This study assesses the communication challenges and opportunities involved in the outbreak of an unknown disease, the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) that severely threatened the United States pork industry in 2013 and 2014. Interviews with 13 individuals directly involved in developing and distributing risk and crisis messages during the outbreak identified four generalizable implications. They featured (1) the advantage of maintaining flexibility in crisis communication planning, (2)the value of audience analysis and message adaptation, (3)the importance of understanding not only what to do, but also why the recommended actions are essential, and (4) the utility of risk/crisis communication and education both prior to and during a crisis event.
Taylor, Jonathan G. (author), Gillette, Shana C. (author), Hodgson, Ronald W. (author), Downing, Judith L. (author), Burns, Michele R. (author), Chavez, Deborah J. (author), and Hogan, John T. (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2007
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 146 Document Number: D11574
14 pages., Online from publisher via open access., Researchers studied fire communications during different stages of two wildfires in southern California. Findings revealed that pre-fire communication planning was particularly effective for smaller fire events and parts of that planning proved invaluable for the large fire event as well. Findings also identified information needs of residents.
