Introduction
Disaster communications is a vital part of any emergency response plan. When disaster strikes, it is crucial that first responders and other emergency personnel are able to communicate with each other and with the outside world in order to coordinate their efforts and provide assistance to those in need.
There are seven elements that are essential for an effective disaster communications capability:
- A clear and concise communication plan.
- A dedicated team of trained and experienced personnel.
- The necessary equipment and resources.
- An effective method of communication.
- A way to connect with people in need of assistance.
- A way to connect with other first responders and emergency personnel.
- A way to connect with the outside world.
The 7 elements of an effective disaster communications capability
An effective disaster communications capability should have seven elements:
1) a system for receiving and transmitting warnings and other critical information;
2) redundant, reliable, and robust communication infrastructure;
3) designated spokespersons and protocols for disseminating information to employees, the public, and other stakeholders;
4) training and exercises to test the system and ensure all stakeholders are familiar with it;
5) clear and concise messages;
6) effective coordination among all stakeholders; and
7) post-event analysis to identify improvements.
A clear and concise message
In an emergency situation, it is essential that your message is clear and concise. You want to make sure that your intended audience understands your message and can act on it quickly. An effective disaster communications capability will have a clear and concise message that can be easily understood by all.
Timeliness
Timeliness is critical in an emergency situation. You want to make sure that your message is received by your intended audience in a timely manner. An effective disaster communications capability will have a system in place to ensure that messages are received in a timely manner.
Targeted audience
It is important to know who your intended audience is in an emergency situation. You want to make sure that your message is relevant to your audience and that they can act on it. An effective disaster communications capability will have a system in place to target messages to the appropriate audience.
Delivery method
There are many different methods of delivery for emergency messages. You want to make sure that your message is delivered using a method that is reliable and will reach your intended audience. An effective disaster communications capability will have a system in place to deliver messages using a reliable method.
Message format
In an emergency situation, it is important that your message is formatted so that it can be easily understood by your intended audience. An effective disaster communications capability will have a system in place to format messages so that they are easily understood.
The right mix of channels
From experience, we know the value of having the right mix of channels. They serve different purposes, and communication strategies should take that into account. The graphic below lays out the seven channels we believe are essential for an effective disaster communications capability.
-Telephone: The telephone is a one-to-one channel that is immediate and personal. Because it’s a two-way medium, it’s also interactive.
-Television: Television reaches a large audience with audio and visual information. It’s typically a one-to-many channel, but can also be used for two-way communication in live interviews or call-in shows.
-Radio: Radio is a broadcast medium that can reach a wide audience quickly. It’s typically a one-to-many channel, but can also be used for two-way communication in live interviews or call-in shows.
-Social media: Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are one-to-many channels that allow for two-way communication. They are immediate, personal and interactive.
-Text messaging: Text messaging is a one-to-one channel that is immediate and personal. Because it’s a two-way medium, it’s also interactive.
Email: Email is a one-to-one or one to many channel that can be used for transmitting text, images, audio or video files. Email is not as immediate as other channels but is more versatile because of the range of file types it can carry
The ability to reach all intended audiences
The ability to reach all intended audiences is critical in any disaster communications effort. In order to do this, a comprehensive and well-designed communications plan must be in place that takes into account the different ways that people receive and process information. The plan should also consider the use of multiple channels of communication, including social media, traditional media, and face-to-face interactions.
A way to monitor and evaluate communications
An effective disaster communications capability requires a way to monitor and evaluate communications before, during, and after an event. Monitoring involves continuing collection and analysis of information about the event as it unfolds and about how the communications are performing. Evaluation assesses the effectiveness of the communications after the fact. It is important to have both monitoring and evaluation components in place so that you can learn from your successes and failures and make necessary adjustments to improve your disaster communications capability.
A process for regularly testing the system
One of the most important elements of an effective disaster communications capability is a process for regularly testing the system. Testing should be conducted on a regular basis, at least annually, to ensure that the system is functioning properly and that all stakeholders are familiar with its use.
The test should simulate as realistic a scenario as possible, and should be conducted under a variety of conditions (e.g., bad weather, power outages, etc.). If possible, the test should also be conducted using different types of communication devices (e.g., landlines, cell phones, satellite phones, radios, etc.) to ensure that the system is accessible to all stakeholders.
A plan for how to use social media
The 7 elements of an effective disaster communications capability are:
- A plan for how to use social media
- Trained staff who understand how to use social media
- The ability to instantly send out messages through multiple channels
- A way to monitor social media channels for incoming information
- protocols for how to deal with incoming information
- The ability to quickly adapt your messaging in light of new information
- A plan for how to keep the lines of communication open after the disaster has passed
A mechanism for quickly updating information
During a disaster, information is constantly changing. You need a mechanism for quickly and easily updating your communications so that people have the most accurate information available. This could be as simple as posting new information to a central website or sending out regular updates via email or text message.
Conclusion
When designing a disaster communications capability, there are seven essential elements that should be considered:
- A clear and concise message
- An effective delivery method
- Targeted audience
- Appropriate timing
- Frequency
- Repetition
- Testing