Emergency Communication: Lessons Unlearned and New Threats

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Dear reader,

Recently, there has been an increasing amount of news pointing to a number of new challenges in our field. These developments have triggered considerable discussion and reflection among both experts and stakeholders.

As someone who works and has worked in emergency response, I would like to share my thoughts on these issues and explore what they might mean for our work.

This edition of the Wag The Dog newsletter is a first introduction to the concepts of poly- and permacrisis, topics I’ll cover more in future editions.

Let me know what you think!

Table of Contents

• The threat of future pandemics

• Misinformation and threats to emergency responders

• What this means for us

  • Proactive communication:

  • Build trust:

  • Long-term efforts to foster community relations an …

• References and further reading.

• Sponsor

• What I am reading/testing/checking out:

• Let’s meet!

The threat of future pandemics

The article "Why the next pandemic may 'catch us napping' despite all we've learned from Covid"¹ in the British daily newspaper The Telegraph paints a sobering picture of our global preparedness. Despite the progress made during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board warns that we could still be surprised by the next health crisis.

It's disheartening to see that despite our recent experiences, we haven't fully implemented the lessons learnt. The article points out that many aspects of modern life — urbanisation, intensive agriculture and inequality — increase the risk of pandemics. As communicators, we need to step up our efforts to convey the urgency of preparedness to decision-makers and the public.

Misinformation and threats to emergency responders

Even more alarming is the report of threats against FEMA employees by an armed group in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene² . This incident highlights a dangerous new frontier in crisis response: physically endangering those trying to help.

The spread of misinformation - from false claims about land seizures to conspiracy theories about FEMA's intentions - is actively hindering relief efforts and putting lives at risk. It's a stark reminder that our role as communicators goes beyond simply sharing information — we must actively combat falsehoods and build trust in institutions.

What this means for us

Proactive communication:

We need to be one step ahead of misinformation by establishing clear, consistent channels of communication before crises occur.

Some ideas and tactics:

• Develop a regularly updated "rumour control" website, like FEMA's, to address common misconceptions before they spread.

• Create and maintain active social media accounts where you regularly disseminate factual information and build a following before a crisis occurs.

• Build partnerships with local media to ensure rapid dissemination of accurate information during emergencies.

• Run regular "what if" scenarios and create pre-approved news templates for various potential crisis events.

Build trust:

Long-term efforts to foster community relations and trust in institutions are more important than ever.

• Organise community meetings or "Meet Your Emergency Responders" events to familiarise the public with local crisis management teams.

• Introduce a transparent "lessons learnt" process after each incident, where the knowledge gained from past experiences is made public.

• Work with respected leaders and influencers in the community to disseminate accurate information and build credibility.

• Develop a youth ambassador programme that engages young people in emergency preparedness and response.

Digital literacy: We need to include strategies to improve digital literacy and critical thinking skills in our communication plans.

• Partner with local libraries or community centres to offer free "Spot the Fake News" workshops.

• Create engaging content on social media that teaches critical thinking, such as infographics that explain how to check sources.

• Develop a programme for schools that includes digital literacy and emergency information assessment.

• Launch a public education campaign about the dangers of sharing unverified information in times of crisis.

Security considerations: Unfortunately, we must now consider the physical safety of emergency responders in our crisis planning.

• Introduce a buddy system for responders to ensure that no one works alone in potentially hostile environments.

• Conduct de-escalation training for all frontline staff to help them deal with potentially volatile situations.

• Establish clear protocols on when to involve law enforcement in the response.

• Develop and regularly update risk assessments for different areas and types of emergencies.

Interdisciplinary approach: The complexity of modern crises requires closer collaboration with experts in fields such as epidemiology, climate science and cyber security.

• Form an interdisciplinary advisory board that includes experts from different fields to review and improve crisis communication strategies.

• Organise regular cross-sector exercises that bring together communicators, scientists and security experts to simulate complex crisis scenarios.

• Develop a network of experts on call who can quickly provide accurate, specialised information in different types of emergencies.

• Create interdisciplinary teams for large-scale projects to ensure that different perspectives are considered in all planning and response activities.

These developments paint a challenging picture of our future working world. We face a world where health crises, natural disasters and social unrest are increasingly interconnected, complicated by misinformation and mistrust.

However, by acknowledging these challenges head-on and adapting our strategies, we can rise to meet them. Our role in safeguarding public safety and fostering informed, resilient communities has never been more important.

What do you think? How will mis- and disinformation, interconnected crises and social tensions impact your crisis planning? Let me know.

Stay safe and keep communicating.

References and further reading.

1  Scott-Geddes, A. (2024, October 14). Why the next pandemic may 'catch us napping' despite all we've learned from Covid. The Telegraph.

2  Rahman, K. (2024, October 14). Armed Militia 'Hunting FEMA' Causes Hurricane Responders to Evacuate—Report. Newsweek.

🎧 Do you listen to podcasts? This newsletter is now available in audio format on Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Deezer, Listennotes and many more.

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What I am reading/testing/checking out:

• Tool: Yomu.ai - AI for academic writing, and simplify your academic life.

• Paper: Process and components of disaster risk communication in health systems: A thematic analysis

• Free Course: Rumor Tracking and Infodemic Management in Public Health Emergencies

• Paper: Why do people share (mis)information? Power motives in social media.

Let’s meet!

Here are the events and conferences I'll be speaking at. If you're around, feel free to message me and we can meet up for a coffee or a Negroni.

• 🇺🇸 Al in PR Conference + Bootcamp, 17-18 October 2024, Chicago, USA

• 🇬🇧 Crisis Communications Boot Camp, 4-5 November, London, United Kingdom

• 🇺🇸 International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Annual Conference, 7 November, Colorado Springs, USA (remote/virtual).

• 🇳🇿 Emergency Media and Public Affairs (EMPA) conference, 7 November, Wellington, New Zealand (remote/virtual)

• 🌐 AI for Crisis Communications: Navigating Turbulent Times - Virtual Training via Zoom - November 21-22, 10 AM - 3 PM (Eastern Time) / 4 PM - 9 PM (Central European Time). Register here.

• 🇧🇪 AI in PR Boot Camp II, 20-21 February 2025, Brussels, Belgium

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_{Parts of this newsletter were created using AI technology to draft content. In addition, all AI-generated images include a caption stating, 'This image was created using AI'. These changes were made in line with the transparency requirements of the EU AI law for AI-generated content. Some links in this newsletter may be affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission if you click and make a purchase; however, I only promote tools and services that I have tested, use myself, or am convinced will make a positive difference.}