Daryls Loc: Waco, TX

In emergency management and sociology, many studies were conducted following disasters to determine what worked best forgetting people to take appropriate actions for response and mitigation. One of the leaders in the field is Thomas E. Drabek, Professor University of Denver. His book on the subject - The Sociology of Disaster, discusses how people act and react during disasters and offers suggestions as to what works and what doesn't work, and why. His research indicated that scare tactics do not work as anticipated. Think of the advertisements of "This is your brain on drugs" to stop illegal drug use, pictures of diseased lungs to stop people from smoking, and the campaign to wear seatbelts. Consider how many people developed a family emergency plan, a communications plan, keep their vaccinations up to date, and have a three-day supply of food, water, medicines, and money to be prepared for the myriad of emergencies and disasters they experience almost every year.

Scare tactics either create panic instead of thoughtful actions or they numb people to the real messages. Instead, in emergency management we recommend simple messages that state the threat, who is threatened, what actions should be implemented, and an ending date for the threat. When there is time, explain the why behind the recommendations. We are adults and should be treated that way. Give us the information necessary to make our own evaluations of what we are being told. Tell us if some information is unknown as well as the assumptions being used to make the recommendations. We know this works because officials have used these techniques to good purpose. I have used them too and I know they work. I and other emergency managers teach these techniques. Unfortunately, many officials do not listen and learn, thus they make the same communications mistakes over and over again.

Daryl

Bill_de Loc: US

What a difference a space can make.

forgetting people

vs

for getting people

I need either sleep or fresh air, not sure which.


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Daryls Loc: Waco, TX

Right on Bill-de. We both need a break. The word should read "for getting". Good catch.

Daryl

Hal81 Loc: Bucks County, Pa.

Since I stopped eating out three dinners had to close. They keep calling and asking when im coming back.