions
• Industry CEO
• Organization or agency head
• Communications director
• Other official spokespersons

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Food system risk communicators

• Official spokespersons
• Industry CEO, food agency director, labor union
  officer, consumer organization head
• Communication staff members
• Public information officers, technical writers,
  web managers
• Subject matter experts
• Scientists, food system experts, terrorism
  experts, quality assurance officers

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Food system risk communicators

• Educators outreach specialists
• Extension staff, consumer educators, outreach
  workers, public health educators, consumer
  hotline staff
• Public health health care specialists
• Agency directors, food inspectors, physicians,
  nurses, lab specialists, sanitarians

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Alternative model Were ALL risk communicators

• Including informal channels networks
• Neighbor to neighbor
• Rumor mill
• Online blogs
• Person on the street interviews
• Talk radio
• Others???

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Case StudySchwans salmonella outbreak, 1994

• Company features home delivered food products
• Est. 224,000 persons were exposed to ice cream
  contaminated with salmonella
• Contamination traced to tanker trucks that hauled
  ice cream premix
• Interaction between Schwans door-to-door
  delivery drivers customers was key recovery and
  restoring trust

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for EffectiveMessage Development
Best Practices
For Effective Risk Communication

• Risk crisis communication is an ongoing process